"Clean, Safe, Affordable Propulsion Through Innovation"

Testing Capability

Testing and modeling go hand-in-hand in development of new systems. Our team is extremely competent in a diverse array of disciplines from precision machining to plumbing to electronics. This breadth of knowledge coupled with our hands-on ability enables us to perform high quality, low cost testing.

Rocket Motor Testing

Over the years SPG has accumulated extensive experience testing hybrid rocket motors ranging in size from 20 lbf. to over 14,000 lbf. of thrust. We do the vast majority of our own testing and facility work including all structural, plumbing, control, data-acquisition and data-reduction. Some of our accomplishments in this area include:

• Over 300 firings of a 3in. 250lbf. class N2O/paraffin motor.
• 26 firings of an 11in. 7000 lbf. class LOX/paraffin motor.
• Primary private contractor on NASA Peregrine Sounding Rocket ground test campaign - 12,000 lbf. class motor. (Ref1, Ref2).

We are currently engaged in engineering development for 24 in. diameter LOX/Paraffin motor testing at the 25,000 lbf. thrust level

The picture above shows our 3in. motor firing. A video of a similar test with throttling and pictures of the 11in. motor and the Peregrine sounding rocket motor are available below.

Structural Properties of Fuels and Fuel Processing

The structural properties of fuels are critical to the success of a hybrid or solid rocket propulsion system. SPG has developed extensive structural modeling capability. This is used to predict structural properties and formulate fuels for a given mission. All modeling is anchored to physical testing. We do all of our fuel grain processing in-house and maintain facilities to do a wide array of structural property testing for research and quality control.

Our fuel processing capability includes formulation, batch production, casting and post-processing for all of our fuels at sizes from 1 in. diameter to 33 in. diameter. We can tailor the thermochemical properties, regression rate behavior and structural properties of our fuels to a given mission.

Chemical Decomposition/Explosion Testing

SPG has substantial experience in both modeling and testing of chemical explosions, with an emphasis on nitrous oxide. Our in-house testing capabilities include a closed-volume 15,000 psia rated chemical reaction vessel useful for ignition and kinetics data (see picture to right). In addition we have done vented explosion testing for pressure-relief safety devices at scales up to 10 in diameter. A picture of one such test setup can be seen to the bottom left of the page.