Development and Utilization of Rocket Engine Test Database (ReDak) in Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

Abstract

This paper presents an outline of the rocket engine test database system developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and examples of its practical use. At JAXA, we have developed many rocket engines over the past 30 years and have tested the various kinds of engines and their components, i.e., combustion chambers and turbopumps. Moreover, JAXA has carried out development tests of rocket engines at test stands constructed all over the country. To allow the data acquired by various test stands should be managed intensively and accessed by selected organizations and companies, a database system (ReDak: Rocket Engine Data Archive in Kakuda) was developed. The data stored in ReDak are not only measurement data, pressure, temperature, etc., to evaluate engine function and performance, but also documents evaluating the conditions and results all tests. The data in ReDak are useful for trend analysis of data and verification of analytical models. This article introduces the database system of ReDak and its utilization by showing examples of its practical use. We hope that the data stored in ReDak will be utilized by organizations other than JAXA, and further contribute to technical development of rocket engines and growth of a space industry community.