Revolutionary Rocket Engine Unleashes 350,000 Horsepower in Record Time
The space exploration frontier is witnessing an unprecedented surge in rocket engine innovations, each more advanced than the last. This frenzy of development underscores the promise that space holds as humanity's next great frontier. As the biggest names in space exploration vie to create reusable rockets and ships, a new player has emerged with a game-changing achievement.
Enter Stoke Space, a Seattle-based startup founded just four years ago. Despite its youth, Stoke Space has a clear and ambitious mission: to provide low-cost, on-demand transportation to and from space using fully reusable rockets. This daring goal has already earned the attention and partial funding of NASA, the U.S. Space Force, and the National Science Foundation.
Stoke Space's flagship project is the Nova rocket, a two-stage marvel designed to be completely reusable. This rocket aims to make space launches as routine and cost-effective as commercial air travel. The first stage of Nova will rely on seven LNG-LOX engines to lift off, eventually returning to its launch site for reuse. Meanwhile, the second stage, equipped with an adaptable fairing for cargo, promises unlimited engine restarts, enabling complex maneuvers across various orbits before its controlled return to Earth.
An Engine Like No Other
At the heart of Nova's first stage lies a groundbreaking engine, a full-flow, staged-combustion (FFSC) type, hailed for its unmatched efficiency and performance. This design is similar to SpaceX's celebrated Raptor engines, utilizing multiple combustion chambers to maximize fuel efficiency and specific impulse.
Stoke Space recently captured headlines by successfully completing the first hot fire test of this Nova stage 1 engine. Conducted at their Moses Lake, Washington facility, the engine ramped up from a standstill to generating an astonishing 350,000 horsepower in less than a second. To put this into perspective, the Saturn V rocket engines that propelled NASA's Apollo missions generated about 160 million horsepower collectively.
Once it reached peak power, the Stoke engine maintained these levels for an undisclosed duration before shutting down as per the testing protocol. Remarkably, Stoke engineers assembled this engine in just 18 months, a testament to their rapid development capabilities. This milestone firmly places Stoke Space on the path to creating the world's most robust, fully reusable medium-lift rocket.
The Path Ahead
While it's unclear when the Nova rocket will make its maiden voyage, Stoke Space’s rapid progress promises exciting developments. Last year, the second stage of the Nova rocket successfully demonstrated vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. Although further updates on this front have been sparse, continued testing of the FFSC engine is set to dominate 2023, alongside preparations for the rocket’s first orbital launch.
When operational, the Nova rocket will cater to a wide spectrum of missions, serving both civil and defense sectors. However, the costs associated with these future launches remain undisclosed. As Stoke Space continues to push the boundaries of rocket technology, the entire industry eagerly anticipates what this promising startup will achieve next.