Redesigning the PSAS Liquid Fuel Engine for the Base 11 Space Challenge

The Portland State Aerospace Society (PSAS) has been working for the past four years on developing a liquid-fueled engine to propel our next-generation 100 km capable rocket, Launch vehicle No. 4 (LV4). We built on prior work to develop a parametric model of a simpler, more robust heat-sink engine design. We evaluated materials with CFD, compared manufacturing approaches, and analyzed fuel injector performance in a water test. The final design features an oxidizer-centered pintle injector with a 3d-printed stainless-steel chamber, which is expected to survive a short duration hot-fire test. This test will allow us to verify our theoretical calculations and simulations and validate the design.