HYBRID ROCKET PROPULSION - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

Hybrid rocket motors have been in existence since 1933 yet in large part, their performance has not met the expectations of the rocket community. Nevertheless, a small group of engineers continue to work on hybrid rocket propulsion because of the promise of safe and inexpensive operation that the concept offers. The focus of this talk is on the progress that has been made in recent years with a tip of the hat to the past and an eye toward the future.

Mr. Greg Zilliac received his B.S. degree from Parks college, M.S. in aerospace engineering from Penn State University and a diploma from the von Karman Institute in Brussels Belgium. For the past 27 years, he has been employed by the NASA Ames Research Center and has worked in the fields of fluid mechanics, instrumentation and hybrid rocket propulsion.