British Skyrora begins testing 3D-printed rocket engines
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The British company Skyrora has begun testing rocket engines created on a 3D printer. sky news. Testing will be carried out weekly throughout the summer at a test facility in Midlothian, Scotland. It is assumed that the engine will work for 250 seconds – so much time is needed for the rocket to reach orbit.
Skyrora printed the engines on its own Skyprint 2 printer. CEO and founder Vladimir Levykin said the engines bring Skyrora closer to its first commercial launch into orbit. Its expected timeline is not given. If the tests are successful, Skyrora intends to increase production of engines, and then finish testing its three-stage 23-meter Skyrora XL launch vehicle with a payload of up to 315 kg. The second and third stages of the rocket have already been tested, but the first stage, which provides initial thrust to lift the rocket off the ground, needs to be tested with new engines.
Skyrora is a private space company founded by Ukrainian Vladimir Levykin in 2017. Its headquarters is located in Edinburgh and employs 160 people. In 2022, Skyrora submitted an application to the British Civil Aviation Authority for the right to perform orbital launches from the SaxaVord launch site in Shetland.
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