Rocket engine spin up tests evaluate turbopump and ignition dynamics prior to flight
the verdict
INSUFFICIENT LEANING
refutedsupported
the weight of evidence
2 sources for · 0 against
The retrieved evidence provides isolated mentions of motor evaluations, static fire tests, and component testing like turbopump evaluations, but lacks comprehensive documentation covering the general role of spin-up tests in evaluating turbopump and ignition dynamics prior to flight.
Project ATLAS Hybrid Rocket Engine; An Analysis of Technology Transfer in Aerospace Research and Development Project ATLAS Hybrid Rocket Engine; An Analysis of Technology Transfer in Aerospace Research and Development 112 views Author Gorenca, Adis, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Virginia Advisors Dedic, Chloe , EN-Mech & Aero Engr Dept , University of Virginia Quinn, Daniel , EN-Mech & Aero Engr Dept , University of Virginia Forelle, MC , EN-Engineering and Society , University of Virginia Abstract My technical work and STS research are both centered on the field of aerospace research and development (R&D) within the U.S.
My technical work is a direct participation in the field as a hybrid rocket motor project funded through an academic research center, while my STS research focuses on understanding the project-level impacts from changes in high-level technology transfer practices. Along with this, the field of hybrid rocket motor research proved to be an effective representative for my STS analysis. There has been a significant research effort in hybrid rocket motors over the past few decades to improve the technical maturity of the technology; however, it remains troubled by actual performance characteristics.
Our technical project was to design, build, and test a conventional hybrid rocket motor to evaluate novel injectors and fuel grain material and designs. A conventional hybrid motor uses one liquid oxidizer and one solid fuel. Our propellant combination was liquid nitrous oxide as the oxidizer, and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) plastic as the fuel. ABS was chosen over other options as it is easily 3D printable, allowing the team to explore several design options of various cross-section fuel grains. This was useful since the shape of cross-section determines the distribution of thrust over time, a valuable choice for designers.
The motor structure was made up of an aluminum combustion chamber with a phenolic laminate insulator, graphite nozzle, ceramic-resin 3D printed oxidizer injector, aluminum valves, and a commercially sold high-pressure tank. The team’s injector design and manufacturing is novel to published research and has allowed us to explore more complicated injector geometries. The advantages of this being the improved oxidizer distribution and combustion efficiency. The motor was evaluated through several hydrostatic tests, cold flow tests, and hot fire tests to prove the design’s functionality and measure actual performance.
An analysis of the effects of these transfer practices was done by breaking down the research between the lines of low level/high level R&D and between the effects of spin-off/spin-on implementation. Data was gathered from sources including internal U.S. government reports, papers by members of the U.S. Armed Forces, and technical history review articles by researchers in that field. It was found that due to monetary pressures being the highest priority, the specific process of spinning-off technology has been consistently encouraged and practiced by
Using hybrid rocket engine development as a representative low level research field, it was found that these research directives were unaffected by the implementation of technology transfer policies. The reason for this being the categories lack of any form of adaptation or technological style. In contrast, the direction of high level R&D has been negatively affected by technology transfer trends; in particular, the practices of dual-use development and spin-on conversion resulting in national security and geopolitical concerns.
Degree BS (Bachelor of Science) Keywords Hybrid Rocket Engine; Technology Transfer; Aerospace; Propulsion Notes School of Engineering and Applied Science Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering Technical Advisors: Dr. Chloe Dedic, Dr. Daniel Quinn STS Advisor: Dr.
MC Forelle Technical Team Members: Gavin Miller, Harshit Dhayal, Ved Thakare, Mannix Green, Aiden Winfield, Sean Dunn, Dominic Profaci, Thomas DeCanio, Joshua Bird, Harrison Bobbitt, Taka Suzuki, Darsh Devkar, Jack Spinnanger, IA Tisinger, Silas Agnew, Zach Hinz, Alexander Gorodchanin, James Dalzell Language English Rights All rights reserved (no additional license for public reuse) Issued Date 2025-05-09 Persistent Link https://doi.org/10.18130/x3hm-dp74 Suggested Citation Gorenca, Adis. Project ATLAS Hybrid Rocket Engine; An Analysis of Technology Transfer in Aerospace Research and Development.
environmental assessment before flight tests could start. In July 2022, Booster 7 tested the liquid oxygen turbopumps on all 33 Raptor engines, resulting in an explosion
Starship is a two-stage, fully reusable, super heavy-lift launch vehicle under development by American aerospace company SpaceX. Currently built and launched from Starbase in Texas, it is intended as the successor to the company's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets, and is part of SpaceX's broader reusable launch system development program. If completed as designed, Starship would be the first full
In July 2022, Booster 7 tested the liquid oxygen turbopumps on all 33 Raptor engines, resulting in an explosion at the vehicle's base, which destroyed a pressure pipe and caused minor damage to the launchpad. By the end of November, Ship 24 had performed 2 static test fires, while Booster 7 had performed 6 static test fires and finally on February 9, 2023, a static fire with 31 engines at 50% throttle. In January 2023, the whole Starship stack underwent a full wet dress rehearsal.
After a launch attempt aborted on April 17, 2023, Booster 7 and Ship 24 lifted off on April 20 at 13:33 UTC in the first orbital flight test. Three engines were disabled during the launch sequence and several more failed during the flight. The booster later lost thrust vectoring control of the Raptor engines, which led to the rocket spinning out of control. The vehicle reached a maximum altitude of 24 mi (39 km). Approximately 3 minutes after lift-off the rocket's autonomous flight termination system was activated, though the vehicle tumbled for another 40…
Aiming to complete the same goals as flight 12, except with functional Starlink V3 satellites instead of mass simulators, Starship's thirteenth flight test was initially scheduled for July 16, 2026, but scrubbed shortly after main engine ignition due to unexpected ice buildup in several Raptor 3 engine turbopumps. After a second scrub on July 23 due to weather, Flight 13 successfully launched on July 24 with booster 20 and ship 40. Booster 20 successfully conducted ascent and boostback with all 33 engines, before attempting a soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. Booster 20 attempted ignition on all 13 center engines, but only 10 lit, with 2 additional engines failing shortly after. Booster then dropped to 5 engines as planned, but failed to bleed off enough speed before being destroyed in a hard splashdown. Ship 40 nominally completed orbital insertion and deployed 20 Starlink V3 satellites before successfully conducting an in-orbit relight of one sea-level Raptor engine. Ship continued through reentry and achieved soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean, becoming the first Starship to remain intact after toppling over post-splashdown.
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