A fiery ground test for the ULA Vulcan’s enormous new motor had a successful ground test this week. Here’s video and more from SlashGear:
Before it can get anywhere near a launch pad, never mind space, though, Northrop Grumman’s motor needs to pass a battery of tests. The QM-1 static test saw it fire for around 90 seconds, during which time it produced almost 449,000 pounds of thrust. Among the criteria being judged were how well the internal insulation of the motor held up, in a cold-conditioned environment of 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
It also gave the company an opportunity to measure ballistic performance data from the rocket, along with how the nozzle holds up. That includes how much ablation erosion was encountered during the firing, and how the nozzle plug performed. Finally, Northrop Grumman was looking at igniter insulator performance.
No comments:
Post a Comment