Project Tycho: rocket science with raw power

Project Tycho is one of Imperial College Space Society’s flagship projects. This is the newest iteration of the Space Society’s Rocket Engine Design Project, and builds on its successful predecessor, Project Kepler. Last year Kepler reached a thrust of 4.4 kN, enough to lift a grand piano. An impressive feat considering the whole engine is only the size of a large vase. But that was not enough for the team, who are now designing Tycho for a thrust of over 10 kN! (Roughly the size of early jet engines). 

The entire previous engine was designed and assembled by students, with a special mention going to Theo Macklin and Liam Donnelly. Theo led the design of the previous iteration of the project for over four years, culminating in a successful test over the summer. Liam was also instrumental in engine design and recently conducted vital testing on the turbine for his fourth year project, leading to him receiving the BAE Systems prize for achieving the highest merit in an individual project upon graduation. Now, a new generation of engineers have taken over the project, led by Oliver “Ollie” Edmond, the new chair of the Space Society. Ollie is the former Rocket Engine Project Lead, and has been a member of the society since his first week at Imperial. Felix sat down with him for an inside look at one of Imperial’s most ambitious societies. 

MK: Hi Ollie, it’s great for you to take the time to talk to Felix. Straight into the first question: How does this engine work?

OE: Well, for those newer rocket engines, all engines function by burning some form of propellant. The products of this explosion are expelled out of the engine as fast as possible, generating thrust. There are generally two approaches to achieving this: igniting a solid fuel or by mixing together highly combustible liquids. We’ve chosen the latter because we think it’s more interesting and it offers the potential for better performance. A liquid engine specifically works by throwing these liquids together quickly, using pressurized tanks or big pumps, igniting them in a chamber, and accelerating the exhaust through a nozzle. This converts a lot of thermal energy into kinetic energy.

MK: What makes Tycho special?

OE: What’s special about Tycho is that we’re attempting to implement the architecture and complexity of a large engine, such as those of the SpaceX Starship or NASA Saturn V, on the scale of a “small” student engine. Most student rocketry teams focus on the design of a complete rocket. Our team focuses entirely on developing a high-performance rocket engine with the hopes of pushing the boundaries of what can be designed. A good example of our innovative design focus is our utilization and development of a Turbomachinery Unit within our engine, which will be a first in the realm of student rocketry.

MK: You recently had your first hot fire test, what were the main takeaways? 

OE: Our engine fired and didn’t blow itself apart! This edition of the project has been running for the past four years, but due to the complex design of our engine, this was its first hot fire. We didn’t quite hit our targeted performance point, but we certainly consider this hot fire a success. The engine produced a competitive level of thrust, half a ton of it! Most importantly, we’ve diagnosed many of the issues that led to the suboptimal performance and have already started to implement solutions that will avoid all of these problems in a new engine design. We feel confident that this year we can test a new and improved engine capable of reaching our design goals.

How to get involved 

OE: The Space Society will kick off the year with a Welcome Talk (planned for t 6^th October) where we explain each of our four projects in greater detail and answer any questions new members may have. Then, Project Tycho will be running a four–week Introduction to Rocket Engine Design Course. In this, new and returning members can learn about all the essential aspects of engine design. After these four weeks, we will induct new members to the project and will introduce all the exciting areas of engine development that newcomers can be involved with. We offer tasks accessible to any level of prior experience and are keen to not just build a record-breaking rocket, but also to give members lifelong skills in engineering, problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership. If you’re interested in learning more, you can find out more about our design course and regular meetings in our WhatsApp community that is accessible from: @ic_space_society.