University Successfully Test-Fires Hybrid Rocket

Researchers at the National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in Tainan in southern Taiwan have successfully test-launched a two-stage rocket with a hybrid propulsion system, reports the Taipei Times.

On Tuesday morning, the 20-foot (6.2-m), 570-pound (260-kg) rocket was launched from the National Space Organization (NSPO) test site in Mudan Township in southern Taiwan.

Plans called for the first stage to burn for 13 seconds, generating 3,300 pounds (1,500 kg) of force. A 660-pound (300-kg) thrust booster rocket would then ignite during the separation phase. The results were still being reviewed, said officials.

The trial was designed to evaluate the hybrid propulsion system, which uses a mix of liquid and solid-state propellants.

This was the first time a Taiwanese academic institution had tested a two-stage rocket powered by a hybrid propulsion. The rocket could be developed to carry payloads for scientific research, according to the NSPO.