PSAS Liquid-Propellant Engine (LPE) Designs
Overview
PSAS is building a LPE because (1) it's cool and (2) it's part of our 100 km rocket project. This project started with a 2015-2016 ME capstone of a 2kN 1/4 scale engine and is building towards a planned 9 kN engine for the LV-4 vehicle.
Latest information
2020-2021 creation of the 2kN heat sink engine
Regenerative cooling is hard, particularly when we don't know if the basic engine design is viable. For this reason (and because we already bought some expensive parts), we are moving back to a ~2kN preliminary design. In various documents, this engine may be referred to as:
- 2kN Heat Sink Engine
- Minimum Viable Produce (MVP) engine
- Test Stand Demonstration Engine
The engine is intended to fire for no more than several seconds on the PSAS test stand. The hope is this engine will provide validation for the rocket design, manufacturing learnings and provide experience with a full-up hot fire test.
2019-2020 Test Stand/Engine ME Capstone
Designed a 6kN heat sink engine... and then found out it was going to be too expensive to print and destroy this engine. Recommending moving back to 2kN for cost purposes.
2018-2019 Test Stand Integration MME capstone
Project files analyzing and machining the 500lbf thrust printed engine.
Quick links to folders:
2015-2016 liquid engine MME capstone.
Project files to develop a 500 lbf thrust 3D-printed liquid fuel rocket engine with LOX and IPA propellants. Here are a few helpful links: