On a post on LinkedIn, Montreal area based Reaction Dynamics (RDX) announced last week it had completed its Critical Design Review (CDR) of their two-stage suborbital launch vehicle.
The Aurora-1 is a 7.3 metres tall two-stage suborbital launch vehicle that uses the company’s RE-102 hybrid rocket engine and burns a unique pelletized plastic-based fuel. The first test launch is planned for the spring 2026 from the Koonibba Test Range in Australia.
The maiden flight is designed as a qualification test for the RE-102 hybrid rocket engine. In particular the flight is designed to reach altitude of 125 km above Earth which would allow the company to test the performance of the engine in the vacuum of space.
With the CDR now complete, the company is now transitioning to the “final build phase.”
At the time of the announcement in mid-October Reaction Dynamics CEO Bachar Elzein said, “We believe that the RE-102 hybrid rocket engine will be the most efficient hybrid rocket engine in the world. Extensive hot fire tests have shown the that the engine is able to maintain performance during prolonged burn periods thanks to our patented innovations. We are eager to put this technology to the test in the vacuum of space during our upcoming suborbital mission from the Koonibba Test Range.”