The Technion successfully launched a unique, two-stage research rocket on May 9, 2006, designed and built over the last five years in the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering by a team of students under the direction of faculty members and in cooperation wth Rafael - the Armament Development Authority.

 

The launch was carried out at the Palmachim Beach south of Tel Aviv.  The 90-kilogram, 3.7 meter long rocket, called Ramtech, is a ramjet rocket of a type not previously flighted tested in Israel and still not used anywhere else in the world.

 

The project advisors - Prof. Alan Gany from the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at the Technion and Yitzhak Greenberg from Rafael - said that the rocket is a technological breakthrough, mainly because of its innovations.  "We had no previous practical knowledge and no test flight upon which to rely.  We started from scratch", they stressed.

 

The ramjet engine's main drawback is that it cannot start from a stationary state and must first reach very high speeds, about twice the speed of sound.  Therefore, the rocket was launched by a regular rocket engine and only when it reached double the speed of sound and a height of four Kilometers, dd the regualr rocket stage end and the ramjet was kick in.

 

In total, some 20 students worked on the project oer three class years.  They received financial support from the Technion's Devora Foundation and were guided by Rafael employee and Technion graduate Yitzhak Greenberg.  Most of the students who took part in the project have already completed their studies.  The launch team included four students, including one woman.

 

The rockets uniqueness lies in the fact that it is a solid-fuel , ramjet rocket, not previously tested in Isael.  Due to its high speed, a ramjet engine can compress air aerodynamically without the need for a compressor.  It is a smple jet engine without any moving parts that can work at much higher speeds than a turbojet engine.

 

"In future, ramjet engines may serve as flight vehicles that fly at hypersonic speeds - five to 10 times the speed of sound",explains Prof. Gany.  "Aside from its high speed the ramjet has also the advantage that it consumes a low amount of fuel - only a fourth  to a third of the amount needed for a regular rocket engine - thus enabling the flight vehicle to fly a much longer range".