built rocket engine fires 20,000 rotating blasts per second
Interesting Engineering • • science
Key Points:
- Swiss students at ETH Zurich's ARIS initiative successfully tested a rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) that produces 20,000 detonation waves per second, a propulsion technology also explored by NASA and Japanese researchers.
- The RDRE, powered by propane and liquid oxygen, operates via continuous rotating explosions in a circular chamber, enabling higher fuel efficiency and potentially reducing launch costs while increasing payload capacity.
- The test, conducted at Dübendorf Air Base in April 2026, marked a stable firing after earlier setbacks and placed the student team among a select global group to demonstrate liquid-fueled rotating detonation engines.
- Key challenges included designing a precise fuel injector to mix propane and liquid oxygen rapidly and withstand extreme pressures, with several engine parts produced using metal 3D printing.
- The project showcased the importance of teamwork and iterative problem-solving, with students emphasizing step-by-step development and collaboration despite limited experience.