Space shuttle rocket engine as GRP replica

Reach for the stars with ACCENTFORM

ACCENTFORM was commissioned by Creative Services KG to create an exhibit that visitors can use to take off into space: The true-to-original 1:1 GRP replica of a space shuttle rocket engine is on display at the German Aerospace Center (DLR e.V.) in Bremen. It was important to comply with the customer’s specification that both the inside and the outside should have an authentic surface and thus emphasize the realistic character of the engine.

The engine nozzle manufactured by ACCENTFORM was set up and assembled vertically on site at a considerable height of approx. 5 meters – an enormous challenge for everyone involved! With a diameter of 2.23 meters and a height of 2.7 meters, the rocket engine is extremely light and extremely stable thanks to the GRP material weighing around 100 kg. As the access area of the exhibition hall was very narrow and difficult to access, the engine nozzle was divided lengthwise into four individual parts, which were manufactured separately and then assembled into a whole on site. The nozzle was then painted matt black on all sides with a total surface area of approx. 25 m².

In order to offer visitors a unique and, above all, tangible experience, the customer installed the obligatory fuel pumps and, as a highlight, an infrared radiant heating system in the shuttle engine. In order to comply with the applicable safety regulations, ACCENTform therefore manufactured the GRP model in the fire-protected version in accordance with DIN 5510 (S4, SR2, ST2). Thanks to this radiant heating, visitors can feel an intense afterglow underneath the rocket engine – while the space shuttle takes off into space above them.

Project details of the GRP replica