User login
Navigation
UK Space Links
- Airborne Engineering
- AspireSpace
- ASTRA
- AstroEngine.com
- Bristol Spaceplanes
- Britain in Space new
- British Interplanetary Society
- British Reaction Research
- BSTC Rocket Support Group new
- Cambridge University Spaceflight
- Celestial Mechanics
- ESERO-UK
- Excalibur Almaz Observer
- International Space Propulsion (ISP) Group
- LESEDS
- National Space Centre
- Orbiting Frog
- OurSpace
- Project Icarus
- Purley Amateur Rocketry Society
- RAeS Space Links
- RAL Space
- Reaction Engines Ltd.
- Rocket Corner
- Space.co.uk
- Spaceboosters.co.uk
- Space Kate | On a mission
- Space Newsfeed (Microcom Systems)
- Space Now
- SpacePod (RAL)
- Space Research Centre, Leicester
- SSTL Space Blog
- Spaceosaur
- Starchaser Ltd.
- Stuart Clark
- Tranquility Aerospace new
- UK Astronomers
- UK High Altitude Society
- United Kingdom Rocketry Association
- UK Rocket Man
- UKSEDS
- UK Space Directory
- Virgin Galactic
- Worldview Spaceflight
- YuriGagarin50
britishblogs.co.uk
Donate
Help support Rocketeers!
UK NewSpace company refurbishes former Blue Streak rocket test site
Rocketeer — Thu, 02/07/2009 - 4:54pm
Gentlemen, Start Your Engines! AEL refurbishes large static test stands at Westcott
(Source: Airborne Engineering)
This week Airborne Engineering Limited blazed a new trail in British rocketry by moving to facilities at the former Rocket Propulsion Establishment at Westcott - the site where the rocket engines of the British Blue Streak rocket were tested in the 1960s. The move includes the refurbishing of two large static test stands, which are designed to accommodate rocket engines of several tonnes thrust. These test stands are being fully instrumented with state of the art test equipment used at Airborne Engineering's former test facility, and will help establish a new rocket manufacturing and test facility based in the UK. These facilities have been secured by arrangement with AMPAC-ISP who run the Westcott test site and also build and test their own successful range of rocket motors for satellite applications.
Airborne Engineering has several ongoing contracts for rocket development and testing, including two motors for Reaction Engines Limited, one developing a green, air breathing, hydrogen fuelled engine for a hypersonic passenger transport plane programme, the other an experimental engine contributing to the development of advanced air breathing SABRE engines for the SKYLON spaceplane. Both of these projects are funded by the European Space Agency. As well as developing its own rocket propulsion systems, Airborne Engineering also plays a key role in the development of the Canary sounding rocket which will test advanced nozzles this summer.
Airborne Engineering’s past experience includes the development of avionics and life support systems for many of the round-the-world balloon attempts, the Qinetiq-1 edge of space manned balloon attempt, and a prototype of the SpaceX manned space capsule. Airborne Engineering was also a partner in the STERN test rocket programme and was the developer of the innovative Gyroc hovering rocket platform.
For more details, contact:
James Macfarlane,
Airborne Engineering Limited
Westcott Venture Park
Westcott, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
HP18 0XB
England
Email: james@airborne-engineering.co.uk
Rocketeer comments: I've wondered aloud on a number of occasions where the "British XCOR" is. Looks like AEL is busy producing the answer ;-)
Search

Subscribe to the Rocketeers Twitter feed for instant updates!
BNSC Review comments
My comments on the BNSC Space Exploration Review (31 Jan 2009)
New British Space Age
Alt.Space News
- Software testing sets pace of Dragon launch preparations
- Heavy Ions Killed Mars Probe – Investigators
- Sierra Nevada Delivers Flight Test Vehicle Structure
- NASA Receives Second Highest Number Of Astronaut Applications
- Station Crew Preps for Spacewalk
- Mars Express reveals wind-blown deposits on Mars
- Briefs: Commercial space steps; Masten test pict
- Briefs: Dennis Wingo interview; Phoney Moon base costs
- McCain presses USAF on ULA block buy
- Remotely contour crafting a lunar base
- Briefs: UP Aerospace April launch; Next STIG to 120km; Jon Goff, pt. 2
- Commercial spaceflight regs: moratorium & review
- Briefs: Romney space shots at Newt; Not "Lunar-cy"; Romney & Eric Anderson
- Virgin Galactic update on WK2/SS2
- Armadillo Aerospace launches their third "STIG-A" rocket from Spaceport America








Recent comments
2 weeks 1 day ago
3 weeks 4 days ago
5 weeks 1 day ago
6 weeks 16 hours ago
8 weeks 1 day ago
8 weeks 1 day ago
12 weeks 1 day ago
12 weeks 1 day ago
12 weeks 2 days ago
12 weeks 2 days ago