The work underpins DeltaOrbit's Cryogenic Propulsion Module for in-space transportation, where a simple, pump-free, self-pressurised architecture is essential.
DeltaOrbit led the activity with a combined experimental and analytical approach: a baseline gas-cooled chamber, a calibrated transient heat-transfer model, and a redesigned, additively manufactured chamber tested across two hot-fire campaigns. The final engine reached stable, repeatable operation at around 550 N thrust with Isp above 341 s and combustion efficiency near 95 percent, at a chamber mass below 1 kg, while confirming lower pressure losses than an equivalent gas-cooled design. It concluded with a validated cooling correlation and a clear path toward a closed-loop cryogenic engine, with zero-boil-off storage identified as the next step.
