LUMEN Thrust Chamber – Ignition Characteristics and Thrust Chamber Transients

Kurzfassung

The LUMEN project at the DLR Institute of Space Propulsion has the goal of producing a bread-board demonstrator engine powered by LOX/LNG. The thrust chamber of the engine features an advance porous injector (API), and a laser ignition system. This paper provides an overview of the design and functionality tests of the laser plasma ignition system. Initial tests of the laser-ignited thrust chamber have been realized at the European Research and Technology Test Facility P8 for cryogenic rocket engines at the DLR Lampoldshausen site. These test results are summarized and an outlook is given on future activities.