Design and development of an 8KN liquid rocket engine system

This paper details the indigenous design, fabrication, and static hot-fire testing of an 8kN class liquid rocket engine using kerosene and gaseous oxygen at the Bola Ahmeed Tinubu Centre for Space Transport and Propulsion, Epe, Lagos. The project aimed to build local capacity and advance self-reliance in launch vehicle technology by validating critical systems, including injector design, propellant feed, cooling, and combustion stability.
Across two static hot-fire tests, the engine demonstrated structural integrity and confirmed system workability. Although neither test achieved the 8kN thrust target, Test 2 showed improved performance over Test 1, reaching a maximum thrust of 6.281 kN and a specific impulse of 137.81 seconds due to enhanced combustion efficiency and propellant mixing. Performance shortfalls were attributed to limitations in chamber pressure, injector atomization, and nozzle design. The collected data provides an experimental baseline and key insights for optimizing future high-thrust engine designs in Nigeria.