My student team (12kN, LOX/Kero) is trying to determine what flight engine
qualification criteria should look like. Most old literature merely contain
phases such as "the engine shall be tested to confirm acceptable
operation," yet they often don't define what "acceptable operation" looks
like.
We had a few questions in particular about:
- What would be an acceptable level of chamber pressure fluctuations?
- How would one measure and determine an acceptable vibration level?
- How quickly should steady state operation of the engine be achievable?
- How long should one test the actual flight engine before assembling
into the rest of the rocket?
Furthermore, what other engine acceptance criteria should we be considering?
Cheers,
Nathan