Ablative Thrust Chamber Development for the SAFFIRE ABLE Liquid Rocket Engine

Africa is playing an increasing role in the global space economy through the establishment of national space agencies in numerous countries and the participation of many states in satellite development programs. Despite this surge in activity, all African satellite programs rely on foreign launch providers since the continent possesses no local launch capability. South Africa is a prime candidate to become an African leader in space operations due to its well-developed infrastructure and unique geographical location on the continent. The ABLE liquid rocket engine was developed as a technology demonstrator in the first step towards the development of a propulsion system for a sovereign launch capability. This paper describes the design, manufacture, and testing of the thrust chamber for the ABLE engine.