Stoke Aerospace has shared stunning new images from a recent flight test of the company’s Hopper reusable rocket prototype. The flight test, called Hopper2, included a demonstration of vertical takeoff and vertical landing, the reusable second stage successfully lifted off about 9 meters from the ground before landing safely on the target 15 seconds later. flight.
The latest images shared by Stoke Aerospace on Under liftoff. The test, conducted on September 17, was intended to demonstrate several of the Hopper’s systems and design elements, including its new hydrogen/oxygen engine, coolant-based heat shield and propulsion system that controls the rocket, throttles the various engines. Although the spacecraft did not directly experience the heat of hypersonic re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere during the test flight, it successfully operated with 100% of the expected heat load in a simulated environment, bringing the company one step closer to development. A fully reusable rocket.
“This test is the final test in our funnel technology demonstration program. We successfully achieved all of our planned objectives,” the company said in a statement announcing the successful test launch. “We have also demonstrated that our new approach to building a stable and rapidly reusable spacecraft is technically sound, and we have achieved data that allows for us to confidently move vehicle design from a technology demonstration to a reliable and reusable space. vehicles”.
Following the successful testing of the second stage, Stoke Aerospace will now turn to the development of a reusable first stage to achieve the company’s goal of building a 100% reusable rocket with a turnaround time of just 24 hours.
