This blog follows the journey of a experimental design project as they complete preliminary design, detail design, manufacturing and testing of a liquid rocket engine. This engine uses Oxygen and Kerosene as propellants. The project entails the construction of a regenerative cooled first stage engine, dubbed A-1, that will hang on below of a sounding type rocket. This blog follows the successes and failures of the project as I progress through my endeavor of low earth orbit insertion.
First phase of the project is to manufacturing a liquid rocket engine with current tecnology. I would like to study and to learn of accumulated know-how by NASA, Russian agency, ESA and other researchers who developed this type of engines.
At present the composite materials have been introduced in the design of the fuselages of airplanes, also in the space field.
At present the composite materials have been introduced in the design of the fuselages of airplanes, also in the space field.
Second phase of the project will be to apply the composite materials to design of this engine. I would like develop and apply new ideas and new concepts to increase performance of liquid rocket engines. I am going to reduce the weight of these engines and increase the efficiency. By applying new concepts of composite materials as:
- Using the smart composite materials in the manufacturing of nozzles. These nozzles automatically will change them geometrical shape depending of the altitude of the rocket. With this idea the rocket has an optimal performance during all ascent path.
- Using composite materials to manufacturing of thrust chambers with a regenerative cooling system. By this way I reduce the weight of these engines and increase them lifetime.
- and other
About A-1 rocket engine
The A-1 Engine consists of a Liquid Rocket Motor that is powered by a Liquid Kerosene and Gas Oxygen mixture. It is capable of 1.000 Newtons (273 pounds) of thrust and is currently being integrated into a test stand that will be capable of test the engine and the igniter. The engine is currently being built by me, in Girona (Europe). I am a mechanical engineering researcher that specialize in mechanical design and have experience in both the composite materials and metallic materials field as well as the aerospace domain.
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| A-1 engine assemblage on test support. |
The next photo shows several manufactured engine parts. In this photo we can see thrust chamber, outer jacket, chamber dome, bolts etc...
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| Photo of the manufactured parts of the A-1 engine. |
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