The Air Force Research Laboratory conducted a demonstration for an Aerojet Rocketdyne-built rocket engine preburner designed under the Hydrocarbon Boost program. The HCB preburner can operate under austere conditions and siphons external energy to power engine systems, the U.S. Air Force said Thursday.
AFRL equipped the preburner with super-nickel alloys and employed specialized methods to enable burn and high-strength resistance features. In addition, the laboratory utilized the preburner’s test unit to study fundamental technical gaps and comprehend technology trade space.
“The HCB preburner pushed the boundaries of these extreme conditions and redefined state-of-the-art for these challenging systems,†said Shawn Phillips, chief of rocket propulsion at AFRL’s aerospace systems directorate.