This lecture gives an overview of expendable rocket launchers, and discusses two well-known reusable rocket vehicles – the Space Shuttle and the Falcon 9 series. In contrast, the possibilities afforded by aircraft-like access to space, including the role played by Reaction Engines, are then discussed.
RAeS Evening Lecture
Reaction Engines – Gerrie Mullen
Expendable rocket launch vehicles cost around £100 million per launch, or around £8,000 per kg. They take years to build, months to prepare, and the vehicle is discarded in flight. When compared with conventional aircraft, failure rates are eye-watering.
This lecture gives an overview of expendable rocket launchers, and discusses two well-known reusable rocket vehicles – the Space Shuttle and the Falcon 9 series. In contrast, the possibilities afforded by aircraft-like access to space, including the role played by Reaction Engines, are then discussed. The talk concludes with a summary of Reaction Engines’ past experimental programmes, and a discussion of upcoming tests in 2018.
As a five-year old, Gerrie Mullen watched the Apollo 17 moonwalk, and has been fascinated by launch vehicles ever since. Gerrie is currently Vehicle Studies Manager at Reaction Engines; prior to this he was Stability & Control Group Lead at Bombardier Aerospace in Toronto, and was a flight dynamics tutor with ETPS at Boscombe Down.
Gerrie has a BSc in Physics, MSc in Flight Dynamics, and PhD in Helicopter Aerodynamics and Flight Control. He lives in Amesbury, and is married with two children.
VENUE
Lecture Hall
MOD Boscombe Down
Amesbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JF
17:00 – Tea and Coffee available
17:15 – Lecture Starts
For further details, contact our Lecture Secretary Sam Gibbons on 01980 664406.
All Welcome You do not need to be a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society to attend!
External members need to declare their intention to attend our lectures by emailing the Members Secretary (members@BoscombeDownRAeS.org) or by calling Peter Richards on on 01980 662536.
Are you pursuing CEng, IEng or EngTech status? Attendance at our lectures will help you meet your CPD requirements, and certificates of attendance will be provided!