HyLIGHT-1 | 10 kN Hybrid Rocket Engine Test Campaign in Review

HyEnD has conducted 7 engine test with its HyLIGHT-1 10kN Hybrid Test Engine from September to December 2021. All tests were conducted at the test bench M11.5 of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Lampoldshausen. In the test campaign, the following aspects were tested: - Evaluation of the fuel regression rate and scaling effects of the engine design - Operation at different mixture ratios and mass fluxes - Variations in fuel grain geometry - Tests of different post combustion chamber designs in order to improve combustion efficiency - Assessment of ablative film cooling of the nozzle section with PE and epoxy-based materials - Tests of 4 different injector designs (impingement & swirl) - Test of the rocket&main valve in a hot fire In the upcoming weeks, the design of the flight-configuration (HyLIGHT-2) with CFRP casing will be tested at full operating time (up to 25 s) at the test bench. Later, a blow-down configuration with the rockets oxidizer tank will be conducted as well.