OHB completes European rocket-engine test bench

(SpaceEnergy) OHB has completed commissioning and final acceptance of a modular rocket-engine test bench in Mainz, Germany, under the EU-funded €4.96m Eu-BEST programme.

The European Bench for Engine and Stage Testing (Eu-BEST) project has developed a mobile, interoperable testing platform intended to support the development, qualification and acceptance of European launch vehicle propulsion systems.

The completed facility is located at OHB Digital Connect's premises in Mainz.

A central feature is a new thrust measurement system developed by OHB Digital Connect that simultaneously measures engine thrust and determines its direction in real time.

According to OHB, the additional directional measurement capability provides more comprehensive test data than conventional rocket-engine test-stand instrumentation, potentially reducing the time required to evaluate propulsion hardware.

The test bench has been designed for deployment at different locations and adaptation to multiple launch vehicle systems.

French engineering group Eiffage Énergie Systèmes – Clemessy coordinated the project, while SpaceDreams led technical development and overall test-bench design.

OHB Digital Connect developed and implemented the facility's mechanical structures. Other consortium members from Spain and Ireland contributed expertise in systems integration, test operations and infrastructure.

The programme began on 1 November 2023 and received €4.96m through the European Union's Horizon Europe research programme.

Its final review involved representatives of the European Commission, European Space Agency, French space agency CNES, German Aerospace Center DLR and consortium partners.

OHB did not disclose the test bench's maximum thrust capacity, measurement accuracy or results from live rocket-engine firings.