Bluegrass is Cal Poly Space Systems’ on-campus test stand, located in the propulsion laboratory. It is capable of supporting tests up to 500 lbf, with the current engine (Stratum) being tested at around 300 lbf.
Although I was not involved in the original design or construction of the test stand, I will be leading tests on it in the future and contributing to upgrades of outdated components so that future Cal Poly students can continue to use and improve it.
This is Bluegrass. As shown, it is somewhat rough in its current state and would benefit from several improvements, particularly in wire management. There are many unused wires contributing to clutter, which creates both organizational and safety concerns.
Additionally, the pressure lines are not well routed, so improving their layout is another priority I plan to address when the stand is not in active use.
We also need to replace the large yellow tank on the side. It is a carbon overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV) that has reached its cycle life limit. We are planning to replace it with a larger high-pressure sample cylinder, which will allow for longer hot-fire durations and improved safety.
Another planned upgrade is the addition of load cells to the tanks, enabling us to measure mass flow rate by tracking changes in mass over time. We also aim to reduce potential failure points by implementing additional safety features, such as valves that fail open to safely vent pressurized N₂O and GN₂.