Space business: burn

At launch, SpaceX built its success on the back of the Merlin rocket. Engine – The first new American rocket engine in a decade when it went online in 2008.

Since then, investment in new incentive systems has increased in the US. It seems like new engines are announced every day now.

If SpaceX wants its next rocket, Starship, to succeed, it will need the new, more powerful Raptor engine to prove as reliable as the Merlin. and produced Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin series. New enginesFirst for the New Shepard sub-rocket, and now for two orbital rockets—its own upcoming New Glenn and United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan, which could fly for the first time this summer.

Thanks to the growing space economy, small companies that specialize in rocket engines are testing different designs in the process, not rockets.

Impulse is a company founded by Tom Mueller, a renowned ex-SpaceX engineer who led the development of the Merlin and Raptor. The initial plan is to develop a space shuttle that can deliver satellites using a low-cost propulsion system. This month, the company completed qualification testing on the first engine, which will head into orbit on a demonstration mission in October. (It is also working The first private Mars mission.)

Saif, as the engine is called, is unusual for a small satellite engine because it uses chemical combustion. Other space propulsion efforts use electric motors to generate small but continuous thrust to propel spacecraft; These techniques require less weight (always a benefit when going to space) but generate less power. Impulse is a bet that companies are willing to accept the trade-off to see their satellites reach the right location in days rather than months.

“The amount of thrust that we can build in a small satellite can reduce the time it takes to get to a useful orbit, and do big maneuvers and do them faster,” said Kevin Miller, who leads Impulse Engine development.

Perhaps the leading pure-play startup is Ursa Major, which announced an “eight-figure” deal with the Air Force Research Laboratory to build a powerful new rocket engine used to test hypersonic weapons.

The engine in question burns with kerosene and hydrogen peroxide and does not keep them at particularly cold temperatures – it is a common method of increasing power, but it requires complex systems to maintain the correct temperature in the vehicle. . On the other hand, using a room temperature fan allows propellant to be stored easily for longer periods of time.

CEO and founder Joe Laurenti said Draper appeals to users in space travel, especially customers who want to get to orbit on short notice and even those who need the ability to push the engine up and down on descent.

Ursa is busy. Develop a motor line Setting up the power meter. The company already has deals to sell to rocket makers such as Astra and Vector to help out with the cost of developing the rocket engine for specialists.

Although struggling to bring a reliable launch vehicle to market, Astra itself is benefiting from the growing space propulsion market. In the year By 2022, its only profitable business was selling electrical transmission systems, due to the availability of Engine maker Apollo Fusion In 2021

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Image INTERLUDE

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter finds its location in the lunar Atlas Crater. The space Hakuto-R lander crashed In April:

You can see more context and images of how the rover’s impact changed the moon’s surface. In our history.

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What if the US government created a public technology bank to provide long-term planning for projects that could improve the lives of generations to come?

in the latest episode His Quartz Obsession Podcast, Economics reporter Nate DiCamillo explains why it’s time to rethink why we fund innovation. 🎧 Listen now! 👀 or, Read the transcript

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SPACE DEBRIS

Jeff Bezos is officially heading to the moon. After years of trials, the blue origin won 3.5 billion dollar NASA contract To build, test and operate a lunar lander for future Artemis missions.

Axiom-2 is officially in orbit. The second private astronaut mission, including three paid passengers and mission commander Peggy Whitson, arrived at the International Space Station this week. May 21 launch. Exactly how much is one of these seats? He put it backAnyway?

There is no official virgin orbit. The bankrupt rocket maker sees his real estate. snatched away Competitors Rocket Lab and Vast, the space station company, but no buyer came forward to save the business.

DARPA is officially funding the Dual Space Radar. The United States military research agency beat 4.5 million dollar deal Umbra, a space radar company, to test imaging techniques that fly in formation with two spacecraft; One spacecraft transmits radio signals to Earth, while the other collects the reflected energy for analysis.

Ocean rocket raids are of official interest. The challenge of getting environmental protections for new spaceports in the U.S. has companies considering the possibility of launching rockets. From overseas platforms.

last week: The space industry is ready. It cuts to NASA?

last year: AstroForge plans My platinum from the asteroid In ten years.

This was issue 182 of our newsletter. Hope your week is out of this world! Please send us your favorite new rocket engine designs, awesome satellite formation flying pods, tips, and informative comments. tim@qz.com.