Developmental history of liquid oxygen turbopumps for the LE-7 engine

Abstract

The first stage of the H-2 rocket used a 110-ton thrust liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen, pump-fed engine, the LE-7. This engine required high-pressure and high-power liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen turbopumps to achieve the two-stage combustion cycle in which the combustion pressure is around 13MPa. Furthermore, it was very important to operate both turbopumps at higher rotational speeds to obtain a smaller, lighter-weight engine because the LE-7 had not low-speed, low-pressure pumps ahead of both the main pumps. The present paper shows the design, test results, and modifications that had been performed until a flight-type liquid oxygen turbopump for the LE-7 engine was completed. The liquid oxygen turbopump had been developed by the use of three models, that is, research, prototype, and flight models.