Canadian rocket maker Reaction Dynamics will test its hybrid rocket propulsion technology in South Australia next year after signing a contract with launchpad operator Southern Launch.
Reaction Dynamics will conduct the maiden test flight of its RE-102 hybrid rocket engine and two-stage Aurora vehicle from the Koonibba Test Range located on the Eyre Peninsula.
The suborbital mission will be one of the first demonstrations of a hybrid rocket engine in space, allowing the Montreal-based company to gather critical performance data for use in future orbital missions.
Southern Launch chief executive Lloyd Damp announced the maiden test flight on Tuesday, which he said would “result in technological breakthroughs that will propel the entire space industry forward”.
Aurora is designed to reach an altitude of 125 km above Earth. It uses a solid, non-toxic fuel propulsion system with regeneratively-cooled thrust chamber assemblies, allowing the vehicle to be launched at a lower cost than rockets with conventional boosters.
Reaction Dynamics chief executive Bachar Elzein said the RE-102 will be the “most efficient hybrid rocket engine in the world, with extensive test showing that it is able to “maintain performance during prolonged burn periods”.
“We are eager to put this technology to the test in the vacuum of space during our upcoming suborbital mission from the Koonibba Test Range,” Mr Elzein said in a statement.
The 7.3-metre Aurora suborbital rocket will launch from the mid-range launch rail at the Koonibba Test Range that was also used to launch a single-stage rocket from German manufacturer HyImpulse in May.
The mid-range launch rail, developed by South Australian steel company Ferretti International and hydraulic engineering firm Hydroil, and the Koonibba Test Range will be inspected by Reaction Dynamics later this year.
“Having our mid-range launch rail installed and ready to go at the Koonibba Test Range means we can maintain a level of flexibility in our mission timeframes to meet our customer’s requirements,” Mr Damp added.
Southern Launch last month also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hypersonix Launch Systems to launch and return hypersonic vehicles from its spaceports next year.
Southern Launch is awaiting the outcome of an environmental assessment of the Whalers Way site, which is located near threatened endangered species like the southern emu wren and southern right whale.
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