Stratolaunch tests pre-burner

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Stratolaunch said it successfully tested a component of its hydrogen-fuelled rocket engine with the pre-burner hot-fire test last week at NASA’s rocket engine test facility in South Mississippi. The pre-burner serves as the smaller of two combustion chambers in the hydrogen-fueled PGA rocket engine. The name PGA is from the initials of the company's founder Paul G. Allen, who recently passed away. The Microsoft co-founder launched the company with aerospace engineer and entrepreneur Burt Rutan in 2011 with the aim of providing flexible, low-cost access to space. Stratolaunch did not disclose how long Friday’s firing lasted, but the company said the duration and power levels of the preburner tests would be increased over the coming months. (Sources: Engadget, 11/07/18, Geekwire, 11/06/18)