ArianeGroup, a joint venture between aviation giant, Airbus and Safran, a French aircraft engine manufacturer, has achieved a significant milestone in the development of hydrogen propulsion systems for commercial aviation. The successful testing of a hydrogen conditioning system marks the conclusion of the HyPERION project, a pilot initiative aimed at evaluating environmentally responsible aviation propulsion solutions.

The HyPERION project, initiated in December 2020, with support from the French Government’s Investments for the Future Program (PIA), combined the expertise of Safran and Airbus. Its overarching goal is to explore the viability of hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels for commercial aviation by 2035.

ArianeGroup’s extensive experience in liquid hydrogen, garnered from years of working on Ariane launcher propulsion, served as the foundation for the project. The joint research initiative encompassed the entire process of hydrogen propulsion, from fuel distribution to the ejection of ignited gases, drawing on ArianeGroup’s in-depth knowledge of fuel behavior.

Under the HyPERION project, several test programs were conducted, including hydrogen combustion tests conducted in collaboration with the French aerospace lab, ONERA. Compatibility tests on metal materials and assessments of a hydrogen conditioning system for pressure and temperature control were also carried out.

Last may, ArianeGroup successfully conducted a proof-of-concept test of a hydrogen conditioning system at its Vernon, France test facility. The experiment employed equipment initially designed for space applications, including an electric pump, gas generator, and exchangers. This groundbreaking test marks the first step in transferring ArianeGroup’s space technologies to aeronautical applications.