Design of a State-Of-The-Art Test Facility for Rocket Engines

Abstract: The development of innovative propulsion systems requires testing in suitable facilities that reveal the efficacy of design models and allow for design refinement. The qualification process starts from ground tests and ends in vacuum chambers. The aim of this project is to design a versatile space propulsion facility capable of hosting different rocket engine architectures and providing an adequate supply line for different types of oxidizers and fuels in gaseous form. Identifying the key and critical components and implementing such components for the development of the facility and study the state of the art on safety standards and good practices for rocket engine testing. The test bed should be designed to withstand the structural stresses generated by the engine during static tests, while the supply line system should provide the mass flow required by the engine to deliver the design thrust (maximum thrust of 5kN). In this project, different types of rocket engines and their testing, fuel and oxidizers feed supply, risks involved and safety precautions in working of rocket test facilities are studied. A list of components for the development of such a rocket test facility and design of a logical layout plan consisting of various critical components for the propellant and oxidizer feed system is carried out. A total budget for the rocket test facility by evaluating the costs of various high quality and reliable components involved is produced. By accommodating different rocket architectures to withstand a maximum load of 5kN, an efficient design of the rocket test bed was realized and a static structural analysis of the same was performed that suffice for the objectives of the project.