XCOR Reaches Milestone on ULA Next Generation Upper Stage Engine

XCOR’s XR-5H25 engine. Photo: XCOR

[Via Satellite 11-24-2014] XCOR has successfully conducted hot fire testing of the XR-5H25 engine’s regeneratively cooled thrust chamber, with both liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen propellants supplied in pump-fed mode through the company’s proprietary piston pump technology. The engine is under development for United Launch Alliance (ULA) under the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen (LH2) program.

According to Jeff Greason, CEO of XCOR, the test was the first to supply both liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen to a rocket engine using a piston pump. The next test series will fully integrate the nozzle with the engine and piston pumps, followed by fully closed cycle testing that will complete the sub-scale demonstration engine program.

XCOR is developing the XR-5H25 engine for ULA as a potential successor to the upper stage engines used on the Atlas and Delta rocket families. XCOR also intends to use these engines for orbital launches. The engine’s first hot firing was completed in November 2013.