AEROSPIKE ENGINES

At POLARIS, we are developing cutting-edge rocket engines for our spaceplanes – designed for hypersonic and orbital missions. The core of this effort are our innovative linear aerospike engines, that we are fully developing and qualifying in-house. Aerospike rocket engines promise significant efficiency increases compared to conventional rocket engines. Moreover, the LOX/kerosene linear aerospike engines under development at POLARIS enable a very efficient engine/airframe integration for the flat-shaped flying wing configuration of our spaceplanes.

On October 29th, 2024, our latest flight demonstrator MIRA II wrote aerospace history with the first-ever in-flight ignition of a linear aerospike rocket engine. Check here for more information.

For our spaceplanes we plan to use sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) to replace conventional kerosene. SAF emit significantly less CO2 compared to conventional kersoene, and in addition improve rocket engine reusability characteristics.

Parts of our aerospike activities are conducted under Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) study contracts.