NASA’s 3D-printed Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine Test a Success

NASA ^ | DEC 20, 2023 | Beth Ridgeway

[Red Badger]

NASA Rocket Surgery Ping!...............

[Steely Tom]

So what's its I_SP ?

[sit-rep]

question for the all knowing out there...

in atmosphere the speed is determined by the power of thrust against basicly air resistance. in space there is no resistance. so is it safe to assume that as long as the rocket is thrusting, the craft will continue to gain speed? and if so, to what end? i cant imagine if there was enough fuel for lengthy burn for the craft to reach light speed... ...or could it??

[Red Badger]

Once it gets moving in space it will not stop unless acted upon by an outside force, like Gravity...............

[sit-rep]

that much I knew! :P

[G Larry]

Read the story, watched the video, still no explanation of WHAT Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) is.....?

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

in atmosphere the speed is determined by the power of thrust against basicly air resistance. in space there is no resistance. so is it safe to assume that as long as the rocket is thrusting, the craft will continue to gain speed? and if so, to what end? i cant imagine if there was enough fuel for lengthy burn for the craft to reach light speed... ...or could it??

No.

The speed with which the burned fuel is ejected is finite, so the spacecraft cannot go faster than the exhaust.

[sit-rep]

im just asking... that makes sense in atmosphere, but in space how does a total vacuum determine/receive exhaust pressure/speed?? how does a total vacuum determine if that craft is doing 3 mph or 30,000 mph??

[sauropod]

for Rhyan

[BereanBrain]

for those asking, you are not just (IGNITING) fuel with a RDE. You are DETONATING fuel. Thus a detonation engine can produce more thrust (and at a higher speed) than just plain IGNITION.

There is a reason when launching rockets the say 3.2.1 IGNITION.

One day, we will say 3.2.1.DETONATION.

Sounds dangerous, no?

All this is Physics 101, sorry guys, but it’s elementary science

[PIF]

i cant imagine if there was enough fuel for lengthy burn for the craft to reach light speed... ...or could it??
—

The faster an object goes, the more fuel it needs to go faster, the more fuel it needs to go faster the more massive the object, the more massive the object the more fuel ... etc.

[Delta 21]

Is this a spike rocket engine? They keep changing the name.

[doorgunner69]

So this is a mini-Orion pulse detonation type engine.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

im just asking... that makes sense in atmosphere, but in space how does a total vacuum determine/receive exhaust pressure/speed?? how does a total vacuum determine if that craft is doing 3 mph or 30,000 mph??

Newton's Second Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Blow exhaust out a rocket nozzle at 30,000 MPH (theoretical) and the spacecraft will be propelled to 30,000 MPH, but no more than that.

The only way a spacecraft can go faster is by using the gravity of a planet to slingshot it to higher velocities, which is what NASA uses for exploration of the outer solar system.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Oops. That’s Newton’s Third Law, not his Second.

[BereanBrain]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotating_detonation_engine

it’s about 25% more efficient than just igniting the fuel.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Is this a spike rocket engine? They keep changing the name.

It uses an aerospike nozzle, but ignition is completely different.

Here's a good YouTube video that explains how it works.

See: How NASA Reinvented the Rocket Engine

[doorgunner69]

I bet it vibrates like heck. Loud, but in space.....

[sit-rep]

btt!!