Independent Project
Project Aurelian
Project Summary
A bipropellant liquid rocket engine using nitrous oxide and E85 as propellants, based on Half Cat Rocketry's open-source Mojave Sphinx design. Built independently by a 6-person team as an introduction to liquid rocket engines, with a personal goal of bringing five friends without prior rocketry experience into the hobby. With all engine hardware machined, the team is now building out the testing infrastructure (data acquisition, test stand, and test documentation) before assembling the full system.
Mission
Manufacture, assemble, and static fire a bipropellant liquid rocket engine, with an eventual goal of flight, while introducing new team members to liquid propulsion and potentially designing and testing an original injector down the line.
Requirements
- > Base design: Half Cat Rocketry's Mojave Sphinx (open source)
- > Propellants: N₂O (oxidizer) / E85 (fuel)
- > Phase 1: Machining of all engine hardware (11 parts)
- > Phase 2: Testing development: DAQ design, test stand design, test procedures and documentation
- > Phase 3: Assembly of the rocket, DAQ, and test stand
- > Following Phase 3: Static fire attempt
- > Stretch goal: original injector design and testing
Results
Verified PerformancePhase 1: Manufacturing (Complete)
All 11 machined engine components fabricated to tight tolerances, completing the manufacturing phase.
Phase 2: Testing Development (In Progress)
Designing the data acquisition system and vertical test stand, and writing the test procedures and documentation that will govern every test.
Phase 3: Assembly (Planned)
Assembling the rocket, the DAQ, and the test stand into a complete, test-ready system.
Static Fire (Planned)
With assembly complete and procedures in place, the team will prepare for and attempt a static fire of the engine.
Lessons Learned
"Choosing an existing open source design (Mojave Sphinx) rather than making one ourselves helped us in making a realistic start into liquid propulsion."