The NasaNasa has developed a new type of engine that is both more powerful than traditional engines, while consuming less fuel: a rotary detonation engine. A prototype engine was tested in 2022 at Marshall Space Center with the assistance of the private company IN Space LLCLLC. There were a dozen tries, accumulating a total of 10 minutes of updating. feufeu. Today, the teams announce that the data is good.
(embed)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBWUim-rppQ(/embed)
RDE engine test. © Nasa
Unlike a conventional engine, a rotary detonation engine (RDE) uses detonation to generate thrust. When fuel and oxidizeroxidizer of the rocket engine come into contact, there is combustion, but in the case of an RDE engine, this is in the form of detonation. The shock wave develops at a vitessevitesse supersonic, which can be 25% more efficient than a conventional engine. This design saves fuel, opening the porteporte to distant manned missions, such as Mars.
NASA is not alone in working on this concept. In July 2021, thejapanese space agencyjapanese space agency made a first motor test in space. In 2018, Russia announced that it was working on an engine that could generate 2 tons of thrust. NASA’s engine produced over 1,800 pounds of thrust, and the agency is working on a more powerful RDE engine with 4,500 pounds of thrust.
