WASHINGTON — Revolutionary Rocket Technologies, often called iRocket, won a U.S. Space Force contract to exhibit a reusable rocket engine for small launch vehicles.
The $1.8 million agreement with the U.S. Space Systems Command is a Tactical Funding Increase, or TACFI, where the federal government and personal investors split the price 50/50.
The Recent York-based startup, founded in 2018, develops rocket engines and plans to construct a small launch vehicle.
The 18-month TACFI contract, announced June 28, was awarded by AFWERX, a U.S. Air Force technology accelerator.
“Under the contract, iRocket will further develop our highly reusable rocket engine,” said Asad Malik, founder and CEO.
As a part of the agreement, the corporate has to perform a full-duration static fire test for 120-180 seconds to exhibit its engine, designed to supply 35,000-pounds of thrust, running on a mix of liquid oxygen (LOX) and methane fuel.
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The TACFI award follows a $1.5 million Small Business Innovation Research Phase 2 contract awarded in 2020.
“iRocket has a proprietary afterburning rocket engine that might be key in constructing a reusable small launch vehicle to lift 300 to 1,500 kilograms to orbit,” in response to AFWERX.
Malik said the corporate designed a 125-feet tall launch vehicle, called Shockwave, projected to launch in about five years.
iRocket in 2022 closed a seed funding round led by Village Global, an early stage enterprise capital firm. Amongst its industrial customers is the space situational awareness startup Turion Space.
The previous commander of U.S. Transportation Command, retired Gen. Stephen Lyons, serves on iRocket’s board of directors.