Our Mission - 1
Plug & Play Rocket Engine Testing Facility
Rockets are complex and costly assets that endure significant stress, particularly during launch. Consequently, their engines must undergo thorough testing to meet stringent requirements. Depending on the propellant type (solid or liquid), thrust, pressure, and vibration characterization are essential for safe and efficient rocket launches. Therefore, before rocket propulsion systems are operationally deployed, they undergo a sequence of various tests. Fuel efficiency is a critical concern for rocket engine designers for both solid and liquid rockets. Characterizing thrust provides a clear understanding of the power output for a given nozzle design, enabling engineers to compute the specific impulse of the combustion material and analyze the different phases of ignition, burn-in, and shutdown.
Our Plug & Play Testing Facility is a mobile, containerized rocket engine testing facility, fully equipped with all the necessary tools, software, and equipment. It is designed specifically to support non-cryogenic engines with thrust capabilities up to 50 kN, enabling simulation, quality assessment, material analysis, and testing of both advanced and hybrid rocket engines.
This facility offers the flexibility of easy transportation and setup, providing invaluable hands-on testing experience. It includes in-built fire safety and purge systems, live streaming and media capabilities, sophisticated instrumentation, a predictive analytical DAQ and control system, DIY avionics for research and development, and a cloud-based solution for remote access.
These comprehensive and sophisticated subsystems are designed to meet the diverse requirements of innovators, supporting them through the preliminary stages and helping advance their engines to the next level.
- Thrust Takeout Structure
- Pressuring Cluster
- Engine Control System
- Fire Safety System
- Tankage
- Feed System
- Instrumentation
- Media Capturing
USE CASES - SPECTRUM OF TESTS
(The following tests are typically performed in our Plug and Play Facility)
Mechanical Engineering
Static Vibration Testing (SVT): Assess structural integrity under simulated launch vibrations.
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT): Inspect materials for cracks or imperfections, using ultrasonic, radiographic, or magnetic particle inspection.
Hydrostatic Pressure Testing: Test pressure vessels like fuel tanks for leaks or deformation under high pressure.
Thermal Stress Testing: Examine how materials and joints react under extreme temperatures, simulating conditions from ascent to re-entry.
Structural Load Testing: Apply loads to simulate takeoff, flight, and landing forces to ensure structural resilience.
Aerospace and Aeronautics
Wind Tunnel Testing: Validate aerodynamic performance and stability under various flow conditions.
Aerothermal Analysis Testing: Examine how the rocket structure withstands intense aerodynamic heating during re-entry.
Trajectory Simulation and Validation: Test and simulate flight paths, optimizing for fuel efficiency and payload safety.
Propulsion Integration Testing: Test the propulsion system’s integration with aerodynamic structures, ensuring stability and performance.
Drag and Lift Coefficient Testing: Measure and verify aerodynamic properties essential for ascent and re-entry.
Computer Engineering
Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) Testing: Validate software performance within a simulated rocket environment, without actual hardware.
Real-Time Processing Testing: Confirm that embedded systems handle data processing within strict time constraints.
Fault Injection Testing: Introduce simulated faults to assess software and hardware responses under failure scenarios.
Data Processing and Latency Testing: Ensure telemetry and control data are processed quickly and accurately.
Network and Communication Protocol Testing: Verify the robustness of onboard and ground communication links.
Electrical Engineering
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Testing: Confirm that electronic components function without interfering with or being affected by other electronics.
Thermal Cycling of Electronics: Test how electrical systems perform under temperature fluctuations.
Signal Integrity Testing: Check the accuracy and reliability of data transmission over long distances.
Battery Capacity and Power Load Testing: Ensure power systems can handle expected loads without failure.
High-Voltage Isolation Testing: Validate the insulation between high-voltage circuits to prevent electrical hazards.
Control System Engineering
Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) Simulation: Test control algorithms in a simulated environment to mimic real-world flight conditions.
Closed-Loop System Validation: Confirm that control systems respond accurately to input changes, such as gimballing for thrust vectoring.
Actuator Response Testing: Measure the speed and precision of actuators, especially for systems like landing legs or TVC.
Feedback Loop Testing: Ensure all control loops stabilize the rocket’s orientation and trajectory accurately.
Latency and Delay Testing: Assess control system response times to ensure immediate adjustments during flight.
Manufacturing Engineering
Material Fatigue Testing: Evaluate how materials behave under repeated stress cycles.
Dimensional Inspection: Ensure all parts meet precise design tolerances using CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine) or laser scanning.
Weld Integrity Testing: Inspect and test weld joints for strength and reliability, often using NDT methods.
Composite Layup Inspection: Verify the uniformity and adhesion in composite structures, essential for lightweight and strong components.
Environmental Exposure Testing: Assess how materials react to environmental conditions, such as salt fog or UV exposure, to check for corrosion or degradation.
Chemical Engineering
Fuel Compatibility Testing: Confirm that materials and storage systems are safe for specific fuel types.
Combustion Efficiency Testing: Analyze combustion dynamics to ensure optimal fuel consumption and energy output.
Corrosion and Degradation Testing: Assess how materials react to extended exposure to propellants and extreme conditions.
Propellant Handling and Storage Testing: Verify safe handling and storage processes for reactive chemicals.
Exhaust Emission Analysis: Measure byproducts of combustion, ensuring compliance with environmental and safety standards.
Material Science and Metallurgical Engineering
Material Composition Testing: Analyze material purity and composition to ensure it meets the required specifications.
Microstructural Analysis: Use techniques like scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to inspect material grain structures, especially after extreme stress or heat exposure.
Creep Testing: Measure how materials deform over long periods under high stress, particularly for engine components and load-bearing structures.
Corrosion Testing: Test material resistance to corrosion, particularly in high-humidity or salty environments.
Ground Testing Facilities
Globally, there are over 30 rocket testing facilities, with 2 located in India and 6 outside the USA. In India, the sea-level and high-altitude test facilities are at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR), Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. These facilities test rocket engines on the ground under controlled conditions. A ground test program is generally required before an engine is certified for flight. The development of innovative propulsion systems necessitates testing in suitable facilities to validate design models and allow for refinements. The qualification process starts with ground tests and concludes in vacuum chambers. The test bed must be designed to withstand the structural stresses generated by the engine during static tests, while the supply line system should provide the mass flow required for the engine to deliver its design thrust, with a maximum thrust of 50 kN.
Why Plug & Play Facility Required
While India boasts multiple rocket engine testing facilities operated by private space tech companies, ISRO, and SHAR, many of the lakhs of engineering students graduating from the country’s 1,070 universities each year cannot afford to build their own test beds for innovative hybrid or traditional rocket engines. Each year, a large number of graduates from over 10,000 engineering colleges in India possess extensive theoretical knowledge but lack practical experience. Tier 1 engineering colleges emphasize academics heavily, leaving little room for practical learning or hands-on training in Tier 2 and 3 colleges. Internships, industry visits, and other practical experiences are scarce, resulting in students having limited industry exposure and knowledge confined to textbooks. Engineering students should be given opportunities to participate in LIVE projects to better prepare them for industry challenges.
Steps Towards Resolution
As the first registered ISRO Space Tutor in India, we have organized enlightening sessions for over 3,500 engineering graduates across 12 batches and supported the publication of more than 25 research papers. We have resolved to develop systems that provide rapid, efficient, and affordable transportation to, from, and around space destinations. In pursuit of this mission, we have created India’s first Mobile Rocket Engine Testing Facility, available to all universities and engineering colleges. This facility offers students and researchers practical experience in space technology by testing their engines at an affordable price. Interested parties can contact us to book their testing slots. Our Mobile Testing Facility supports the testing of solid, hybrid, and liquid propulsion engines, allowing them to focus on designing and manufacturing rockets with thrusts up to 50 kN. This enables SpaceTech startups to build and test their engines without the financial burden and effort of constructing a specialized testbed.
Our Testing Facility at BITS Pilani Hyderabad
How it works?
01
Schedule a test
Request a quote with expected Date of Test together with Engine specifications
02
Configure Controls
Our Technical Team coordinate with you for configuring all the controls
03
Test & Get Reports
Test your engine to get the Instant reports for anlysis and modifications
We are thankful to Chitkara University
to identify the scope of impact of Mobile Rocket Engine Testing Facility and supported us.
Chitkara Innovation Incubator Foundation (CIIF)
CIIF committee has approved our Mission–1 to build a Mobile Rocket Engine Testing Facility under the Government of India Scheme “Nidhi Prayas Program” towards nurturing our innovative business idea with the support from CIIF Scientific Mentorship, business network and managerial networks. We have been successful in achieving all our milestones and our Testing Facility is now completed and made available for commercial use. This facility make ease to every Engineering Graduate / Startups to test their rocket engine and succeed his in their upcoming space technology in the Indian Space-Age.
