The team continues to rack up test time as another E-2 Block 1 mission duty cycle, featuring continuous rapid gimbaling, is now in the books.  As the E-2 program approaches 10,000 seconds of cumulative run time, testing continues to characterize engine life and further improve reliability. Up next the team plans to increase gimbal rates, conduct frequency sweeps, and test an alternative fuel aimed at increasing performance while reducing cost.

Another E-2 Block 1 mission duty cycle is in the books as the team continues increasing thrust vector control rates, gimbal range, and cycle count. This Block 1 engine has now surpassed 2X its rated service life. Testing will continue to further characterize engine life and thrust vector control performance as the team prepares for engine qualification.

Turn and Burn 💎💎 E-2 Block 1 has successfully completed a 222-second gimbaled endurance demonstration test at nominal operating conditions. Testing will continue beyond this engine's rated service life, with progressively higher gimbal rates and larger gimbal angles to further validate durability and performance. Propellants: LOX/Kerosene Thrust: 23k lbf (10.4 tf) Isp Sea Level: 290 s Isp Vacuum: 327 s Isp Vac Version: 365 s Cycle: Ox-Rich Staged Combustion

E-2 Block 1 has successfully completed a 200-second mission duty cycle test at nominal operating conditions. This design upgrade reduces mass, simplifies manufacturing, consolidates vehicle interfaces, and incorporates thrust vector control.  The next phase of testing will include gimballed engine test fires, followed by engine qualification. E-2 is the highest performance LOX/kerosene engine in the small launch class. Propellants: LOX/Kerosene Thrust: 23k lbf (10.4 tf) Isp Sea Level: 290 s Isp Vacuum: 327 s Isp Vac Version: 365 s Cycle: Ox-Rich Staged Combustion

E-2 Thrust Vector Control testing is underway! This test includes frequency sweeps starting at a maximum gimbal angle of ±7 degrees, using hardware from a previous engine revision. After completing additional testing on the component stand, the actuator will be deployed to the test site for its first gimballed test fire.

The first E-2 Block 1 engine integration is complete, and our team is now preparing for test fire. This design upgrade reduces mass, simplifies manufacturing, consolidates vehicle interfaces, and incorporates thrust vector control.  More updates to come as we progress through the test campaign! Propellants: LOX/Kerosene Thrust: 23k lbf (10.4 tf) Isp Sea Level: 290 s Isp Vacuum: 327 s Isp Vac Version: 365 s Cycle: Ox-Rich Staged Combustion

At the conclusion of our longest test campaign, totaling 2033 seconds of run time, E-2 demonstrated a rapid relight test fire. This test consisted of a 212-second burn with a nominal shutdown, followed by an 8-second pause and a successful engine relight. This sequence simulates a first stage flight profile followed by the brief coast period that would occur between main engine cutoff and the burn required to return the stage for landing. This milestone represents a key step toward demonstrating rapid reusability, marking a fitting conclusion to a remarkable test campaign.  E-2 was designed for rapid reuse, which is an essential capability for the future of spaceflight.  We will continue advancing and validating this capability in future testing.

Rocket engine hardware is continuously produced from powder in our factory. We leverage 3D-printing to manufacture our single-part, LOX-cooled E-2 combustion chamber, reducing cost and part count while enabling rapid design iteration. The upgraded chamber design shown supports a lighter, simpler engine with thrust vector control. E-2 rocket engines are made in America 🇺🇸 Propellants: LOX/Kerosene Thrust: 22k lbf (10 tf) Isp Sea Level: 290 s Isp Vacuum: 327 s Isp Vac Version: 365 s Cycle: Ox-Rich Staged Combustion

🚨 New max thrust record for E-2! 🚨 Last week, we boosted E-2 thrust by 23% to 27,000 lbf for multiple one-minute duration test fires. We’re pushing the limits to better understand the operating envelope in which E-2 can perform reliably. In parallel, our team is rolling out an upgraded design that is lighter, simpler, and incorporates thrust vector control.