Houston-based startup Venus Aerospace successfully completed the first test flight of a rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) in the United States on May 14, 2025, at Spaceport America in New Mexico. This achievement marks a significant advancement toward accessible and sustainable high-speed flight.
The test flight validated the design of Venus's RDRE, keeping the company on track for runway-based high-speed flight. The Venus RDRE features a compact, high-efficiency design intended to power aircraft up to Mach 6 from conventional runways. CEO Sassie Duggleby stated that this test proves the technology works in real-world conditions, not just in simulations.
RDREs offer greater thrust in smaller packages compared to traditional rocket engines. The engine utilizes a continuous detonation wave within a ring-shaped chamber, producing higher pressure and efficiency, resulting in increased thrust with less fuel. Venus is planning a full-scale propulsion test of their integrated system to qualify the design of its future Stargazer M4, a reusable passenger aircraft capable of reaching Mach 4.
This successful test has long-term implications for the aerospace industry, potentially leading to vehicles traveling at hypersonic speeds directly from a runway, revolutionizing air travel and space access. The RDRE is designed to work with Venus's VDR2 air-breathing detonation ramjet, enabling sustained hypersonic flight without a booster.