Peregrine Hybrid Rocket Motor Development

To further develop and demonstrate the applicability of liquefying-fuel hybrid rocket technology to low-cost launch applications, a small team of engineers is developing a medium-scale liquefying-fuel hybrid sounding rocket using storable propellants (paraffin wax and N2O) that will propel a 5 kg payload to the edge of space. This rocket, known as the Peregrine Sounding Rocket, is being developed by engineers from NASA Ames, Stanford University, Space Propulsion Group Inc. (SPG, Sunnyvale, CA) and NASA Wallops, with a launch from Wallops anticipated at some point in the future. Results of ground testing performed using a heavy-weight configuration of the motor show that stable and efficient combustion has been achieved.