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Friday, June 04, 2004

 
ARCA Space: ENGINE ACHIEVES FULL THRUST
chabot imageXPrize.org posted more information about ARCA's news update, we reported it already a few days ago, here is the xprize.org press release:
Dragasani, Romania: On May 30th, the Romaninan Ansari X PRIZE Team ARCA pushed its engine to full thrust for a 20 second burn. According to Dumitru Popescu, ARCA Team Leader, "The monopropellant fuel system and the engine itself were both developed by ARCA. From the data we have [our engine/fuel] system is the world's first composite material, reusable monopropellant rocket engine." Next steps in testing for ARCA are a full-duration burn of this engine, followed by flight testing on its demonstrator rocket vehicle this summer.

May 30, 2004 – DRAGASANI
After successful April tests on which we obtained 35% of the nominal thrust on 6 sec running, world first composite materials reusable monopropellant rocket engine was “push” today to full thrust for 20 sec.
This major success was obtained after 11 preliminary tests in which the test team measured different parameters (temperature, pressure, fuel flow, etc). The engine is in perfect condition and is ready to resume tests at any time. In short time the engine will be tested at full time and then it will be placed on board of demonstrator rocket for the first flight.
In spite of repeated starts the composite materials layers presented no visible erosion in the nozzle. The reaction temperature resulted from the exothermic decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide had no visible effect to the polymer. This indicates that the engine is able to support other starts.

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