LEAP 71

We are experimenting with fractal folding structures to build efficient heat exchangers that also make sense aerodynamically. The main applications will be advanced in-air propulsion systems for high speed aircraft. This here is a promising candidate that we hope to print soon. Generated using the #Noyron Large Computational Engineering Model. All built on our #opensource geometry kernel #PicoGK.

We are finalizing the design of a coaxial swirl injector head for a 28 kN cryogenic #methane / liquid oxygen engine. One of the design goals is to have interchangeable injectors for testing, but be able to print combustion chamber and injector in one monolithic part for the flight vehicle to save weight. Generated using the #Noyron Large Computational Engineering Model based on our #PicoGK open-source geometry kernel. #AdditiveManufacturing #3Dprinting #rockets

Larger rocket engines require turbo pumps. We are continuing to extend the capabilities of #Noyron to generate #turbomachinery, based on physics, engineering logic, and manufacturing constraints. You can only get so far with theory, obviously. #ComputationalEngineering allows us to iterate fast and test our way to success, enriching Noyron with the experience gained.

This year, we will continue to extend the envelope of our rocket engines. This #Noyron-generated thruster runs on #MethaLOX and generates 28 kN of thrust. It's suitable for orbital microlaunchers. #ComputationalEngineering #SpaceAccess #3Dprinting

Generate, build, fire, learn, repeat! — this is how we enrich #Noyron with real-life data. We just hot-fired this 7000 Newton thruster, generated by the latest-generation Noyron Large Computational Engineering Model. It incorporates all the experience and data from our June 2024 test campaign. We tested the engine as part of our four-engines-in-four days campaign in December, which involved 4 rocket motors that were entirely different. In total, that brings the total number of individual Noyron-generated thrusters tested last year to eight. The Noyron TKL-7 is regeneratively cooled and fueled by kerosene / cryogenic liquid oxygen (#Kerolox). We throttled from 7kN (nominal) down to 2.5kN, and validated steady-state with a total run time of 65 seconds, ramping up O/F to 2.7. We are very happy with the results, which, again, feed back into our Large Computational Engineering Model, ready to autonomously generate new and more advanced engines. The TKL-7 improves on the thruster we fired in June, by using 40 bar chamber pressure and no film cooling, as we are now very confident in our thermal models. The engine was entirely generated by the latest version of Noyron, so, while it shares DNA with our last-generation thruster, the geometry differs in almost all aspects. This rocket motor, consisting of combustion chamber and injector head (coaxial swirlers), was #3dprinted from #Copper (CuCrZr) by our friends at AMCM GmbH, and prepared and assembled for the hot fire by the Race 2 Space team, around Alistair John, Henry Saunders, Max Crawford-Collins, Joe L., and Fintan Cluskey. The test was conducted at Airborne Engineering Ltd, under the competent guidance of Adam Greig, Iain Waugh, and James Macfarlane. Thank you to Sam Rogers for your continued support, drone footage, and bringing Toby Hornby-Patterson, who provided us with additional video from behind the scenes. #AdditiveManufacturing #ComputationalEngineering Josefine Lissner Lin Kayser

Aconity3D and LEAP 71: Driving Innovation on Earth and Beyond 🚀 We had the incredible opportunity to meet Josefine Lissner and Lin Kayser of Leap 71 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. As visionaries in AI-driven rocket design, their groundbreaking ideas are paving the way for a new era of engineering innovation—and we’re thrilled to be part of this journey! Highlights of Our Collaboration: 👉 Aerospace Innovation: Together, we developed the Aerospike rocket engine—a cutting-edge propulsion system crafted with Aconity3D’s advanced Laser Powder Bed Fusion technology and aerospace-grade materials. 👉Key Milestone: On December 18, 2024, the Aerospike engine underwent successful firing tests in the UK, proving its potential for modern spacecraft. 👉What’s Next: The data gathered will drive further development in 2025, refining LEAP 71’s Noyron platform and advancing #Aerospike technology for next-generation space propulsion. Our meeting in Dubai was a key moment that underscored the strength of our partnership and our shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation. 👉 Read the news article here: https://lnkd.in/eSt_tPvM #Teamwork #AdditiveManufacturing #3DPrinting #Aerospace #Innovation #Aconity3D #Leap71 #Race2Space #AC3D #Solukon #Fraunhoferilt #Fraunhofer #Success #Partnerships #Dubai #AconityX

Our computational #AI-generated #Aerospike rocket engine awakes with the sound of thunder (headphones recommended!). What a success. Aerospikes were called impossible to cool, too complex, too difficult to engineer, and too heavy to make sense. But they are amongst the most efficient rocket engines, once they work. The #Noyron AKL-5 is a 5000 Newton toroidal Aerospike engine. It is entirely generated by the Noyron g2.c Large Computational Engineering Model without human intervention. #3dprinted as one monolithic copper part, there's no assembly required. While it is slightly heavier than a traditional sea-level engine, this is negligible, given the higher efficiency. The thruster's central spike is cooled by cryogenic liquid oxygen, which turns gaseous shortly before being injected into the combustion chamber. The Kerosene fuel cools the outside jacket, and enters the combustion chamber at around 150ºC temperature, which, combined with the gaseous oxidizer, helps with combustion efficiency. Aerospikes are efficient at any atmospheric pressure. Whereas traditional engines require differently-sized bell-shaped nozzles to work at sea level vs. the vacuum of space, the Aerospike keeps the same performance at all heights, a huge advantage for upper stages which return to Earth with propulsive landing, or for single-stage-to-orbit launchers. We are happy to be amongst only a small group of teams, which have managed to successfully hot fire an Aerospike in the last 50 years. Our test results are very encouraging and point to mainly operational improvements, and management of transients as the main challenges. We hope to make Aerospikes a valid choice for launchers of any size. Big thank you to Aconity3D GmbH, who printed the quite challenging geometry with shallow unsupported overhangs at the throat of the engine, (dictated by physics). Because it is just one part, no supports can be used. Solukon Maschinenbau GmbH helped depowder the engine, which is difficult due to the labyrinthine nature of the propellant routing (see image in comment). A blocked channel or loose powder would have been disastrous. The Fraunhofer ILT did a fine job post heat treating the engine. The team at Race 2 Space around Alistair John and Henry Saunders at The University of Sheffield professionally prepared the engine for the test stand, big shoutout to Joe L., Max Crawford-Collins, Fintan Cluskey for all their help. And none of this could have ever happened without the professional services from Airborne Engineering Ltd, who run a rocket test stand that can support these types of engines. James Macfarlane, Adam Greig, Iain Waugh, and their team, not only ran a professional test campaign, but also put their workshop resources at our disposal for all the last minute work, that goes into preparing the engine for the test. We tested a total of four entirely different engines in four days. Something that would have been impossible anywhere else.

LEAP 71 Josefine Lissner Lin Kayser #computationalengineering #3d #3dprinting #computationalai #aiinnovation #aerospike #rocketengines #space #spaceindustry #technology

Thank you, Interesting Engineering for posting about our successful #Aerospike hotfire last week.

Last Wednesday we turned a new chapter for #Noyron, we successfully hot fired an advanced Aerospike rocket engine, designed entirely through our computational model. Aerospikes are hard, only a handful of teams have succeeded in the past decades. Our #Aerospike was generated in a matter of weeks, 3d-printed as a single monolithic piece from copper (CuCrZr). The engine runs on cryogenic #LOX and Kerosene, with both propellants being used for the cooling of the thermally-challenging engine (oxygen for the spike, kerosene for the outer shroud). Thank you to New Atlas for the great summary: https://lnkd.in/d2efmgv7 We would like to thank our industrial partners, Aconity3D GmbH for the print of the challenging geometry, Solukon Maschinenbau GmbH for the complex depowdering process, the Fraunhofer ILT for heat treatment, the The University of Sheffield's Race 2 Space team for final machining and test prep, and last but not least, the fine people at Airborne Engineering Ltd for running a successful test campaign.