Amateur Rocket Propulsion Lab

Rocket Engine 1 (RE-1) is the first liquid rocket engine developed by the Amateur Rocket Propulsion Lab. The purpose of the project is to demonstrate low cost, simple rocket technology which can be utilized by any interested rocketeer. The design features an aluminum chamber and injector with a jacket and nozzle saddle for directing the coolant flow. This engine will help us verify certain engineering design choices and serve as a testbed to demonstrate reliable performance.

​

​

​

The main goals set for this project are:

​

• Design, build, and test a rocket engine that can sustain stable combustion using LOX and ethanol

• Design an effective, easy-to-produce injector, capable of being scaled up to a 2,000 lbf engine

• Prove reliable ignition source based on a augmented spark igniter (ASI)

• Prove test stand feed system capability of handling liquid oxygen (LOX)

• Use an automated control sequence for valve actuation

​

The road to hot-fire tests requires yet smaller milestones, in which we will design and test individual subsystems. Once these subsystems are tested and verified, they will be integrated into the RE-1 engine for a series of testing. The testing campaign consists of hydrostatic tank tests, cold-flow injector tests, igniter tests, and finally integration and hot-fire tests.