26/10/2023
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An ongoing undertaking to develop a low-cost, reusable engine for European rockets made appreciable progress over the summer time and autumn, with a sequence of checks that achieved full ignition and, in the end, a 30-second burn with re-ignition of an early prototype of the Prometheus engine.
Work at ArianeGroup’s take a look at facility in Vernon, France achieved first ignition in June 2023 (pictured), adopted by the 30-second firing and re-ignition on 20 October.
The 100-tonne thrust class Prometheus burns liquid oxygen-liquid methane gas. Methane is clear burning and simplifies dealing with, to assist allow reusability and scale back the price of floor operations earlier than and after flight.
In depth use of recent supplies and manufacturing methods can also be anticipated to cut back prices to only a tenth of Ariane 5’s Vulcain 2, an upgraded model of which – Vulcain 2.1 – powers the core stage of Ariane 6.
In line with ESA’s Prometheus programme supervisor Jean-Noel Caruana, checks run over the previous 12 months at Vernon have made “important” progress towards addressing most of the challenges raised by formidable new expertise.
He added that testing to date has been completed on a single prototype engine, however the take a look at effort ought to speed up with imminent supply of two additional examples. ArianeGroup, which is creating Prometheus underneath contract from ESA, will broaden testing early subsequent 12 months with set up of considered one of these prototypes on a take a look at mattress modified for liquid methane gas at German aerospace company DLR’s take a look at website in Lampoldshausen, Germany.
Work to date has been completed with Prometheus mounted in an early prototype of a reusable rocket stage, referred to as Themis, which is being developed in parallel with the engine underneath contract from ESA. Whereas engine testing continues, work can also be underway to organize a extra superior Themis prototype for a sequence of “hop-tests” in Kiruna, Sweden. The target can be to carry off and rise to as excessive as 100 m, to test flight and touchdown functionality.
