A German company has successfully accomplished the “lift-off” of a commercially feasible launch vehicle for the first time. HyImpulse, a German manufacturer and system provider of commercial launch vehicles for satellite transport, successfully conducted a test launch of the 12-meter-long, 2.5-ton single-stage rocket “SR75” at the Australian launch site in Koonibba. The rocket can carry small satellites weighing up to 250 kg to an altitude of about 250 km. The launch vehicle blasted off successfully at 14:40 PM ACST, or 7:10 AM CET, and its hybrid rocket propulsion system performed as intended. The SR75 will be retrieved for additional inspection and data analysis following the successful lift-off.
HyImpulse presents a novel approach to propulsion with its rockets, which run on liquid oxygen and solid paraffin, also referred to as candle wax. Paraffin is an inexpensive and intrinsically safe fuel that can replace traditional liquid or solid fuels without the fear of blowing up. When compared to conventional propulsion systems, the cost of building launch vehicles is remarkably reduced by 40% thanks to this inventive design. This results in an amazing 50% reduction in satellite transportation costs, proving HyImpulse’s dedication to providing reasonably priced access to space.
Co-founder and co-CEO of HyImpulse Dr. Mario Kobald said: “It’s quite an accomplishment to get a commercial launch vehicle with brand-new propulsion technology ready for lift-off and launch with such a productive team and a little budget. By doing this, we are extending Europe’s access to space and demonstrating Germany’s might as a spacefaring nation. By the end of the next year, we already have plans to launch a larger, multi-stage transport launch vehicle that will be able to place satellites into low Earth orbit weighing up to 600 kilograms.”
HyImpulse co-founder and co-CEO Dr. Christian Schmierer: “We have proven our market readiness and validated our technical concept with this successful launch, which also gives us valuable data for further development.” Our usage approach is intended to launch small satellites into orbit at a reasonable cost. This makes it possible to carry out independently funded research, navigation, telecommunications, and other projects, as well as environmental and climate studies. In Europe, there is a significant need for commercial launch vehicles to carry satellites. And thus, our order book, which has a volume far over 100 million euros, is already large and keeps growing every month.”
The first liftoff of the SL1 multi-stage orbital launch vehicle is slated for the end of 2025. It has a height of 32 meters and a weight of 50 tons. The payload can ascend to a height of more than 500 km, or low Earth orbits, depending on its weight. It is intended to be an affordable means of launching small satellites into low-Earth orbit, where it can transport payloads up to 600 kg.
