The demonstrator consists of two 6U cubesats designed by NRO’s advanced systems and tech directorate to support an “experimental technology research mission.”
Pratt & Whitney is planning further development of rotating detonation engine (RDE) technology following “positive test results” from a series of ground tests.
The Prometheus effort began in 2018 to perform science and tech experiments in the extreme reentry environment through a low-cost, high-cadence flight testbed.
Over the past half-century, the U.S. has introduced over 20 efforts to harness nuclear power and propulsion for space operations, only to cancel all of them.
The U.S. Air Force has proposed a high-altitude balloon program as an option for the broader Replicator initiative to accelerate new autonomous systems.
The U.S. Air Force’s engine office says it is open to all option to power a future air refueling aircraft and a potential re-engining of the C-17 as requirements are refined.
