Project Statement
Falcon 9 is a two-stage partially reusable rocket launcher, designed and built by SpaceX. The rocket’s first stage is completely recovered and reused, while the 2nd stage is always expended. At the heart of its propulsion system lies the famous Merlin 1DV+, a LOX/RP−1 gas generator open cycle engine.
After a brief but not shallow analysis of the propulsion system, the redesign starts by closing the cycle, and then changing the propellant combination, making a new 2nd stage engine using LOX/CH4: more environmentally friendly, less expensive in terms of overall costs and probably more powerful, but regarding this it is necessary to deepen it, analyzing and comparing both engines. T
his research paper dedicates special attention to meticulously scrutinizing each component of the redesigned engine. It encompasses elements such as turbopumps, turbines, thrust chamber and the implementation of regenerative and radiative cooling mechanisms, all intrinsically linked to the process of sizing the engine’s nozzle. Finally it is possible to find an appendix with a deeper analysis of all the background aspects that concern every component design and the tools exploited.