Raptor: first full-flow staged-combustion engine to fly
Motor Raptor: primer ciclo de flujo completo en volar
- Date
- 25 de julio de 2019 · confidence high
- Place
- SpaceX Starbase, Boca Chica, Texas, United States
- Credited to
- SpaceX
- Field
- Movement
What it is
A methane and oxygen engine that burns all the fuel and oxidiser after passing them through two preburners, one fuel-rich and one oxidiser-rich. It first flew on Starhopper in 2019 and powers Starship.
The full-flow cycle had been tested on the ground before: the Soviet RD-270 (1960s, never flown) and Aerojet's IPD engine (2000-2005). The Raptor is the first to fly.
What it led to
- fully reusable methane launchers
- high thrust and record chamber pressure
- methane engines of other companies (Vulcan, Zhuque-2)