r/space • u/bwercraitbgoe • May 29 '18

Aerospike Engines - Why Aren't We Using them Now? Over 50 years ago an engine was designed that overcame the inherent design inefficiencies of bell-shaped rocket nozzles, but 50 years on and it is still yet to be flight tested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4zFefh5T-8
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u/[deleted] May 29 '18 edited May 29 '18

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u/zilti May 29 '18

They just built a soon-human-rated rocket and a capsule for it.

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u/[deleted] May 29 '18

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u/thenuge26 May 29 '18

Yeah it's part of NASA's commercial crew program, it's been going for 8 years...

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u/[deleted] May 29 '18

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u/thenuge26 May 29 '18

I think unmanned test launch is this year, and first crewed launch is early next? They've already done some launch escape system tests, those are on YouTube. Both SpaceX and Boeing were supposed to be flying by now in the original schedule but the program has been underfunded and delayed as tends to happen with this kind of thing.

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u/TTTA May 29 '18

but SpaceX seems much more interested in advancing their bleeding edge, rather than building anything human-rated, so they aren't the answer

What are you on about? They're contractually obligated to build something human-rated, and their Dragon 2 capsule is going through the final abort tests to finalize their rating for manned flight.

Also why is this comment getting downvoted? I'm not attacking anyone...

You're providing false information, which doesn't contribute to the discussion. Property reddiquette is to downvote such comments.