Zola electric propellant pump

Zola is an electric-motor-driven pump developed as part of LURA’s propulsion development program, Silverback. Its purpose is to deliver liquid oxygen (LOX) and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to an engine for rocket propulsion. This pump was designed to support a liquid rocket engine capable of reaching the Kármán line (100 km altitude). Zola focused on balancing complexity, weight, and safety, aiming to offer a more manageable alternative to turbopumps by simplifying the feed system’s design and manufacturing. My key contributions:

• Organised partnership with CFTurbo. Consequently, supported pump sizing and design.
• Designed and made prototypes for testing.
• Sourced seals, pressure and temperature sensors.
• Designed mechanical components and made technical drawings for precision manufacturing.
• Contributed to design and build of the test rig.

Although a manufacturing error prevented Zola from being tested at Race 2 Space 2024, the succeeding team returned the following year and successfully completed the cold-flow test.