Turbo Pump Technology

A central goal of the DLR institute is to bundle all competencies in the field of rocket propulsion turbopumps in order to conduct targeted and effective research. DLR scientists are concentrating on the development of new technologies to make turbopumps more cost-effective and efficient. Different approaches are chosen, ranging from the improvement of conventional methods to the development of new concepts with which, for example, genetic algorithms can be trained for the design process (machine learning). The conventional and novel approaches developed can develop their full potential in conjunction with new manufacturing processes, such as 3D printing, and thus lead to solutions that were previously considered unthinkable. The core competence is to test the knowledge gained in this way under real conditions in rocket engines and thus generate a knowledge base that will advance space travel worldwide.