Rocket Engine Turbopumps
Barber-Nichols, Inc. ( BNI ) entered the space launch industry in 1996, and since that time has developed Rocket Engine Turbopumps for NASA, for the U.S. Military, and for private industry. Since 1966, BNI has specialized in the design and manufacture of innovative turbomachinery, the use of advanced materials, and in Design for Manufacturability. Expertise in these disciplines has positioned Barber-Nichols to become one of the world's leading developers of Rocket Engine Turbopump technology.
Fastrac LOX/RP-1 Turbopump
BNI teamed with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to design and build the turbopump for the Fastrac LOX/RP-1 Engine. The Fastrac Engine produces 60,000 pounds of thrust. Barber-Nichols consulted on the engine design and manufactured six turbopumps. The Fastrac is part of NASA's Low Cost
Booster Technologies (LCBT) Program and the development of this engine initially cost approximately $1.2 million - about 1/5 the cost of a similar engine. A hot fire test of the Fastrac Engine was performed at NASA's Stennis Space Center in March 1999 and the first engine was installed on the X-34 A1 vehicle that was unveiled at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center on April 30, 1999 .
Bantam LOX/RP-1 Turbopump
BNI teamed with Rocketdyne to design and build a second turbopump for NASA's LCBT Program. This project called for the design and development of a reliable turbopump with decreased recurring costs. The engine produces 60,000 pounds of thrust and the turbopump utilizes two counter rotating assemblies mounted in a single housing. Additionally, the counter rotating assemblies operate at different speeds to optimize pump performance. The Bantam Turbopump and the Fastrac Turbopump are two examples that demonstrate the cutting-edge turbopump expertise available at Barber-Nichols.
Merlin LOX/RP-1 Turbopump
BNI designed and manufactured the Merlin Turbopump for the SpaceX Falcon Launch Vehicle. The Merlin Engine produces more than 100,000 pounds of thrust at sea level and the turbopump is the lightest in its thrust class. Barber-Nichols used its experience gained on the Fastrac and Bantam projects to rapidly develop the Merlin Turbopump. The first unit was delivered to the customer less than one year after design work began. BNI also used Design for Manufacturability principals to increase reliability and significantly cut costs. The Falcon Launch Vehicle had its first successful launch in March 2007.
BNI has worked on several other turbopumps including an
H 2 O 2 /Hydrocarbon Turbopump for an engine which produces 34,000 pounds of thrust. Please contact Barber-Nichols any time to talk with our experienced engineering staff regarding your project.