M10 LIQUID OXYGEN AND METHANE SUCCESFULLY COMPLETED LONG DURATION AND THROTTLING TEST

The new M10 engine for the upper stage of Vega E was successfully tested in Avio’s SPTF – Space Propulsion Test Facility – in Sardinia.

Following the success of the first test campaign (DM1) last year (with 24 firings for 1300 seconds cumulatively and 200 seconds as the maximum duration of the single firing), the second development model (DM2) already completed 5 tests.

From August 2023 the engine was tested in high mixture ratio and different thrust conditions and then completed the Long Duration Engine Regulation and Throttling Test, consisting in 345 secs of continuous firing varying several times the Thrust and the LOX-CH4 mixture ratio during the firing.