NAL735 Static Firing Test

The National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) has been promoting supersonic transport projects and is planning a rocket test using a non-powered scaled experimental vehicle in Woomera, Australia at the end of 2001. A rocket for the test was to be chosen from among existing rockets due to time and financial reasons, and the SB-735 developed by ISAS was singled out. However, as some changes had been made in thrust pattern, propellant and nozzles, implementation of a firing test became inevitable and was carried out at ISAS’s Noshiro Testing Center. This testing was viewed as a cooperative research between NAL and ISAS and was carried out by staff from both organizations.

Despite that the project operations were carried out under severe cold circumstances from Feb. 23 through March 8 due to various reasons, the preliminary work was smoothly completed to schedule, as there were few outdoor operations involved. The firing test was successfully conducted on March 7 and many valuable data were obtained.

This joint research will continue until the completion of next flight test on the non-powered experimental vehicle. The success of this testing will certainly contribute not only to the development of NAL’s supersonic transport planes but also to the promotion of further cooperative projects between NAL and ISAS.

August 17, 2001