Venus Aerospace has marked a pivotal breakthrough in American aerospace technology with the first-ever flight of a domestically developed rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE), a propulsion system designed to revolutionize high-speed flight. This milestone ushers in a new era for vehicles capable of traveling four to six times the speed of sound from a conventional runway.
Although theorized since the 1980s, a high-thrust RDRE suitable for practical use had never before flown in the United States—or possibly anywhere worldwide. The successful demonstration, conducted at Spaceport America in New Mexico, validated the performance and reliability of Venus’s proprietary RDRE under real flight conditions. This engine offers a compact, affordable, and highly efficient propulsion solution that promises significant advantages over traditional rocket engines.
Venus’s RDRE is engineered to pair with the company’s exclusive VDR2 air-breathing detonation ramjet, enabling aircraft to launch from runways and accelerate beyond Mach 6, sustaining hypersonic speeds without the need for rocket boosters. This technology is scalable for both defense and commercial applications, including ambitious projects like the Stargazer M4, a reusable Mach 4 passenger aircraft designed to cut intercontinental travel times drastically—imagine flying from Los Angeles to Tokyo in under two hours.
Scott McLaughlin, Executive Director of Spaceport America, lauded the achievement: “Getting a rotating detonation rocket engine to the launch pad is an achievement few thought possible in such a short time. Venus Aerospace’s innovation is redefining what’s possible in spaceflight.”
Venus CEO Sassie Duggleby reflected on the company’s journey: “We’ve proven this technology works—not just in simulations or labs, but in the air. We’re now closer than ever to making high-speed flight accessible, affordable, and sustainable.”
Co-founder and CTO Andrew Duggleby emphasized the engine’s reliability and efficiency: “Rotating detonation has long promised performance gains. Venus’ RDRE solved the critical hurdles to harnessing pressure gain combustion, creating an engine that runs reliably and efficiently. This scalable foundation, combined with the ramjet, completes a system capable of takeoff to sustained hypersonic flight.”
This milestone signals a transformative leap forward in aerospace propulsion, paving the way for a future of faster, more efficient air travel and hypersonic vehicles developed and flown on American soil.