Rocket Factory Augsburg - RFA

Meet Erika McDowell 👋 She's one of our Technical Project Managers, responsible for managing our propulsion and stage three (#Redshift) activities. Erika joined RFA in October 2023, bringing with her many years of experience in rocketry. In her own words, her favorite part of the job is "Embracing the complicated chaos and crafting it into a cohesive puzzle." Want to join Erika? See all our jop openings here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dk8qmvU

Attention, satellite friends! 🛰️ While we are closing in fast on our first test flight, we are already planning ahead: for our second test flight, we still have 200kg of payload capacity available! You have a satellite up to this size? And you want it to be precisely deployed in a polar orbit next year? Please get in touch to receive a special offer for your customized transport “ad astra” here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/d2F3z5Gi

Got questions about RFA? Ask away! We're launching a new series where we answer all your burning questions! Curious about launch details, technical specs or our mission goals? Now's your chance. 🚀 Drop your questions in the comments below and stay tuned to see if your question gets answered! #AskRFA

Europe has its own rocket again! 🚀 🇪🇺 Congratulations to European Space Agency - ESA, its member states, and the European space industry on a successful first launch of #Ariane6, and the restoration of European access to space! Here's to many more successful flights and close cooperation in shaping the future of European space travel! #TeamSpace 📸 ESA/S. Corvaja

Curious about the progress of our second stage? We've got you covered! 👇 Here's a brief update: After it arrived back in Augsburg following a rigorous testing campaign, we attached a vacuum version of our Helix engine, the HelixVAC to stage two and shipped it back off to Sweden for final acceptance testing before it heads to SaxaVord. What's the difference between the Helix and the HelixVAC? Well, the most notable differences are between the start systems and engine bells. Let us explain! 🔹 At sea level and during the ascent to orbit, atmospheric pressure pushes sideways against the exhaust plume. We make the nozzle smaller on the standard Helix engine to prevent flow separation and keep the exhaust jet intact within the engine bell. 🔹 But in the vacuum of space, we don't have that issue. This means we can use a much bigger nozzle that enables targeted acceleration of exhaust gases for a longer duration. ⭐ FUN FACT: the vacuum nozzle glows, because it isn't actively cooled at the lower end, but yet it does not melt although it reaches almost the same temperature as the exhaust jet! We use a spin start system for both engines that gives the turbopump an initial push with Nitrogen before the preburner ignites. But here's the difference: 🔹 For stage one, we use the launch pad's Nitrogen system to save weight on the vehicle. But stage two carries its own high-pressure Nitrogen bottle, which we proudly decorated with our team's signatures, as one can see in the picture. Stay tuned for more updates on our stage progress! #SpaceExploration #Engineering #Innovation #RocketScience #HelixEngine #SpaceTechnology

Skilled with LabVIEW? Looking for an exciting challenge? You've seen the right post! We're looking for a LabVIEW Control and Systems Integration Engineer to join us at our HQ in Augsburg. 🔧 Key Responsibilities: Develop bespoke test, embedded, and distributed control systems using LabVIEW across Windows UI, Real-Time, and FPGA layers. Create and maintain TCP/IP and UDP serialization and communication libraries. Design and implement robust, modular, and reusable code libraries. 🎓 Essential Qualifications: Degree in software engineering, robotics, electronic engineering, or a related field. Certified LabVIEW Associate Developer (CLAD) certificate or equivalent LabVIEW training. Strong problem-solving skills, both theoretical and practical, with a hands-on approach to diagnosing electrical and electronic issues. If you're ready to boost your career into orbit, we want to hear from you! 🔗 Apply Now: https://lnkd.in/emMWv8xa #LabVIEW #EngineeringJobs #CareerOpportunity #EngineeringExcellence #Hiring

"The rocket is one thing – what it takes to really get this thing off the ground is a story all of its own." Everything (ok, at least a lot) you ever wanted to know about our launch site is packed inside our new blog post, including: ❓ Why we are launching from SaxaVord ❓ How we designed & built our launch pad ❓ What are the systems and safety considerations in place Read the full article here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dMcu39Bf

Meet our CCO Jörn Spurmann, our Head of Acquisition and Delivery Dr. Ibrahim Ata, and our Institutional Sales Manager Dorottya Milankovich today at the Space Transportation Ecosystem Conference in Munich, Germany. Learn more about the STE Conference 2024 here 👉 https://ste-conference.eu/

Look at these beauties 🚀🔧 Engineered to ignite dreams! Our team in SaxaVord Spaceport UK has successfully installed all 9 Helix engines to the first stage of RFA ONE. There have never been so many engines on a European rocket before! A historic moment. But we are not leaning back. Preparations for the next hot fire test are advancing rapidly.

Meet Llewelyn, one of our Mechanical Design Engineers. He's designed various assembly equipment to help build our launch vehicle and spent time working on systems in both Sweden and SaxaVord. His RFA portfolio includes designing a system that completely rotates the entire rocket during assembly and integration at the push of a button! Want to become Llewelyn's colleague? Visit our career page to see our open positions 👉 https://lnkd.in/dk8qmvU