// PROPULSION SYSTEMS AND ENGINE TECHNOLOGY TERM
Full-Flow Staged Combustion
A rocket engine design where all the fuel and all the oxidizer are first turned into gas to spin turbines, which then pump more propellant into the main combustion chamber. This complex process makes the engine extremely efficient and powerful.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
Full-flow staged combustion (FFSC) is a bipropellant rocket engine cycle where the entire flow of both oxidizer and fuel is gasified in separate, oxidizer-rich and fuel-rich preburners to drive their respective turbopumps. The full gaseous propellant flows are then directed into the main combustion chamber for final ignition, a configuration that maximizes specific impulse and engine performance while minimizing turbine stress.
BACKGROUND
The staged combustion cycle is a power cycle of a bipropellant rocket engine. In the staged combustion cycle, propellant flows through multiple combustion chambers, and is thus combusted in stages. The main advantage relative to other rocket engine power cycles is high fuel efficiency, measured through specific impulse, while its main disadvantage is engineering complexity.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- FFSC
- gas-gas cycle
- dual preburner staged combustion
- full-flow cycle
- closed cycle
USAGE NOTE
FFSC is noted for its high performance and reusability potential, making it the cycle of choice for advanced engines like the SpaceX Raptor, despite its immense engineering complexity.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Full-Flow Staged Combustion.
Developer of the Raptor engine, the world's first operational full-flow staged combustion rocket engine. It uses liquid methane and liquid oxygen propellants and powers the Starship launch system.
Developing a novel full-flow staged combustion engine using methalox propellants. The engine is a key component of their fully reusable second stage, which is designed for rapid reuse.
As Rocketdyne, the company developed and tested the Integrated Powerhead Demonstrator (IPD) in the early 2000s for NASA. The IPD was a ground-breaking hydrolox FFSC engine that proved the technology's viability.
Managed the Integrated Powerhead Demonstrator (IPD) project, which successfully built and tested a full-flow staged combustion engine. NASA's research advanced the fundamental understanding and technology readiness of the FFSC cycle.
A key partner and funder of the Integrated Powerhead Demonstrator (IPD) project. The AFRL continues to invest in advanced rocket propulsion technologies, including concepts derived from FFSC, for future national security space launch capabilities.
Reportedly developing a high-thrust, reusable full-flow staged combustion methalox engine. This engine is expected to power China's next-generation super heavy-lift launch vehicles, such as the Long March 9.