German startup space launch company Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) announced on Wednesday that it had successfully concluded the first test campaign on its Helix rocket motor. The Helix is a staged combustion engine and it was tested in its flight configuration, at Kiruna, in Sweden. “Helix operated perfectly for a total duration of 74 seconds – including three ignition and shut-down sequences without the need to replace any components on the engine,” enthused RFA COO Dr Stefan Brieschenk. “This first qualification campaign also included up-throttling the engine to 130% of the nominal design point for a brief period. We are truly excited that our design has proven so reliable and performant [sic].”
