Rocket Propulsion Laboratory

Overview

The Rocket Propulsion Laboratory provides comprehensive experimental facilities for the design, development, and performance evaluation of rocket propulsion systems. The laboratory supports teaching, research, and sponsored projects in solid, hybrid, and liquid propulsion technologies, while offering hands-on experience in propulsion system design, propellant development, combustion studies, and static testing. The facilities enable students and researchers to investigate the fundamental principles and practical challenges associated with modern rocket propulsion.

Major Experimental Facilities

Solid Rocket Propulsion

The laboratory provides facilities for the design, fabrication, testing, and performance evaluation of solid rocket motors for teaching and research.

Capabilities

• Solid rocket motor design

• Nozzle performance evaluation

• Combustion studies

• Thrust measurement systems

• Static firing instrumentation

Hybrid Rocket Propulsion

The hybrid propulsion facility supports experimental investigations on hybrid rocket systems and combustion characteristics, offering a flexible platform for propulsion research and technology development.

Capabilities

• Hybrid rocket propulsion experiments

• Fuel grain characterization

• Combustion performance evaluation

• Performance analysis

Propellant Technology Laboratory

The laboratory supports the preparation, processing, and characterization of rocket propellants for research and academic activities.

Facilities

• Composite solid propellant formulation

• Hybrid rocket fuel preparation

• Propellant mixing

• Casting and curing

• Mechanical property evaluation

• Safety assessment

Research Focus

• Composite propellants

• Hybrid fuels

• Green propellants

• Advanced propellant formulations

Liquid Propulsion Laboratory

The Liquid Propulsion Laboratory supports studies of liquid rocket engines and their subsystems, providing experimental facilities for postgraduate and doctoral teaching and research.

Capabilities

• Injector design studies

• Atomization experiments

• Feed system analysis

• Combustion performance evaluation

Static Rocket Test Facility

The department houses a dedicated Static Rocket Test Facility that supports the experimental evaluation of rocket motor performance and the validation of propulsion systems. The facility has played a significant role in teaching, sponsored research, and the development of indigenous rocket technologies.

Applications

• Static firing of rocket motors

• Thrust measurement

• Propulsion performance evaluation

• Experimental validation of propulsion systems

Research Areas

The Rocket Propulsion Laboratory actively supports research in:

• Solid rocket propulsion

• Hybrid rocket propulsion

• Liquid rocket propulsion

• Internal ballistics

• Grain design and optimization

• Nozzle design and erosion studies

• Propellant formulation

• Green propellants

• Combustion performance

• Rocket motor performance prediction

• Experimental propulsion systems

Academic & Research Applications

The laboratory supports:

• Postgraduate teaching and research

• Doctoral research

• Sponsored research projects

• Experimental propulsion testing

• Design and development of rocket propulsion systems

• Collaborative research with academia and industries