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Space

iRocket Wins AFWERX Funding for Reusable Rocket Engine Development

By Rachel Jewett

Wednesday, July 5th, 2023

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iRocket Wins AFWERX Funding for Reusable Rocket Engine Development

iRocket engine test with thrust augmentation. Photo: iRocket

The U.S. Space Force has awarded iRocket $1.8 million in further funding on a Phase II SBIR contract to develop its reusable rocket engine. iRocket — Innovative Rocket Technologies Inc. — is developing the Shockwave launch vehicle for frequent reuse. The award is funded through AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force. It is a Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) continuing from a July 2020 Phase II SBIR contract. Under that contract, iRocket demonstrated three operation modes of its booster engine: augmented, unaugmented, and landing…

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