Interstellar Technologies' ZERO rocket for microsatellites begins full-scale engine testing on actual model. Water flow tests are being conducted on the turbopump, the heart of the rocket.

1. Background
Since September 2021, we have dispatched two engineers to the Space Project Co-Creation Laboratory, a base established at Muroran Institute of Technology that promotes rocket development through industry-academia collaboration, and are working with Interstellar Technologies and Muroran Institute of Technology to jointly develop the ZERO turbo pump.
2-1 Overview
For the first time, the three organizations worked together to design, manufacture, and test the turbopump, which is the "heart" of the rocket. The turbopump, which is the heart of a rocket engine and transports fuel and oxidizer from the propellant (fuel and oxidizer) tank to the combustor, is said to be one of the most difficult elements to develop in a rocket engine. A turbopump consists of a turbine section, a pump section, and the shaft and mechanical parts that connect them. The turbo pump used in ZERO is approximately 35 cm long and 30 cm in diameter. The pump is driven by the power of the turbine, which rotates at tens of thousands of revolutions per minute, and sends the fuel to the combustor at high pressure, generating high propulsive force.


Prior to this test, Muroran Institute of Technology also conducted a water-flow test using the inducer alone. This time, the inducer and impeller (centrifugal impeller) were integrated to conduct the test in a form closer to that of an actual turbo pump.
The purpose of this test is to confirm the performance of a model (pump section) manufactured with the same design as the actual machine. In the tests, the rotating shaft was driven by an electric motor instead of a turbine. The power transmission section from the motor to the pump is designed and manufactured by our company, which has an extensive track record in pump development and operation. On the day, members from the three organizations gathered together and took on different roles to conduct the first full-scale test.
Test name | Pump single water flow test |
Test purpose | To confirm whether the pump performance meets the theoretical performance predicted by the design |
Period | April 25th to 28th, 2022 |
Location | IST Headquarters |
Test content | Data was obtained over a wide range of flow rates regarding whether the pump was able to convert the power of the rotating shaft into fluid (water) pressure as predicted at the time of design |
3. Future Plans
In the future, after several water-flow tests based on the results of this test, development will proceed to a "cold run test" to check the functionality and performance of the entire turbopump, and an "engine integration test" in 2023 that will include the combustor and other components.
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