--- title: "New Rocket Design Is Powered by a Ring of Literal Explosions" description: "Researchers have developed a new model that enables engineers to build a type of rocket engine called a \"rotating detonation engine,\" which uses explosions." date: "2020-02-19" modified: "2020-02-19" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/rocket-design-powered-by-explosions" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "Engine" - "rocket engine" - "spacecraft" - "the digest" --- # New Rocket Design Is Powered by a Ring of Literal Explosions ![Researchers have developed a new model that enables engineers to build a type of rocket engine called a "rotating detonation engine," which uses explosions.]() *\Image: James Koch/University of Washington\* ## Exploding Rocket Researchers at the University of Washington have dreamed up a new type of rocket they call a "rotating detonation engine" that they say could allow for the construction of far lighter and fuel-efficient spacecraft. The catch: it's powered by literal explosions, which are difficult to control — for obvious reasons. "A rotating detonation engine takes a different approach to how it combusts propellant," James Koch, lead author of [the paper]() published in the journal *Physical Review E*, explained in [a statement](). "It's made of concentric cylinders. Propellant flows in the gap between the cylinders, and, after ignition, the rapid heat release forms a shock wave, a strong pulse of gas with significantly higher pressure and temperature that is moving faster than the speed of sound." ## Violent Detonations Engineers have [long suspected]() such a design could revolutionize the fuel efficiency of modern engines, but until now, there was one major problem. "We have tons of data about these engines, but we don't understand what is going on," Koch admitted. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXSsd7uXjt8&feature=youtu.be ## Working Model But now that the team has identified the dominant physics behind the design, they're planning to crunch the numbers and start building a working prototype. "The combustion-driven shocks naturally compress the flow as they travel around the combustion chamber," Koch said. "The downside of that is that these detonations have a mind of their own. Once you detonate something, it just goes. It's so violent." **READ MORE:** [Simple, fuel-efficient rocket engine could enable cheaper, lighter spacecraft]() \[University of Washington\] **More on rocket engines:** *[Amazing New Rocket Engine Sucks up Atmospheric Oxygen for Fuel]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()