Project ATLAS Hybrid Rocket Engine; Regulation of the Militarization and Privatization of Space and Policy Improvements

Intro
My STS and technical research papers are closely linked. My technical paper focuses on optimizing hybrid rocket motors to improve spaceflight accessibility, while my STS paper analyzes the privatization and militarization of space, driven by innovations like SpaceX’s reusable Falcon 9. These advancements lower costs and expand access, enabling more private entities and nations to enter space. However, they also challenge existing governance, raising concerns about regulation and security. Together, my papers explore how technical progress fuels societal shifts and the need for updated policies to manage them.
Summaries
Technical summary
Rocket motors are primarily designed around three technologies: solid, liquid, and hybrid, each utilizing fuel and an oxidizer for combustion. Solid rocket motors use a premixed grain of fuel and oxidizer, offering simplicity but posing safety risks due to uncontrollable combustion once ignited. Liquid rocket motors keep fuel and oxidizer separate until they reach the combustion chamber, allowing for throttling and shutdown capabilities, which enhances safety but increases complexity and cost. Hybrid rocket motors combine a solid fuel with a liquid oxidizer, providing controllability similar to liquid motors by regulating oxidizer flow, though they risk combustion chamber overpressurization rather than explosion. Hybrids, however, struggle with inconsistent performance and predictability, limiting their use to smaller scales currently.
To advance hybrid rocket technology, a small-scale laboratory hybrid rocket motor is proposed as a testbed for my capstone thesis. It will explore injector and fuel grain designs, leveraging 3D printing with ceramic-infused resin for injectors and ABS plastic for fuel grains to test complex geometries and optimize the oxidizer-to-fuel (O/F) ratio. A fixed test stand with remote electronic controls, sensors (pressure, temperature, load), and a camera will facilitate static ground tests and data collection. This project aims to improve predictability and performance, serving as a proof of concept for larger-scale applications at UVA and establishing safety protocols for future motor testing.
The data collected from the test campaigns shows that the design is structurally sound and the oxidizer system works as intended. Hydrostatic and cold flow tests went well, but early hot fire tests exposed issues with ignition timing and igniter retention. One hot fire led to a failure due to nozzle clogging from a dislodged igniter. The engine was rebuilt in under a week with a redesigned ignition mount and fuel grain geometry to solve that problem. Although further testing was paused due to updated university safety protocols, the current design is solid and ready to pick up where we left off. The system is now in place to support future testing on fuel grain and injector combos and sets the foundation for continued hybrid rocket development at UVA.
STS summary
The privatization and militarization of space have accelerated with advancements like SpaceX’s reusable Falcon 9, lowering costs and expanding access for private entities and nations. The STS paper analyses the implications of these trends, exploring how increased private sector involvement and the development of space-based military capabilities challenge existing governance frameworks. My research combined content analysis and meta-analysis to examine space law and policy, focusing on recent U.S. documents, academic literature, and news sources to uncover emerging themes in the sector. I applied Actor-Network Theory (ANT) to analyze the roles of states, private companies, treaties, and technologies, using concepts like translation and Obligatory Passage Points to map how actors shape the militarization and privatization of space. This approach revealed the growing influence of private entities, blurred boundaries between public and private actors, and the urgent need for adaptive governance in the face of accelerating space activity. Using this analysis helped justify the motive behind advocating for updated policies to address the consequences of privatization and militarization in space and the consequences associated with sticking with current policy.
Conclusion
My research highlights the connection between technological innovation and societal change associated with rocket technology. The hybrid rocket motor advancements from my technical work show how spaceflight can become more accessible, while my STS analysis reveals the governance challenges posed by privatization and militarization. The data from my tests supports scalability and shows a glimpse to how as technology improves better regulation will be needed.