Solid propellant is the power source of solid rocket engines and my country has strong research and development capabilities.

According to the “2021-2025 Solid Propellant Industry In-depth Market Research and Investment Strategy Suggestions Report” released by the Industrial Research Center, solid propellant industry Propellant is the power source of solid rocket engines and is widely used in missiles, sounding rockets, space shuttles, etc. Its performance directly affects the flight and combat capabilities of aircraft and weapons, and plays an important role in the aerospace and military fields. Solid propellant is generally composed of oxidizer, flammable agent, binder, etc.

Solid propellants were originally single-base propellants, and the main products were nitrocellulose (nitrocellulose) propellants. Due to low specific impulse values, they have been eliminated at this stage; later they developed into double-base propellants, and the main products were nitrocellulose+ Nitroglycerine propellant, its specific impulse value has been improved, but is still low, and is mainly used in the field of small solid rocket engines; composite propellant and modified double-base propellant are new solid propellants, and composite propellant is made of polymer Composed of oxidizer, metal fuel, etc., the modified double-base propellant is modified by adding oxidizer and metal fuel, and the specific charge value of the two is greatly improved.

Composite propellants have high specific impulse value and good mechanical properties. The main products include polyvinyl chloride propellant, polyurethane propellant, polybutadiene propellant, etc. Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) propellant is the most representative Products are mainly used in the field of large solid rocket motors and can also be used in the field of missiles; modified double-base propellant products are mainly composed of nitrocellulose, nitroglycerin, ammonium perchlorate, RDX, aluminum powder, etc., with a burning rate of High and adjustable, mainly used in the missile field. In addition, there are new solid propellants that combine double-base propellants with composite propellants, which have better specific impulse values, such as nitrate plasticized polyether (NEPE) propellants.

Compared with liquid propellants, solid propellants are more stable and can be stored in rockets and missiles for a long time, making them easy to use at any time. However, liquid propellants need to be filled in advance during launch, which will extend the launch time of the missile and delay the fighter aircraft. Therefore, Solid propellants are more suitable for use in the military industry for weapons manufacturing. However, compared with liquid propellants, solid propellants also have shortcomings such as relatively low specific impulse and relatively poor carrying capacity. Liquid propellants are still used in heavy-duty launch vehicles and large missiles, and the two can be used complementary.

Industry analysts said that driven by the rapid development of my country’s aerospace and military industries, my country’s solid propellant industry has developed rapidly and is currently mainstream. The development capabilities of solid propellants such as HTPB propellant and NEPE propellant are basically consistent with foreign countries. At present, the performance of solid propellants has not yet reached its peak, and there is still much room for improvement. In order to meet the development needs of the aerospace and military industries, research on solid propellant technology is still in depth, with higher specific charge, higher safety, and lower cost. Low-cost new products are the focus of research and development, and major aerospace and military powers are still increasing investment in research and development.