XCOR 15 lb-thrust N2O / Ethane 'teacart' rocket engine

In early 2000, XCOR began testing a small integrated rocket engine that incorporated all the elements of a larger engine, but allowed us to validate engine improvements quickly and cheaply. The Tea Cart (named for its installation on a rollaround cart and the heated cooling water it produces) is a 15lbf nitrous oxide/ethane engine that, despite being our oldest engine, is still called into service quite frequently as an R&D device and public demonstrator.

As of this date, the Tea Cart has an accumulated run time of 7,931 seconds in 1,569 main stage runs, as well as thousands of igniter tests. However, these numbers are apt to change on any given day since the Tea Cart is still in routine use.

For more information, visit http://www.xcor.com.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• XCOR
• Aerospace
• 15
• lb-thrust
• N2O
• Ethane
• teacart
• rocket
• engine
• space
• fun
• technology
• aviation
• california