On 8 September the test center of the Norwegian firm Nammo hosted the testbed firing test for the technological demonstrator SPARTAN.

The SPARTAN project (SPAce exploration Research for Throttleable Advanced eNgine), funded under the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7), aims at developing and testing a new hybrid engine for precision planetary landing.

SPARTAN aims to develop a new throttleable hybrid engine in which a typical solid propellant (HTPB) is fed through a liquid oxidixer (H2O2) whose flow is regulated through an electro valve to modulate the thrust level. Four of these hybrid engines have been fitted on a lander mockup and several tests are now underway. The last test will see the mockup dropped by a helicopter from a height of about 300 meters to perform autonomously a hovering and automatic landing phase.

During this latest test the four engines fitted on the mockup were fired up and then successfully controlled by the GMV-developed avionics system. This test also served to check in quasi real environment reception of all the navigation-sensor signals (Gyros, Acc, Mag, GPS, Baro and Laser Altimeters).

Within SPARTAN GMV is responsible for various important activities such as avionics design, assembly, integration and validation. In particular GMV has designed and performed the whole guidance, navigation and control (GNC) breadboarding; this includes GNC SW coding, sensors and HW procurement, breadboarding design and integration. Moreover GMV has been actively supporting navigation-algorithm design.

GMV’s most important input in this test was control of the flow valves that regulated the thrust level from 25% to full capacity at 100%.