In this article we are going to address LR91, a topic of great relevance today. LR91 is an issue that has generated great interest and debate in various areas, whether in the academic, professional or social sphere. Over the years, LR91 has captured the attention of experts and society in general, due to its impact and implications in different aspects of daily life. In this article, we propose to analyze and delve into the different aspects related to LR91, with the aim of providing a global and enriching vision of this topic. Through a comprehensive and detailed approach, we aim to offer a comprehensive perspective that allows the reader to understand and reflect on LR91 from different perspectives.
Titan IV-B aft with a LR91-AJ-11. | |
| Country of origin | |
|---|---|
| First flight | 1 September 1964 |
| Last flight | 19 October 2005 |
| Designer | Aerojet |
| Manufacturer | Aerojet |
| Application | Upper stage[1] |
| Associated LV | Titan[1] |
| Predecessor | LR91-9[1] |
| Status | Retired |
| Liquid-fuel engine | |
| Propellant | N2O4 / Aerozine 50 |
| Mixture ratio | 1.86 |
| Cycle | Gas-generator[1] |
| Configuration | |
| Chamber | 1[1] |
| Nozzle ratio | 49.2[1] |
| Performance | |
| Thrust, vacuum | 467 kN (105,000 lbf) |
| Thrust, sea-level | 232.7 kN (52,300 lbf) |
| Thrust-to-weight ratio | 80.85[1] |
| Chamber pressure | 5.93 MPa (860 psi)[1] |
| Specific impulse, vacuum | 316 s (3.10 km/s) |
| Specific impulse, sea-level | 160 s (1.6 km/s) |
| Burn time | 247 seconds |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 2.81 m (9 ft 3 in) |
| Diameter | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) |
| Dry mass | 589 kg (1,299 lb) |
| Used in | |
| Titan III and Titan IV[1] | |
| References | |
| References | [1] |
The LR91 was an American liquid-propellant rocket engine, which was used on the second stages of Titan intercontinental ballistic missiles and launch vehicles. While the original version - the LR91-3 - ran on RP-1/LOX (as did the companion LR87-3) on the Titan I, the models that propelled the Titan II and later were switched to Aerozine 50/N2O4.[1]
This engine was vacuum optimized and ran the gas-generator cycle. The thrust chamber used fuel for regenerative cooling, with separate ablative skirt.[1] The LR87, which was used for the Titan first stage, was used as a template for the LR91.
Early LR91 engines used on the Titan I burned RP-1 and liquid oxygen. Because liquid oxygen is cryogenic, it could not be stored in the missile for long periods of time, and had to be loaded before the missile could be launched. For the Titan II, the engine was converted to use Aerozine-50 and nitrogen tetroxide, which are hypergolic and storable at room temperature. This allowed Titan II missiles to be kept fully fueled and ready to launch on short notice.[2]