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submitted 2 years ago by Hypx@kbin.social to c/technology@lemmy.world

After setting foot on the Moon, the next destination for humankind is Mars, which presents a whole new set of challenges in speedy, long-distance space travel.

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[-] anonionfinelyminced@kbin.social 168 points 2 years ago

It's a Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine"

What makes the RDRE so revolutionary is that it makes use of a sustained detonation circling around a ring-shaped channel, fed by a mix of fuel and oxygen which is ignited by each passing explosion.
Crucially, the RDRE uses less propellant fuel than conventional rocket engines, and is simpler in terms of its machinery and mechanisms. That means going into space becomes cheaper, and traveling further distances becomes possible.

Saved you a click.

[-] ramjambamalam@lemmy.ca 37 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

NASA invented a space ship powered by a rotary engine? Noice, at least until the apex seals give out, but they should be good for 80k at least.

[-] RangerAndTheCat@lemmy.world 24 points 2 years ago

Wankel and Mazda shine blessings upon you and your RX family

[-] Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

The wankel and rdre aren't really related, but they're similar in that they're both oddball engines with surprising performance.

Of all of my near future rocket engine predictions, a working aerospike rdre was not on my list... I'm honestly very impressed!

[-] Agent641@lemmy.world 24 points 2 years ago

Thank you I was running low on clicks.

[-] prole@sh.itjust.works 16 points 2 years ago

That sounds sick. I wonder which sci-fi author came up with this idea ~60 years ago.

[-] c0mbatbag3l@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago
[-] ikidd@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

I'd put money on Robert Forward.

[-] T156@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

Maybe the Jetsons, or the turbine engines in Star Wars? If you squint hard enough, it comes close enough.

[-] Donebrach@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago

So it’s truthfully Revolutionary, hark! A spinning engine

[-] LazaroFilm@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago

So they invented the rocket powered wheel?

[-] firecat@kbin.social 1 points 2 years ago

No, it’s just gas powered car that still needs tanks and has everyone knows a around trip back to anywhere requires gas. The “ECO” of space travel.

[-] snugglesthefalse@sh.itjust.works 15 points 2 years ago

And how else are you going to move things in space? Are you hiding a reactionless drive over there? Less fuel use is a good thing.

[-] firecat@kbin.social 2 points 2 years ago

We don’t have unlimited fuel, rockets cost too much fuel. It’s not even normal fuel either, it’s rare chemistry rocket technology that takes a while to develop.

[-] snugglesthefalse@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 years ago

Alright so nobody's going to stop launching rockets realistically, there's too much potential in space to just ignore, rdre are a way to do the same with less.

[-] Morphit@feddit.uk 26 points 2 years ago

Revolutionary

I see what they did there.

[-] Nighed@sffa.community 23 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

This is a fancy aerospike engine right? The rotating detinations gives it higher chamber pressure and therefore better ISP or something?

I will look for the Scott Manley video on this later (I think it was him?) Edit: also a Real Engineering one that explains the aero-spike nozzle

Anyone have the ISP of this experiment to compare to other engines?

[-] SkybreakerEngineer@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

You know what gets even better ISP? NERVA

[-] Ghyste@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 years ago

Should be the rotating detonation engine.

[-] Nighed@sffa.community 4 points 2 years ago

Real engineering also did one (actually better than Scott's I think)

[-] PipedLinkBot@feddit.rocks 2 points 2 years ago

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[-] Nighed@sffa.community 3 points 2 years ago
[-] PipedLinkBot@feddit.rocks 2 points 2 years ago

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[-] Ejh3k@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

I remember first hearing about the development of this back in the early 90s on Beyond 2000.

this post was submitted on 04 Jan 2024
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