Stoke Space executed a successful hotfire test of its first-stage rocket engine on a newly constructed vertical test stand at its Moses Lake, Wash., facility this Thursday, marking a pivotal moment for the 4-year-old venture.
The company shared striking images of the test’s execution, announcing on X that it was an “incredible team effort.”
Based in Kent, Wash., Stoke Space is striving to create a new class of fully reusable rockets and space vehicles designed to function with “aircraft-like frequency.”
Founded in 2019 by CEO Andy Lapsa, a former Blue Origin space venture engineer, and Tom Feldman, who joined Blue Origin after an internship at SpaceX, Stoke Space is on a mission to innovate.
This test was noteworthy for several reasons. It marked the initial hotfire of the company’s Block 2 (flight configuration) stage 1 engine, utilizing an advanced engine architecture known as full-flow staged combustion (FFSC). Notably, only Stoke and SpaceX have successfully created FFSC engines worldwide.
“It’s significant to be able to test this full-flow staged combustion engine in its flight (vertical) orientation,” Feldman, Stoke’s CTO, expressed in a statement to GeekWire. “This test embodies the impressive efforts of Stoke’s varied teams, paving the way for future insights.”
Stoke’s stage 1 engine, which is powered by liquified natural gas and liquid oxygen, can generate 100,000 pounds of thrust. However, the test’s duration remains undisclosed.
This test marked the debut of Stoke’s new vertical test stand in Moses Lake. Their approach to testing insists on mirroring flight conditions, advocating vertical testing as fundamental to engine advancement.
“You can’t test an engine without a test stand, and this one’s remarkable,” Lapsa mentioned on X following Thursday’s test. “What a brilliant, clean burn using all the flows!”
Lapsa will be honored at the GeekWire Gala in Seattle this Thursday night as one of this year’s five “Uncommon Thinkers,” recognizing inventors, scientists, technologists, and entrepreneurs who are revolutionizing industries and promoting positive global change.
In 2023, Stoke secured $100 million in funding and successfully conducted a test flight of its “Hopper” developmental rocket vehicle.
