AI and ex-Soviet engineers join forces to build a fully reusable rocket that could rival SpaceX
AI, ex-Soviet engineers, and the Holy Grail of rocketry
Aspire Space Technologies is betting on a radical design to break SpaceX's launch monopoly: a fully reusable rocket called Oryx powered by an aerospike engine. The startup is pairing an AI-driven design system from Dubai's Leap 71 with engineers who built the Soviet Energia rocket and Buran shuttle, plus a Chinese 3D-printing firm. They claim the engine took just six months to develop instead of seven years and $500 million. If Oryx flies by 2031 as planned, it could offer the dedicated, high-frequency launches that satellite operators desperately need.
The engine that we have now could have probably taken seven years and up to half a billion dollars. In our collaboration, it basically took half a year . . . and we already have a first version. It's mind-blowing.
- bryanlarsen
Due to ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) and the Chinese connection this cannot be a direct competitor to SpaceX. American payloads cannot fly on Chinese rockets and Chinese payloads can't fly on American rockets.
The article does not mention Stoke Space. Aspire's approach is much closer to Stoke's than it is to SpaceX's. Stoke uses a "virtual aerospike", to oversimplify.
- dabluecaboose
Rocket Scientist here. Quick (simplified) primer on engine nozzles and why aerospikes are advantageous:
A rocket engine bell is a supersonic nozzle. Subsonic nozzles, like on your garden hose, typically go from wider to narrower to increase pressure and velocity of the exiting flow. Supersonic nozzles generally narrow to a point; This point is calculated to be exactly where the exhaust stream reaches Mach 1 (Supersonic flow). Once a flow is supersonic, it behaves differently and somewhat counter-intuitively. The nozzle widens to increase velocity and decrease pressure. The bigger the engine bell, the less the pressure is at the exit, and the faster the flow.
Generally, rocket engine bells have one ambient pressure value that they produce optimal thrust at. This is equivalent to the exit pressure at the very end of the bell. Take a look at the engine bell for the Apollo service module- It's quite large in order to expand the flow as much as possible to perform well in a vacuum (Very low pressure)[1].
If the ambient pressure is higher than the exit pressure, your flow is underexpanded and you get shock diamonds, as seen here [2]. The SR-71's engines were optimized for a higher altitude/lower pressure, so on takeoff the ambient pressure is pushing "inward"; the flow is underexpanded.
If the ambient pressure is lower than the exit pressure, and you see a large plume expanding outward from the nozzle, as seen here [3]. The flow is pushing "outward" at a higher pressure th […]
- bogzz
It would be extremely exciting to see a modern vehicle successfully making use of aerospikes.