Vectoring Thrust Research is funded by NASA
Various prototype molds of the experimental aerospike nozzle.
Mechanical Engineering
Various prototype molds of the experimental aerospike nozzle.
Recent research by Professors Tom Carpenter and Bill Murray may well provide a cost-effective means for commercial launch ventures into space. Professors Murray and Carpenter, along with ME Master Technician Jim Gerhardt, have received funding from NASA to develop advanced rocket nozzles with thrust vectoring and throttling capabilities. Their study focuses on the aerospike nozzle, which offers significant advantages over conventional bell-shaped nozzles: while bell-shaped nozzles provide optimal thrust at a single altitude, aerospike nozzles yield near optimal thrust at all altitudes. To support their efforts they invented a multi-axis thrust-stand, developed scale-model nozzles, and utilized Schlieren photography to image the flow field. Their ground-breaking experiments have led to a second round of NASA funding to further understand aerospike thrust vectoring.