In a significant step toward closing the hypersonic technology gap with China, Venus Aerospace, a Houston-based startup, has completed the first US flight test of a Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE).
This test marks an important moment in American aerospace, aiming to enable vehicles to travel at four to six times the speed of sound directly from conventional runways.
The RDRE, in development since the 1980s, had never been flown in the United States or, possibly, anywhere globally until now.
Venus’s proprietary RDRE, an affordable and compact propulsion system, delivers exceptional efficiency and thrust, proving its capability under real-world flight conditions.
“This is the moment we’ve been working toward for five years,” said Sassie Duggleby, CEO and Co-founder of Venus Aerospace.
“We’ve proven that this technology works, not just in simulations or the lab, but in the air. With this milestone, we’re one step closer to making high-speed flight accessible, affordable, and sustainable.”
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