Will Power The First Stage Of The Company's Launcher One System

Virgin Galactic has conducted a 90 second hotfire test of the NewtonThree rocket engine that will power the LauncherOne satellite delivery system recently announced by the company.

A video posted on YouTube shows the test fire from start to finish. 

According to Virgin Galactic, LauncherOne’s orbital flights will be achieved using two rocket engines: the single 73,500 lbf thrust ‘NewtonThree’ main stage engine, and a single 5,000 lbf thrust ‘NewtonFour’ upper stage engine. Both the NewtonThree and the NewtonFour are highly reliable, pump-fed LOX/RP-1 liquid rocket engines designed, tested, and built by Virgin Galactic.

Both the NewtonThree and the NewtonFour engines are fed by turbopump assemblies designed in partnership with Barber Nichols Inc., a veteran designer and manufacturer that has previously made turbopumps for NASA, the U.S. military, and private industry.

Development on the engine is expected to continue over the coming months including testing of the full flight configuration.

(Image from Virgin Galactic YouTube video)

FMI: www.virgingalactic.com