Functionally graded materials (FGM) chamber with perfect PSZ/NiCr FGM cross-sectional profile was evaluated in the high altitude envirement to obtain the engine real performance and also to identify the safty combustion from obtained chamber thermal data. After the performance acquisition test, the fabricated FGM chamber was cyclically tested in the sea level environment to study the effect of FGM coating on thrust chamber life. The thrust chamber used in this test series was employed the reversed process of composing perfect FGM profile to provide an improved ceramic-metal bond between the sprayed FGM layer and electro-formed FGM layer. A total of 50 firing tests including the long durability test were performed. The high performance of the engine was verified in the high altitude performance test. At cylindrical section of the chamber, the thermal barrier coating composed of pure PSZ layer remained intact.
