Tag: Propulsion Systems
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Astrobotic’s Peregrine Lunar Lander on Earth Re-Entry Trajectory Amid Propulsion Anomaly
For 16 years, Astrobotic has been dedicated to making the Moon accessible to the world. The responsible preservation of the cislunar space environment for all is top of mind as we complete this mission. Since the Peregrine lunar lander’s anomaly occurred 6 days ago, we have been evaluating how best to safely end the spacecraft’s…
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Northrop Grumman’s Solid Rocket Boosters Power ULA’s Vulcan Rocket Maiden Launch
Two of Northrop Grumman Corporation’s extended-length, 63-inch-diameter Graphite Epoxy Motors (GEM 63XL) solid rocket boosters helped power the inaugural flight of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Rocket and the first certification (Cert-1) mission. The GEM 63XL boosters are the longest monolithic, single-cast solid rocket boosters ever manufactured and flown. The launch represents the first flight of…
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ULA’s Vulcan Rocket Set to Debut with Upper-Stage Engine Built by Aerojet Rocketdyne
When the next-generation Vulcan rocket developed by United Launch Alliance takes flight for the first time in the coming days, it will usher in a new era for the RL10 upper-stage rocket engine built by Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company. Versions of the RL10 have been reliably propelling payloads into space for 60 years,…
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NASA Successfully Tests 3D-Printed Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine
NASA has achieved a new benchmark in developing an innovative propulsion system called the Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE). Engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, successfully tested a novel, 3D-printed RDRE for 251 seconds (or longer than four minutes), producing more than 5,800 pounds of thrust. That kind of sustained burn…
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Pale Blue Partners with TOKYO KEIKI for Mass Production of Satellite Propulsion Systems
Pale Blue signed an individual contract with TOKYO KEIKI, and has initiated a collaboration to manufacture and assemble the subsystems of prototype mass-production model of its propulsion system 1 as part of the Deep Tech Startups (“DTSU”) support program – DMP phase (Demonstration development for Mass Production) by NEDO, a national research and development agency…
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Airbus Ventures Announces Its Latest Investment in Helicity Space
Airbus Ventures proudly announced its investment in Helicity Space, a commercial space company developing in-space propulsion and power technology based on fusion power. Helicity Space announced its $5 million seed round, with funding from several new investors including Airbus Ventures, TRE Advisors, Voyager Space Holdings, E2MC Space, Urania Ventures and Gaingels. “We are pleased to…
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Northrop Grumman Successfully Conducts Static Test Fire of New Solid Rocket Motor
Northrop Grumman Corporation successfully conducted a full-scale static test fire of a new solid rocket motor that was developed in less than a year as part of its Solid Motor Annual Rocket Technology Demonstrator (SMART Demo). The SMART Demo successfully demonstrated several innovative technologies, alternate manufacturing materials and processes to reduce lead times by 75…
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Australian Government Funding Accelerates Neumann Space Tech on Spire Global Satellite
Neumann Space, one of the technology leaders of in-space electric propulsion, announced that Australian Government funding will enable it to adapt the Neumann Drive for an in-orbit demonstration mission with Spire Global, a global provider of space-based data, analytics, and space services. Neumann Space is a founding partner of the Australian Space Manufacturing Network (ASMN)…
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Sierra Space’s Shooting Star Module Commences Testing at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility
Sierra Space, a pureplay commercial space company building the first end-to-end business and technology platform in space, announced the commencement of a comprehensive testing campaign for the Shooting Star cargo module at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio. This pivotal phase of testing aims to validate the spacecraft’s resilience to the demands of…
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Ursa Major Raises $138 Million for Launching Solid Rocket Motor Line
Ursa Major, one of America’s leading privately funded companies focused solely on rocket propulsion, announced that it closed $138 million in its Series D and D-1 funding rounds. The investments were led by Explorer 1 Fund and Eclipse, and include RTX Ventures, funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, Exor Ventures, Mack & Co., LLC, XN,…