Low-Cost, Single-Staged Suborbital Rocket

Rocket Propulsion Systems, LLC (RPS) proposes a liquid-fueled single-stage reusable suborbital rocket operating on Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Liquid Methane (LM) / Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) propellants, powered by a novel “Centurion” rocket engine developed in-house.  At full thrust of 3,307 lbf and vacuum Isp of 374 sec, this rocket to reach 100 km (the Karman line) in a matter of 4-5 min. This solution stands apart from other suborbital vehicles relying on toxic storable or solid propellants.  By offering a cost-effective, high-performance alternative, this suborbital rocket will offer a unique value proposition commercially and to the DoD.  Priced competitively at $600K, it represents a significant cost advantage over similar systems, opening avenues for various “edge of orbit” missions without the traditional cost constraints. This suborbital rocket has a number of use cases to the DoD, both offensive and defensive.  On the offensive side, the suborbital rocket can be used as a suborbital platform for drone deployment.  On the defensive side, this rocket can be used as low-cost target to simulate complex enemy missile trajectories as a means to improve our current ballistic missile defense systems.  It can also be a means to rapidly reestablish ad-hoc connectivity over a region where satellite coverage has been disarmed by an adversary, by launching a swarm of suborbital rockets carrying satellites/sensors providing communications and internet from the edge-of-space to the warfighter.  This can not only serve the immediate case of rapid connectivity, but also deter adversaries from targeting US satellites in orbit.  RPS recently won an NSF $200K grant, called the Technology Enhancement for Commercial Partnership (NSF TECP) grant for building the technology demonstration prototype of this small single-staged, liquid fueled, reusable suborbital rocket.  RPS has received a letter of support from The Spaceport Company for using this rocket for their commercial launch operations.  And this AFWERX project will help define end users and customers within DoD for the various use cases described above and their transition to the warfighter.