Articles tagged with "rocket-propulsion"
US firm to produce 60 hypersonic motors for rocket, missile testing
L3Harris Technologies has received a letter of intent to produce 60 Zeus solid rocket motors for Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, aiming to expand U.S. industrial capacity for advanced missile and hypersonic testing programs. This order follows the successful development and flight testing of the Zeus 1 and Zeus 2 motors by Kratos, enabling larger-scale production. The Zeus motors are designed to replace older suborbital rocket motors, offering greater thrust, efficiency, and compatibility with existing launch platforms, thereby facilitating longer flights, higher speeds, and more frequent test launches. The Zeus program supports the Pentagon’s Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed project, which seeks to increase the frequency and flexibility of hypersonic system testing. By addressing current limitations in testing infrastructure, the program aims to accelerate the development and deployment of hypersonic weapons. L3Harris designed the motors in Huntsville, Alabama, with production planned at its large Camden, Arkansas facility, which already manufactures a wide range
energyrocket-propulsionhypersonic-technologymissile-testingsolid-rocket-motorsaerospace-manufacturingdefense-technologyTDK Ventures, Accel set to back India’s EtherealX in reusable launch vehicle push: sources
Ethereal Exploration Guild (EtherealX), an Indian spacetech startup founded in 2022, is developing Razor Crest Mk-1, a fully reusable medium-lift launch vehicle designed to place up to eight tonnes into low Earth orbit and deliver payloads to geostationary transfer and trans-lunar injection orbits. The Bengaluru-based company aims to compete with SpaceX by offering significantly lower launch costs—estimated between $350 and $2,000 per kilogram compared to SpaceX’s $1,600 to $2,000 per kilogram—and targets capturing 30% to 40% of the market. EtherealX plans its first launch in early 2027 and has secured $130 million in contracts from six customers, reflecting strong early commercial demand. The startup is close to closing a funding round expected to raise about $20.5 million, up from an initial $15 million target, co-led by TDK Ventures and Vietnam-based BIG Capital, with participation from Acc
energyspace-technologyreusable-launch-vehicleaerospace-engineeringrocket-propulsionspacetech-startupcommercial-space-industryBlue Origin steps into Starship territory with massive New Glenn 9×4 super-heavy rocket
Blue Origin has unveiled a super-heavy variant of its New Glenn rocket, named the New Glenn 9×4, marking a significant advancement toward higher-capacity orbital and lunar missions. This new model features nine BE-4 engines on the first stage and four BE-3U engines on the upper stage, increasing thrust and lifting capability compared to the existing 7×2 configuration. The 9×4 can deliver over 70 metric tons to low Earth orbit, more than 14 metric tons to geosynchronous orbit, and over 20 metric tons to trans-lunar injection, placing it in the super-heavy class alongside SpaceX’s Starship. It also introduces a wider 8.7-meter fairing to accommodate larger satellites and multi-payload stacks, targeting missions such as mega-constellations, lunar exploration, and national security launches. Alongside the introduction of the 9×4, Blue Origin is upgrading the current New Glenn 7×2 variant with enhanced propulsion, structures
energyrocket-propulsionaerospace-engineeringreusable-rocketsspace-launch-systemsBE-4-enginelunar-missionsUS pursues low-cost hypersonic missile with 4,000-pound thrust engine
The U.S. Air Force is developing an experimental hypersonic missile called "Angry Tortoise," aimed at demonstrating a lower-cost approach to hypersonic weaponry and ballistic threat simulation. Central to the project is the Draper rocket motor, a 4,000-pound-thrust liquid-fueled engine using a hydrogen peroxide–kerosene mix that can be stored at room temperature for extended periods, enhancing tactical readiness. About 60 percent of the motor's parts are 3D printed, enabling significant cost reductions compared to current hypersonic propulsion systems. The program leverages components from the existing Economical Target-2 (ET-2) rocket to further cut costs while improving performance. The first test flight is scheduled for December 2025 at White Sands Missile Range, initially targeting speeds near Mach 2, with potential to reach Mach 4 or Mach 5 in future iterations. The project is currently a science and technology demonstration rather than an immediate weapons deployment, with
energyhypersonic-missile3D-printingadditive-manufacturingrocket-propulsionmilitary-technologyaerospace-materialsSpaceX’s Starship makes history with its most successful test yet
SpaceX’s Starship achieved a major milestone on its 10th test flight, marking the company’s most successful trial to date after a series of setbacks. Launching from Starbase, Texas, the 403-foot rocket executed a smooth ascent with flawless stage separation. The Super Heavy booster successfully splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico, testing alternative landing methods rather than the previously used tower catch system. This mission demonstrated key capabilities, including the deployment of mock Starlink satellites from Starship’s payload bay—an important first that showcased the rocket’s potential as a cargo delivery vehicle for future satellite constellations. The flight also featured a successful reignition of a vacuum-optimized Raptor engine, only the second time this maneuver has been completed, advancing Starship’s goal of full reusability. Reentry, historically a challenging phase, was deliberately made demanding to test new heat shield materials and the rocket’s rear flaps under extreme conditions. Despite visible damage to one flap, Starship survived
energymaterialsspace-technologyrocket-propulsionsatellite-deploymentreusable-rocketsheat-shield-materialsChina tests Long March-10 rocket with 990-ton thrust for moon mission
China has successfully conducted a critical ground test of the Long March-10 rocket’s first stage, marking a significant milestone toward its goal of a manned lunar mission by 2030. The test, performed at Hainan Island’s coastal spaceport, involved firing seven YF-100K engines simultaneously for 30 seconds, producing approximately 900 tonnes of thrust. This demonstrated the engines’ ability to operate in sync under both normal and high-power conditions, providing valuable data for future rocket development. The Long March-10, standing 92 meters tall and equipped with 21 engines in total, is about three times more powerful than China’s current Long March-5 rocket and can send roughly 27 tonnes toward the moon. The Long March-10 rocket is central to China’s lunar ambitions, which include a two-launch mission involving a crew vehicle (Mengzhou) and a lander (Lanyue) that will dock in lunar orbit before astronauts descend to the surface. Beyond the initial landing,
energyrocket-propulsionspace-explorationlunar-missionliquid-rocket-enginesthrust-testingaerospace-engineeringCold War bunker in UK reborn as advanced rocket test facility
A former Cold War-era armored building near the Mull of Kintyre in the UK has been transformed into MachLab, an advanced rocket test and teaching facility. Originally part of a US Air Force refueling complex in the late 1980s, the structure’s robust design now provides a secure environment for experimental rocket engine firings. Located on the former RAF Machrihanish airbase, MachLab was developed through a collaboration between the University of Glasgow and industry partners, securing around £500,000 in funding, including support from the UK Space Agency. The facility is equipped to test rocket engines producing up to one tonne of thrust and aims to advance rocket propulsion research. MachLab also focuses on training the next generation of UK rocket engineers through programs like the Rocketry Research Teaching Training (R2T2) initiative led by the University of Glasgow. The facility supports the development of engines using various propellants—solid, liquid, and cryogenic—and provides detailed data collection on parameters such as
energyrocket-propulsionaerospace-materials3D-printingrocket-enginesspace-technologyadvanced-cooling-systems156-foot-long solid rocket motor produces 4 million pounds of thrust
Northrop Grumman successfully conducted a full-scale static fire test of NASA’s Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension (BOLE) solid rocket motor, the world’s largest segmented solid rocket motor built for human spaceflight. The 156-foot-long, five-segment booster produced over 4 million pounds of thrust during a two-minute test, monitored by more than 700 data channels. This new booster features a composite carbon fiber case, updated propellant formulation, and advanced components, resulting in over 10 percent increased performance compared to the current five-segment Space Launch System (SLS) booster. The enhanced efficiency allows the booster to deliver an additional five metric tons of payload to lunar orbit, a critical capability for deep space missions. The BOLE booster development, initiated in 2017, aims to replace aging components no longer in production while aligning with commercial manufacturing standards and supporting a U.S.-based supply chain. Northrop Grumman leveraged its extensive experience from previous NASA programs, including
energyrocket-propulsionsolid-rocket-motorcomposite-materialsspace-launch-systemaerospace-engineeringcarbon-fiber-compositesBreakthrough math model could unlock 3,836 mph hypersonic flight
Researchers at San Diego State University, in collaboration with Stanford University, have developed a novel computational mathematics model that simulates the behavior of gas and fuel droplets in detonation waves occurring in hypersonic propulsion systems such as scramjets and rotating detonation engines. This model, termed the Liouville method, builds on classical equations like the Fokker–Planck and Langevin models to predict particle dynamics at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (approximately 3,836 mph). Funded by the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the model provides new insights into the stability and thermal behavior of gases near hypersonic vehicles, addressing critical challenges that arise when flight conditions become unstable at these extreme speeds. Beyond its primary application in advancing hypersonic military aircraft design, the model has potential interdisciplinary uses in climate science and medicine, where understanding particle dynamics and shock wave interactions is essential. For example, it could improve climate modeling by better describing particle behavior in the atmosphere and assist medical techniques that use
energyhypersonic-flightcomputational-modelingscramjet-enginesrocket-propulsionparticle-physicsaerospace-engineeringChina test-fires reusable rocket with 9 engines to challenge SpaceX
Chinese rocket startup Landspace successfully conducted a static fire test of its Zhuque-3 rocket’s first stage on June 20 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The test involved firing nine proprietary Tianque-12A methane-liquid oxygen engines sequentially for 45 seconds, producing 7,542 kN of thrust. This milestone is a key step toward Landspace’s planned orbital launch of Zhuque-3, a reusable rocket designed to compete with SpaceX’s technology. The company views this successful test as foundational for advancing China’s reusable launch vehicle capabilities. Landspace aims to launch Zhuque-3 into orbit in the third quarter of 2024, carrying a prototype of the reusable Haolong cargo spacecraft developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute under AVIC. The company has been progressing steadily since its first launch failure in 2018 with Zhuque-1, achieving a significant milestone in 2023 when Zhuque-2 became the first methane-LOX rocket to reach
energyreusable-rocketmethane-liquid-oxygenrocket-enginesspace-launchaerospace-technologyrocket-propulsion