Purdue students Test Rocket Combustor for Project Morpheus

Event Date: May 19, 2014
Purdue students successfully tested a 4000 lb thrust rocket combustor on May 13 at the High Pressure Lab. The combustor is a test unit built to demonstrate technologies for a lunar lander, and was was developed according to NASA requirements by AAE students during the Propulsion Design, Build, Test class taught by Professor Bill Anderson.

Purdue students successfully tested a 4000 lb thrust rocket combustor on May 13 at the High Pressure Lab. The combustor is a test unit built to demonstrate technologies for a lunar lander, and was developed according to NASA requirements by AAE students during the Propulsion Design, Build, Test class taught by Professor Bill Anderson. The combustor uses liquid oxygen and liquid methane propellants, and must be throttled over a 4:1 thrust range. 

Mike Bedard, a PhD student in AAE, led the testing and the buildup of a methane liquefaction system. Mike was assisted by AAE students:

Alix Crandell 

Jacob Ediger 

Daniel Goldberg 

Logan Kamperschroer

Daniel Kerstiens

Austin Link 

Jenna Schreiner 

The Project Morpheus website contains further information about the project.

Video footage from the test can be found in the  You Tube video.