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After competing successfully at rocketry competitions, the vision of a rocket with a self-developed engine rose within the Space Team Aachen. We decided to work towards a supersonic rocket using an in-house designed hybrid engine. With our concept, we got accepted for the DLR STERN Program, which provides us with funding and professional support throughout the project.
In March of 2022, we started a test campaign with a downscaled version of the hybrid engine at our self-developed test bench, located at the Chair of High Pressure Gas Dynamics in Aachen. This was a huge milestone to verify our design and functionality of the engine, as well as the test bench. We gathered valuable information on the performance of our systems for further development.
On the 12th of October, the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) was held at the DLR in Lampoldshausen, where the STAHR Team presented their current design of the rocket and its systems to a team of experts from the respective field. The review board evaluates all aspects of the rocket design and analyzes the systems for critical parts. The PDR is important for the progress of the project, since our design, planned manufacturing methods, and concepts are carefully reviewed. It also marks the transition to the next phase of the project: the development phase.
The feedback received from the review board at the PDR is carefully considered for ongoing development.
STAHR succesfully passed its Critical Design Review (CDR) at the DLR Oberpfaffenhofen. The CDR is a crucial milestone in the product development process. It is a formal assessment of the detailed design of a project which is thoroughly evaluated to ensure it meets all technical requirements, is manufacturable, and can be effectively maintained. The primary goal is to approve the design for production or implementation and to transition the project into its next phase: verification and testing.
The upcoming test campaign in Lampoldshausen will be the first demonstration of our flight-optimized hybrid engine together with our self-developed filling station and electronics system. Testing a full-sized rocket engine is a critical aspect of rocket engine development because it addresses variables and challenges that scaled-down versions cannot accurately simulate.
April 2024 marks two important points for the STAHR project: For once the last test campaign before launch, IF-2, will again take place in Lampoldshausen where we will hopefully test our final engine configuration and verify its functionality. Further another formal evaluation, the Integration Progress Review (IPR), is conducted during the end of the project's development to assess the advancement of merging various components or subsystems into the ultimate product or system. This assessment guarantees that the integration process is in accordance with the project's goals and schedule.
The last of the reviews not to be held at the launch site, the FRR, or Flight Readiness Review, is a comprehensive assessment conducted before a space launch to confirm that all systems, components, and procedures are prepared for a successful mission. It ensures that the rocket and its supporting systems are ready for flight, addressing technical, safety, and operational aspects.
In October 2024 STAHR is scheduled to launch from Esrange - the European Space and Sounding Rocket Range in Kiruna, Sweden.
