Private space firm Launcher has shown the full thrust of its 3D-printed E-2 engine for the first time.
Launcher is working on building its Launcher Light rocket, which will fly at a low cost to orbit and will allow for a quick turnaround of satellite missions, with payloads weighing up to 150 kg.
The vehicle is still being developed. It will use 3D-printed E-2 engines.
The thrust test was held at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.
The E-2 engine demonstrated approximately 22,046 pounds of thrust (about 10 metric tons) using a mixture of LOX and Kerosene at 100 bars of combustion pressure. The engine ran for four 10-second stretches and was still in “perfect condition” afterward.
Launcher is using an AMCM M4K printer to build its parts.
The company aims to build a reusable nine-engine version in the future with a reusable first stage.
Space companies like SpaceX, Relativity Space, and Rocket Lab are using 3D technology to print rocket parts already. Last year, Relativity Space announced the first fully reusable, fully 3D-printed rocket, though that launch vehicle is yet to hit the launchpad.
