15 - Guest lectures
FROM FIRST ROTATING DETONATION ROCKET ENGINE (RDRE) FLIGHT TO HYPERSONIC RDRE FLIGHT
A. Duggleby, Venus Aerospace, United States
In May 2025, Venus Aerospace conducted the first flight of a high-thrust rotating detonation rocket engine, supporting the transition from ground-based RDRE development toward flight-relevant propulsion maturation. This presentation will examine the technical considerations behind an iterative RDRE flight test program, including operability, integration, manufacturability, and test discipline. Rather than treating flight test as a single milestone, Venus is using it to build confidence in RDRE performance, operability, and integration for future high-speed systems.