Cryo-composite Tank for HyperBAT

To achieve the high propellant mass fraction (PMF) required by future high energy propulsion systems, light-weight propellant tanks are essential. GTL’s Supra-tanks™ can approach the theoretical performance limit for carbon fiber pressure vessels using cryogenic or room-temperature propellants. By combining the Blended Hybrid Laminate™ (BHL™) technology with aspects of the Highly Integrated Modular Structure™ (HIMS™) technology, the performance of cryogenic pressure vessels can be reduced to far less than 1.0 lbm/ft3 with an extremely high cycle life, even at relatively small sizes. GTL proposes to demonstrate the Supra-tank developing the HyperBAT (Hypersonic Ballistic Transport) technology demonstration vehicle. The HyperBAT is a small scalable stage designed to carry a 100 lbm payload with an ideal velocity change of 25,000 fps. This reusable vehicle is designed to accommodate a series of upgrades to demonstrate a series of technologies before incorporation into an optimized operational system. In the Phase I effort, GTL proposes to fabricate subscale pressure vessels using the BHL technology. These units will be subjected to repeated cryo-pressure cycling to verify the capabilities of the technology. Based on these results, GTL will develop the preliminary design of a full-scale tank for the HyperBAT demonstration vehicle.