SpaceDev Gets Hybrid Contract:

Nov. 21, 2005

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org

The Air Force has given a $2.7 million award to SpaceDev—the outfit that provided the rocket motor for SpaceShipOne—to develop a large hybrid rocket motor that can produce about 100,000 pounds of thrust. A prototype motor is to be test fired next year. Oh, the 100K thrust is about nine times the capability of the SpaceShipOne motor.

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org

Trending Stories

New STRATCOM Boss Stresses Deterrence in ‘Tech-Saturated’ World

Air Force to Unveil Training, Grooming, and Fitness Changes Next Year

Golden Dome Details Begin to Emerge

SDA Back on Track to Award Satellite Contracts After Funds Went to Troop Shutdown Pay

Related

Golden Dome Details Begin to Emerge

Dec. 7, 2025
The Golden Dome air and missile defense shield to protect the United States will have some “operational capability” in 2028, the program’s leader said Dec. 6 at the Reagan National Defense Forum.

Northrop Shows Off New Project Talon Collaborative Combat Aircraft

Dec. 4, 2025
There is a new entrant in the highly competitive field of collaborative combat aircraft—semi-autonomous drones meant to fly alongside manned combat aircraft. Northrop Grumman unveiled its new Project Talon aircraft to a small group of reporters at the facilities of its subsidiary Scaled Composites.

What the Air Force Must Do to Prepare for the Next War

Dec. 4, 2025
The United States Air Force is flying less than historic norms and funding for acquisition and readiness is on a path to further hollow out this too small and old force to that is incapable of sustaining an enduring combat air campaign.