Astrobotic

We fired a really cool rocket engine - and broke some records while we were at it. 🔥This Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine produced more than 4,000 pounds of thrust, and included a 300-second continuous burn, which is believed to have set the record for longest duration hot firing of an RDRE engine to date. Watch it fire: youtu.be/DjnC8KvakKk

Four NASA payloads to fly on Astrolab’s first lunar rover spacenews.com/four-nasa-payl…

Aboard our Griffin-1 lander heading to the Moon late 2026, @Astrolab_Space's FLIP has a suite of payloads heading to the lunar surface! 🌙🧪 Check them out: astrolab.space/2026/05/18/ast…

Our team first sketched the idea for our FLIP rover on the flight back from meeting with @astrobotic in late 2024. In that meeting we agreed to launching a rover to the Moon aboard their Griffin Mission One (Griffin-1). Since then, we’ve pretty much stuck to the plan first inked on that whiteboard and have turned dry erase marker into space-ready hardware.

@BartoszEvin @GaryleeGray The solar arrays are also engineered to perform efficiently while using the lightest materials possible. In space missions, every ounce matters when it comes to overall performance and cost 🚀

@GaryleeGray @astrobotic As far as I know they use much more expensive and more efficient element plus all around it to be more durable for such purpose. Nobody would buy for a backyard installation.

Three solar panels in, and the results are looking powerful⚡️(humans for scale). Griffin-1 is marching towards its departure for environmental testing, a critical phase that proves it’s ready to withstand the harsh conditions of launch and space.

@BartoszEvin 🍌don't tempt me with a good time

@astrobotic I’d like to see a banana for scale heh.

.@astrobotic Technology reportedly broke a hotfire record on a more efficient rocket engine designed for cislunar and logistics missions. payloadspace.com/astrobotic-hot…

@sarg314 LOX/methane 🚀

@astrobotic What fuel and oxidizer does it use?

We fired a really cool rocket engine - and broke some records while we were at it. 🔥This Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine produced more than 4,000 pounds of thrust, and included a 300-second continuous burn, which is believed to have set the record for longest duration hot firing of an RDRE engine to date. Watch it fire: youtu.be/DjnC8KvakKk

@orstraya for science! 🤓

@astrobotic I think we need to start rating rocket motors in how many marshmallows they can toast per second.

@GaryleeGray @SciGuySpace our eyes are set on our Xodiac and Xogdor rockets - plus, in the future, our lunar landers! We've got the imagination churning 😉

@astrobotic @SciGuySpace That’s really cool! Are y’all looking to develop these into a main stage engine or something else?

RDRE's use continuous detonation waves instead of steady combustion to extract more energy from the propellant & potentially reduce fuel consumption for the same thrust. This would help lower weight and improve performance. In aerospace, every ounce counts! More ounces available = send more science!

@astrobotic @SciGuySpace What are the benefits of a rotating detonation engine over a more standard (albeit advanced) engine like the Raptor?

@caldodge @cosmicjake37 that's the one!

@cosmicjake37 @astrobotic My wild guess - they're using a new high-temperature alloy developed by NASA. ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/…

@TheBrainofChan it sounds kinda like CCCHHCHHHSSSHSSHSHSHSHHHSh

@astrobotic So cool- Would love to hear the audio of just the engine!

@slvulture @mcrs987 why did you post this picture of a pole

@mcrs987 @astrobotic

@Robotbeat @mcrs987 ⬆️ but we do not know what logo you are referring to

@mcrs987 @astrobotic There are rules about using NASA logos.

@waynenilsen It was a pressure-fed test for these TCAs. The standalone system will be pump-fed!

@astrobotic pressure fed test?

@milspecshitpost Proper regen, cooled by propellants!

@astrobotic Water cooled jacket or proper regen?

@RealLuigiDavid You've got it! We're aiming to integrate RDRE's with our other systems - like the Xodiac and Xogdor rockets, and our lunar landers

@astrobotic Holy shit I had no clue yall were dabbling with detonation. For the lunar lander, I’m gonna assume you can delete some mass/have more clearance b/t the nozzle and the ground due to a reduced L* and perhaps a lighter prop system? That’d be interesting

@RealOtisCrune nice try! that's secret sauce 🕵️

@astrobotic How stiff is the injector?

@SpaceByStorm we're nerding out over here! 🤓

@astrobotic Love the Mach Diamonds! RDRE is such a cool engine design! 😎🔥🔥🔥