LEAP 71 announced what is likely their biggest deal ever: making rocket engines for Aspire Space.
Aspire Space is a Dubai-based startup that intends on building a new, highly efficient, and reusable launch system for not only cargo but also for human transport to and from space.
The company said they intend on building a “next-generation reusable spaceship, first outside the US” that can transport up to 2 t to the space station. Interestingly, their rocket engines will use the unusual methane/oxygen combustion approach that is used on SpaceX’s Starship system.
Where does LEAP 71 come into this project? They are to use their advanced Noyron computational engineering model to rapidly design a 3D printable rocket engine for the Aspire Space system.
Computational engineering is a new concept, explained in a lengthy series of posts by LEAP 71 Co-founder Lin Kayser. Essentially, it is a way to create a 3D model “generator” for a specific type of system, like a rocket engine. Other applications are certainly possible, but here there will be methalox engines designed automatically.
What’s interesting is that the proposed rocket engine, based on Aspire’s XRB-2E6 reference design, will be able to produce a whopping 2000kN of thrust. For comparison, SpaceX’s Merlin, used on their Falcon 9 systems, produces only 845kN. This means the target engine will be quite powerful.
For LEAP 71, the arrangement is a confirmation of their software’s ability to produce usable designs. Aspire would not have made the deal otherwise.
I’m interested to see if this partnership will lead to others for LEAP 71, as their Noyron system can generate models for other industries.
Via LEAP 71 and Aspire Space
