ISC reaches 60% power in reusable rocket engine test

(SpaceEnergy) Innovative Space Carrier has fired its reusable rocket engine at 60% of rated output, its highest level so far, while operating the engine's electrically driven propellant pump.

The Japanese company conducted the ground firing campaign between 27 August and 9 September at Asahi Kasei's Aibano test site in Takashima, Shiga Prefecture.

ISC progressively increased engine output through 20%, 40% and 60% levels while maintaining stable combustion. It said this was its first engine firing with the electric pump operating, following an ignition test of its electric-turbopump-equipped engine in March.

The tests also demonstrated combustion control using ISC's internally developed engine control unit. ISC said inspections found no burn-through damage to its injector or combustion chamber, while measured engine temperatures and pressures behaved as designed.

The company uses the electrically driven pump's controllability to support development of an engine for its reusable ASCA transportation system. Test data were rapidly visualised and fed back through ISC's P4SD development platform to determine conditions for subsequent firings.

ISC chief executive Kojiro Hatada said the campaign had provided data needed to assess reusability, adding that the next objective is a firing at full rated output.