Glasgow flying high with new rocket test facility
A Cold War-era armoured building in Scotland is set to see action again as a rocket test and teaching facility.
Established by researchers from the University of Glasgow and backed by funding from industry, including matched contribution from the UK Space Agency, the facility MachLab has opened on the site of the former RAF Machrahanish airbase near Campbeltown.
It aims to support the research and development of new rocket engines capable of delivering up to one tonne of thrust.
Researchers will be able to fire experimental rocket designs and gather data on their performance using MachLab’s custom-built test stand.
The site will also offer specialist training, including a University of Glasgow-led programme called Rocketry Research Teaching Training, or R2T2.
The programme, with additional funding from the UK Space Agency, will bring rocketry students from all over the UK to MachLab to develop their skills and test new rocket designs.
Dr Krzysztof Bzdyk and Professor Patrick Harkness, of the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering, partnered with space technology experts Exotopic to design and build the MachLab facility.
Professor Harkness explains that ‘MachLab is ready to play a key role in the UK’s strategy to return to vertical launch, ensuring that students and researchers can access hotfire facilities in a safe and controlled environment.’
The facility has already hosted an initial test-fire of new 3D-printed rocket engines with an advanced cooling system.
The TORC-1, -2, and -3 engines use a high-strength aerospace alloy made from copper, chromium and zirconium and were built to explore use of topology optimisation in regenerative cooling channel design, which can improve performance by making the engines lighter and more efficient.
