3D-printed rocket engine generates 10 tons of thrust

The E-2, a 3D-printed rocket engine developed by the US private space company Launcher, has passed its first maximum thrust test.

The private space company Launcher is working on building a Launcher Light rocket, aiming to put satellites into orbit with low cost and fast turnaround time. Launcher Light has a capacity of 150 kg and is equipped with a 3D printed E-2 engine.

On April 21, Launcher tested the engine's maximum thrust for the first time at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. This is one of the first major milestones for the company in its quest to put rockets into orbit and joins the list of privately held rocket companies.

The E-2 engine compartment is completely 3D printed in copper alloy.

The E-2 engine uses a mixture of LOX and Kerosene oil, producing about 10 tons of thrust with a combustion pressure of 100 bar. The engine ran four times, each lasting 10 seconds, and then remained in "perfect condition," Launcher said.

Unlike traditional rocket engines, the E-2 engine compartment is 3D printed entirely of copper alloy. Launcher uses AMCM M4K printer to make rocket parts. Launcher Light is currently non-reusable, but Launcher hopes to create a 9-engine version with a reusable first stage in the future.

3D printing technology is expected to play a big role in space. Companies like SpaceX, Relativity Space and Rocket Lab have demonstrated that rocket parts can be fully 3D printed, and the technology could even be used extraterrestrial to build launch pads or other structures. Last year, Relativity Space released its first fully reusable 3D-printed rocket, although it has yet to reach the launch pad.

SpaceX was the first company to launch fully functional reusable rockets, although its Falcon 9 rocket was only partially reused. The first stage of the rocket returned to Earth and landed vertically while the second stage decayed as it re-entered the atmosphere. SpaceX hopes to launch Starship, its fully reusable spacecraft, as early as May. A further goal is to launch Starship to the Moon and Mars.