If you follow aerospace and defense markets, then you have heard the word “hypersonic” with increasing frequency in the last few years. Hypersonic has been variously defined, but the definition most followed, and the one we’ll use here, is an object that travels through the atmosphere at Mach 5 or faster.
Venus Aerospace is working to build reusable hypersonic systems that unlock 1-hour global transport. As we looked deeper into Venus, we found an exceptionally strong team, led by Sarah “Sassie” Duggleby (CEO) and Andrew Duggleby (CTO), now building a suite of unique capabilities to navigate existing challenges of reusable hypersonic systems. One such capability is the rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) – an engine with a much higher efficiency and a more compact profile over standard rocket engines. To understand the benefits of RDREs, it is helpful to differentiate between deflagration and detonation reactions. Deflagration is when the engine reaction’s flame front propagates subsonically, which allows the fuel to expand and leads to a pressure loss at combustion. A detonation reaction occurs faster than the speed of sound, creating a compressive shockwave and subsequent pressure gains in the process. This pressure gain combustion allows a theoretical 25% efficiency gain in RDREs as it generates more thrust for a given mass of fuel. RDREs can also operate in both air-breathing and non-air-breathing modes, which allows for unique flight envelopes. RDREs typically use non-storable, cryogenic fuels, but in October 2022, Venus became the first company in the world to operate an RDRE with room temperature storable liquid fuels. The potential fuel savings from increased efficiency has significant implications across all use cases, and the room temperature fuels enable faster turn-around time for Venus’s reusable systems. Possible RDREs applications extend beyond hypersonics and into space - particularly lunar landers and deep space missions. The cost to reach low Earth orbit has decreased significantly in the last 8 years; however, deep space missions and reaching the lunar surface remain prohibitively expensive, with some charging $1.2 million per kilogram to land on the moon. An RDRE could use much less propellant due to both its increased efficiency as well as utilizing room temperature storable propellant that will experience less fuel boil-off in transit. There are many other exciting elements of RDREs, but this is only one element of Venus Aerospace’s unique approach. Venus is also designing several vehicles and supporting technologies combining high efficiency, a wider range of fuels, and light, compact form factors that will enable them to reach their ultimate goal of 1-hour global transport. Increased fuel efficiency, faster turn-around times, and rapid point-to-point delivery can lead to more responsible, robust, and responsive supply chains. Airbus Ventures is excited to support the Venus Aerospace team in their next phase of flight-redefining growth. By Thomas d'Halluin and Taylor Sargent