GXLP News: ARCA Completes Executor Rocket Engine

Executor rocket. (Credit: ARCA)

Valcea, Romania (ARCA PR) — ARCA has completed the work on the first Executor rocket engine. The engine is designed to equip the Haas orbital rocket series and IAR-111 Excelsior supersonic plane. The second engine is 50% completed. The team will construct 4 gas generators, 4 turbopumps and 12 combustion chambers.

The Executor engine uses liquid oxygen as oxidizer and and kerosene as fuel. The engine has a thrust of 23 tons force in vacuum and has a maximum operating time of 190 seconds. By using composite materials and aluminum alloys on a large scale, Executor engine weights only 210 kg, and has a thrust to weight ratio of 110, the best ever achieved by a European rocket engine. ARCA estimates achieving an even better ratio after the tests are completed.

“Executor is the most important ARCA program until now. After the tests are completed we will have high technology product, a great European and world achievement. We take great pride in being a private program in Romania. Executor will allow us to undertake orbital flights.

We explicitly wanted to build all engine components at ARCA. By not depending on subcontractors, we have lowered the costs and increased the production speed. Furthermore, any adjustment necessary in order to increase the performance can be easy and quickly implemented. ” Dumitru Popescu, ARCA President.

This engine was constructed in great measure from private donations, without governmental support. ARCA will continue to requests the public’s support, through a donation campaign, in order to complete the other engines, and for engine testing ant logistics operations

The first vehicle equipped with the Executor engine will be Haas 2C rocket that will be launched in mid 2013. The rocket will place the Bulgarian satellite CubeMessenger and another Romanian satellite into orbit.

ARCA wishes to express its gratitude to all our supporters that have donated until now, supporters that believe in us. Their contribution is essential for the engine construction and for all the tests and flights that will take place in the future.