On 11 and 12 December 2018, NLR hosted the Final Review of the SMILE project in Amsterdam. The results of the project were to European Commission representatives and the project partners. The project was performed in good cooperation and good spirit within the consortium, and with good guidance from the […]

SMILE Final Review

In hot firing tests in September 2018, a research team led by DLR subjected a reusable rocket engine to an initial test run. It successfully completed a total of 18 tests at the high-pressure test bench of Spanish project partner PLD Space, with a firing time of up to 45 […]

DLR and PLD successfully completed hot firing tests

On Thursday 27 September Nammo successfully completed the first launch of Nucleus, a sounding rocket powered by its new hybrid rocket motor. Nucleus launched at 14:16: local time from Andøya Space Center in Northern Norway, and reached an altitude of 107.4 km. That made it not only the first rocket […]

Successful first launch of hybrid engine by Nammo

On July 5, 2018, Nammo conducted a final, successful ground test of the Nucleus rocket flight propulsion system, at the Nammo Raufoss Test Center. The groundbreaking hybrid rocket technology is now ready to power the first launch of a Norwegian-built space rocket in September 2018. All the components of the […]

Successful final engine test by Nammo

The beginning of June, a so-called ‘avionics box’ developed by the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) for the Stratos III rocket was successfully subjected to an important vibration test. The NLR researchers applied forces that correspond to those occurring during the actual launch. The nose cone, the on-board computer and the […]

Sensitive NLR-developed electronics for Stratos III rocket survives vibration

Nammo is close to completing a rocket engine that will make green space propulsion a reality. Nammo’s hybrid rocket works by having the oxidizer separate from the solid fuel, and it is able to regulate its power by simply regulating the flow of the oxidizer. If necessary, it can even […]

Hybrid engine test by Nammo

DLR’s Institute of Structures and Design is responsible for developing a reusable liquid rocket engine. The design is thereby based on ceramic engine components which are specifically qualified due to their high thermal shock resistance and high-temperature applicability.  Thus, innovative design methods become possible allowing such systems to be reused. […]

Reusable liquid rocket engine test by DLR

Prime Minister Mark Rutte
On October the 5th 2016 the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte was invited by NLR. The Prime Minister was informed on the current status of the SMILE Project. Mister Arnoud van Kleef gave an overview on the current design of the new innovative launcher for Europe.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte visits the SMILE Project

Small satellites launcher targets independent access to space for Europe The Hague, 31 May 2016 – The ‘Small Innovative Launcher for Europe’ (SMILE), a European Union Horizon 2020 project, was officially launched by Mrs Cora van Nieuwenhuizen, Member of European Parliament and co-rapporteur Space, and Mr Collin Beers, division manager of Aerospace Vehicles of NLR-Netherlands Aerospace Centre, at […]

Start of design for concept SMall Innovative Launcher for Europe ...