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sales@laserproto.com The Challenge
Queen’s Propulsion Laboratory (QPL), Northern Ireland’s largest student rocketry team, set out to build Kelvin Mk.1, the first student-developed bipropellant liquid rocket engine on the island of Ireland. Designed to fire with isopropyl alcohol and nitrous oxide, the engine needed a lightweight, high-performance combustion chamber capable of withstanding extreme thermal and pressure loads.
Traditional manufacturing couldn’t deliver the complex internal cooling channels, tight timelines, or risk-free integration the design required.
The Solution
LPE partnered with QPL to produce the engine’s aluminium combustion chamber using Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) in AlSi10Mg, renowned for its combination of good strength, hardness, and dynamic properties:
- High corrosion resistance
- Ideal for applications that require low weight
- Good thermal and electrical conductivity
- Properties can be modified with heat treatments
The internal channels were printed directly into the part, removing the need for welds or joints, which can be common failure points in propulsion systems. As with all metal additive manufacturing, the process leaves a textured surface and requires the removal of support material, along with precision finishing to meet tight aerospace tolerances.
At our Belfast facility, we carried out full in-house post-processing, including:
1. Depowdering of internal channels
2. Hand finishing with a Dremel to remove supports
3. Heat treatment for thermal strength
4. Surface finishing to aerospace-grade standards:
- Bead blasting for an even surface texture
- CNC machining of critical sealing and mounting faces for micron-level accuracy
- A Final 3D scan with a handy scanner ensures dimensional accuracy and detects any warping or deviations after support removal and heat treatment.
5. Quality inspection at every stage
This blend of advanced machining and skilled manual finishing delivered a flawless, high-performance part ready to handle the extreme thermal and pressure loads of hot-fire testing.
The Result
On 10 July 2025, Kelvin Mk.1 successfully completed four hot-fire tests at Westcott Space Cluster as part of the Race2Space competition. It reached a peak thrust of 3kN, exceeding its design goals, and was one of just eight engines to survive full testing.
“Additive manufacturing was the right solution for this engine, not just for its complexity, but because it enabled speed, precision, and performance in a single process.” Patrick Walls, Engineering Director
Key Takeaways
- Complex internal features made possible with metal 3D printing
- No welding or assembly, reducing risk and improving durability
- Faster development time = more time for testing and iteration
- A live demonstration of Northern Ireland’s growing capabilities in space technology
From CAD to Combustion
LPE is proud to support QPL and help fuel the next generation of aerospace engineers.
This project proves what’s possible when innovation, education, and cutting-edge manufacturing come together.
On 10 July 2025, Queen’s Propulsion Laboratory successfully hot-fired the Kelvin Mk.1 at the Westcott Space Cluster. The test formed part of Race2Space, a UK-wide programme created to bridge the gap between academia and industry in rocket propulsion. You can view the results below.
Want to know more about metal 3D printing for aerospace?
Contact our team or explore our metal additive manufacturing services.
You Can Read the Press Coverage Below;
The Engineer – LPE 3D prints rocket engine chamber for student-built liquid rocket engine
