TR-107
{{Short description|Proposed US kerolox rocket engine}}
{{infobox rocket engine
| name = TR-107
| image = TR107 Prototype Engine.png
| country_of_origin = United States
| manufacturer = Northrop Grumman
| purpose = low cost throttleable booster engine
| type = liquid
| fuel = RP-1 (kerosene)
| oxidiser = LOX
| thrust(SL) = {{convert|4900|kN|lbf|abbr=on}}
| thrust(Vac) =
| specific_impulse_vacuum =
| specific_impulse_sea_level =
| chamber_pressure = 177 bar
| thrust_to_weight =
| cycle =
| diameter =
| height =
| dry_weight = {{convert|00|kg|abbr=on}}
}}
The TR-107 was a developmental rocket engine designed in 2002 by Northrop Grumman for the NASA and DoD-funded Space Launch Initiative (SLI). Operating on LOX/RP-1, the engine was throttleable and had a thrust of {{convert|4900|kN|lbf|abbr=on}} at a chamber pressure of {{convert|177|bar|MPa|disp=flip}}, making it one of the most powerful engines ever constructed.{{cite news |url=http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=39867 |title=Northrop Grumman Awarded NASA Contract for Next Generation Launch Technology |date=May 5, 2003 |accessdate=May 22, 2014 |publisher=Primezone}}
History
The TR-107 was developed by TRW following the successful conclusion of the development program for the TR-106 engine, a similar throttleable engine of about half the thrust burning LOX/LH2 instead of LOX / RP-1. Tom Mueller, then VP of Propulsion Development at Northrop, was project manager for both the TR-106 and TR-107 engines.
In 2002, Mueller co-founded SpaceX with Elon Musk and became the VP of propulsion{{cite web |url=http://www.spacex.com/about/leadership |title=Tom Mueller Bio |publisher=SpaceX |accessdate=May 21, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140516101427/http://www.spacex.com/about/leadership |archivedate=May 16, 2014 }} after cancellation of the SLI program.{{cn|date=May 2014}}
Status
Northrop Grumman development of the TR-107 engine permitted consideration for potential use on next-generation launch and space transportation systems.
{{As of|2023}}, no flight models are known to exist.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/pdf/100428main_tr107.pdf Booster Engine Prototype Project: TR107 Engine Component Technologies]
- [http://www.alternatewars.com/BBOW/Space_Engines/TR-107.png TR-107 Rendering with explanations]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20030316232147/http://www1.msfc.nasa.gov/NEWSROOM/background/facts/sli-mainengine.pdf SLI Prototype engines]
{{Rocket engines}}