Aerospike engine
Videos
The aerospike engine is a type of rocket engine that maintains its aerodynamic efficiency across a wide range of altitudes. It belongs to the class of altitude compensating nozzle engines. Aerospike e
XRS-2200 linear aerospike engine for the X-33 program being tested at the Stennis Space Center
CSULB aerospike engine
NASA's toroidal aerospike nozzle
Mach diamonds in the exhaust of LEAP 71's 5kN aerospike rocket engine
Lockheed Martin X-33
Videos
The Lockheed Martin X-33 was a proposed uncrewed, sub-scale technology demonstrator suborbital spaceplane that was developed for a period in the 1990s. The X-33 was a technology demonstrator for the V
Aerospike engine
…250,000 lbf (1.1 MN) in the J-2T-250k (the T refers to the toroidal combustion chamber). Thirty years later their work was revived for use in NASA's X-33 project. In this case the slightly upgraded J-2S engine machinery was used with a linear spike, creating the XRS-2200. After more development and…
Artist's rendition of the X-33 in orbit.
X-33 model being prepared for testing in a wind-tunnel in 1997
Test of the X-33's thermal protection system, 1998
Space art of X-33 at high altitude