10/26/2022 PLA/HTPE Hybrid Rocket Engine Test

I used some similarity scaling parameters to increase the thrust of the HTPE/PLA hybrid rocket engine. The objective is to increase launch velocity and thus aerodynamic control of the Mk I Viper rocket glider. The three scaling parameters I looked at were initial gas flux, initial surface area flux, and length to diameter ratio. I designed and printed a higher flux fuel grain and inserted a variable PLA flow restrictor at the end of the fuel core. My average thrust went from ~19 N to ~23 N and overall performance was on par with previous test.