by Joel Cool-Panama, Secretary, RRS.ORG

Dear members, it is with pleasure that the Reaction Research Society has announced the appointment of a new Director of Research, Rushd Julfiker. Rushd has been a member since 2022, and in that time has been of great aid to the society. His location near Palmdale uniquely positions him within the membership to actively attend and support events at the MTA, which he has done or offered to do now on several occasions. His career as an analyst in the Aerospace industry also makes him a good fit for the Society’s chief researcher. He is now the third Director of Research in the Society’s history.

Richard Garcia, the second Director of Research, was once likewise a strong supporter of the Society, and an active member. Unfortunately, family and career have called on him, and he no longer has the time or proximity needed to spend time on the Society like he once did. George Dosa, whom the office was created for, was the first Director of Research, making Richard his successor. He held the position for over five years, starting in 2018, and plans to continue to offer his support to us when able, but he as of now has returned to the regular membership. We greatly appreciate his efforts past and present, and wish him well as he continues more important pursuits and goals.

Rushd Julfiker can be found by email at “research @ rrs.org “

Pat Bahn of TGV Rockets is looking for a Senior Propulsion Engineer to lead research into liquid bipropellant systems. The position is remote, and would be ideal for someone looking for a half-time gig.

Requirements:

• 5 years industry experience

Desired:

• Graduate school

Anyone interested in the position is encouraged to email Bahn at: bahn@tgv-rockets.com.

by Dave Nordling, President, RRS.ORG

New RRS members, Derek Honkawa, Rick Maschek, Eric Beckner, Mike and Preston Brinker brought a LOX-ethanol liquid engine for static firing at the MTA vertical test stand. I served as the pyrotechnic operator in charge for that day. RRS members, Rushd Julfiker and Bill Inman were present that day to observe along with John Newman of FAR.

Their structure which bolted to the square hole grid supported parallel, same-sized run tanks, each with their own dome-loaded pressure regulators.

Each tank had both manual and remote venting. Each tank also had manual fill and drain valves at the bottom. The engine was supported on an angled sliding rail set firmly against a load cell. The chamber pressure measurement was taken from a side port covered by the ablative liner inside and the line to the sensor head was filled with oil to preserve the measurement.

The team started early that morning following their checklist that began with simple valve checks of the whole system in the completely empty condition. A few minor issues were found and resolved. Low pressure leak checks and valve function tests followed successfully. High pressure lockup testing for leaks were also successful. The team also conducted an igniter test to verify proper burn duration. Upon this careful sequence of initial testing, the team proceeded with propellant loading.

After careful review of their firing procedures, the pyro-op gave permission to continue the test. After air and road checks, a smooth countdown with properly confirmed ignition before valve opening led to a successful 3-second burn tailing off gently. After venting off all stored pressures and confirming a safe system, the test was deemed a success.

This engine was fired a previous time and the team opted to let this single test suffice. The team was well organized, safety focused and communicated well with each other and those on site. It was an excellent example of how to conduct a liquid rocket engine test.