June 07, 2024
Prototype new hybrid electric turbopump tested pumping cryogenic propellant
Whilst combustion chamber and thrust chamber tests often catch people's eye, they are far from the most complex parts of rocket engines. The heart of an orbital rocket engine, and by far the most complex piece, is the pump system.
To achieve unprecedented engine lifetime and reusability for this size-class of engines we're pioneering a new approach utilising our hybrid expander electric cycle and a "hybrid electric turbopump" unit for delivering the fuel-side propellant.
Typically in small orbital rocket engines the high required shaft speed leads to extremely limited reliable lifetime with conventional construction. This comes from wear and tear problems at high speed with the bearings and inter-propellant seals that are used to prevent the mixing of fuel and oxidiser whilst pumped from a common shaft. Our approach completely mechanically separates fuel and oxidiser in our engines prior to combustion, instead favouring electrical power transmisssion, eliminating the need for any dynamic seals which can wear down and also uses hydrostatic fluid bearings to considerably push up bearing lifetime. All this whilst still being able to harness the power generated within the engine cycle, unlike with battery driven pumped engines like Rocket Lab's Rutherford. The result is a massively improved theoretical reliable lifetime whilst still achieving the performance and weight required for a fully reusable orbital rocket, important for realising cost-effective reusability within small-lift class rockets.
This prototype features fully in-house designed and developed turbomachinery, cryogenic operating electric machine, power electronics, control systems, active cooling loops, and hydrostatic bearings showcasing our leading expertise in all of these areas.
We're excited to share this footage of testing with cryogenic liquid nitrogen this first prototype concept hardware fuel-side hybrid electric turbopump. This is a huge technical milestone towards development of our highly reusable rocket engine in development, which in turn is a key technology within our fully reusable Aurora launch vehicle.
Thank you Protolaunch for hosting us at your test site on Wescott. Special thanks also to the ESA Business Incubation Centre United Kingdom, UK Space Agency, and our investors for their support enabling us to get this far.