Rocket Propellant Properties: f2_h2 to solid_pban_ap_al
Rocket propellant performance data — specific impulse, characteristic velocity, chamber conditions for bipropellant, solid, and monopropellant combinations
| propellant id | avg specific gravity (dimensionless) | chamber pressure psia (psia) | chamber temp deg r (deg R) | chamber temp k (K) | cstar ft s (ft/s) | cstar m s (m/s) | expansion ratio (dimensionless) | fuel | gamma exhaust (dimensionless) | isp frozen s (s) | isp shifting s (s) | isp vac s (s) | metal content pct (%) | mixture ratio (dimensionless) | mol mass exhaust kg mol (kg/mol) | oxidizer | propellant type | source method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| f2_h2 | 0.45 | 1,000 | 7,020 | 3,900 | 8,363 | 2,549 | 40 | LH2 | 1.33 | 389 | 410 | — | 0 | 7.6 | 8.9 | F2 | liquid_bipropellant | Sutton Table 5-5 standard conditions: Pc=1000 psia optimum stoichiometry. Is_shifting=410 s Is_frozen=389 s c*=2549 m/s Tc=3900 K m=8.9 kg/mol k=1.33. Highest Isp chemical bipropellant; extremely toxic oxidizer limits practical use. |
| rfna_rp1 | 1.35 | 1,000 | 5,715 | 3,175 | 5,230 | 1,594 | 40 | RP1 | 1.22 | 258 | 269 | — | 0 | 4.8 | 24.6 | RFNA | liquid_bipropellant | Sutton Table 5-5 standard conditions: Pc=1000 psia optimum stoichiometry. RFNA = Red Fuming Nitric Acid (99% pure HNO3). Is_shifting=269 s Is_frozen=258 s c*=1594 m/s Tc=3175 K m=24.6 kg/mol k=1.22. |
| n2o_ethanol | — | 200 | 5,130 | 2,850 | 5,217 | 1,590 | 10 | Ethanol | — | — | — | 265 | — | 5.75 | — | N2O | — | N2O/Ethanol liquid bipropellant, Pc=200 psia, epsilon=10:1, MR=5.75 (O/F). Experimental Isp 250-260 s (OSTI 1492388); NASA CEA theoretical ~270 s. Isp_vac=265 s is a representative mid-range delivered value. N2O is self-pressurizing; low-cost small-satellite and student launcher propellant. Not hypergolic; requires ignition source. |
| solid_htpb_ap_al | — | 1,000 | 6,390 | 3,550 | 5,184 | 1,580 | 15 | HTPB_binder_plus_18pct_Al | — | — | — | 285 | — | — | — | AP_integral | — | Solid composite propellant: 68% AP / 18% Al / 14% HTPB by mass. Pc=1000 psia, epsilon=15:1. Theoretical Isp_vac ~295-300 s; delivered Isp_vac=285 s at ~93% efficiency (typical Ariane/Atlas class SRM). C*=1580 m/s, Tc=3550 K per MDPI Aerospace 9(11):677 (2022). Mixture ratio not defined for premixed solid propellant. Sea-level Isp typically 250-265 s depending on nozzle design. |
| solid_pban_ap_al | — | 907 | 6,210 | 3,450 | 4,954 | 1,510 | 7.72 | PBAN_binder_plus_16pct_Al | — | — | — | 268 | — | — | — | AP_integral | — | Space Shuttle SRB: 69.6% AP / 16% Al / 12.04% PBAN / 0.4% Fe2O3 by mass. Pc=906.8 psia nominal; epsilon=7.72:1 (exit area / throat area). Delivered Isp_vac=268 s, Isp_SL=242 s per NASA SP-2007-562. C*=1510 m/s estimated; Tc=3450 K per published SRM data. Each SRB produced ~14.7 MN (3.3 Mlbf) sea-level thrust at ignition. |
This is a sample. Search the full rocket propellant properties dataset and 350+ more by creating a free account and accessing the database.
Get started for FREE