Nova is a fully reusable

medium-lift launch vehicle A medium-lift launch vehicle (MLV) is a rocket launch vehicle that is capable of lifting between by NASA classification or between by Russian classification of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO).50t payloads" An MLV is between a small-lift ...

being developed by

Stoke Space Stoke Space Technologies is an American Private spaceflight, space launch company based in the Seattle suburb of Kent, Washington. History The company was founded by a group of former Blue Origin and SpaceX employees. In May 2020, the company w ...

. Announced in October 2023, Stoke Space plans to use two stages with an expected payload capacity of 3

ton Ton is any of several units of measure of mass, volume or force. It has a long history and has acquired several meanings and uses. As a unit of mass, ''ton'' can mean: * the '' long ton'', which is * the ''tonne'', also called the ''metric ...

s (3,000 kg) to low Earth orbit (

LEO Leo is the Latin word for lion. It most often refers to: * Leo (constellation), a constellation of stars in the night sky * Leo (astrology), an astrological sign of the zodiac * Leo (given name), a given name in several languages, usually mas ...

), with the first stage performing a

return-to-launch-site A launch vehicle is typically a rocket-powered vehicle designed to carry a payload (a crewed spacecraft or satellites) from Earth's surface or lower atmosphere to outer space. The most common form is the ballistic missile-shaped multistag ...

(RTLS) landing. The company plans to use 7 full-flow staged combustion rocket engines, burning

methalox The highest specific impulse chemical rockets use liquid propellants (liquid-propellant rockets). They can consist of a single chemical (a monopropellant) or a mix of two chemicals, called bipropellants. Bipropellants can further be divided into ...

. The second stage will use a

hydrolox The highest specific impulse chemical rockets use liquid propellants (liquid-propellant rockets). They can consist of a single chemical (a monopropellant) or a mix of two chemicals, called bipropellants. Bipropellants can further be divided into ...

(liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen) engine with 24 thrust chambers ringing a regeneratively cooled heatshield, eliminating the need for thermal tiles. A center passive bleed in the second stage aims to create an

aerospike engine 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 engines were proposed for many single-stage- ...

-like effect for improved efficiency. The vehicle was selected as part of the

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's Orbital Services Program.

Design

Prior to the company's unveiling of the rocket's name, Nova, in October 2023, Stoke Space noted various developments with the booster and second stage's design. The rocket's booster will consist of seven Zenith

full-flow staged combustion cycle The staged combustion cycle (sometimes known as topping cycle, preburner cycle, or closed cycle) is a Liquid-propellant rocket#Engine cycles, power cycle of a bipropellant rocket Rocket engine, engine. In the staged combustion cycle, propellant ...

engines, designed and manufactured by the company. The rocket's second stage will measure 13 feet in diameter and will stand at a height of 20 feet. The second stage, named Andromeda, will consist of a metallic heat shield and a "ring" of 24 thrusters. The thrust chambers and nozzles are 3D-printed, with second-stage engines being fueled by cryogenic hydrogen. The rocket, when fully stacked, will measure 4 meters in diameter and reach a height of approximately 30.5 meters.

Operations

Stoke Space in March 2023 announced that it will launch Nova from

Cape Canaveral Cape Canaveral () is a cape (geography), cape in Brevard County, Florida, in the United States, near the center of the state's Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. Officially Cape Kennedy from 1963 to 1973, it lies east of Merritt Island, separated ...

's Launch Complex 14. The company also owns and operates a test launch facility in

Moses Lake, Washington Moses Lake is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 25,146 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Moses Lake is the most populous city in Grant County. The city anchors the Moses Lake Micropolitan area, w ...

, from where it conducted various tests of Nova.

Development

An engine designed to be implemented on Nova's booster underwent its first test in June 2024, 18 months after the start of its development, and is designed to produce over 100,000 pounds of thrust upon lift-off. Hopper tests of Nova's reusable second stage were conducted in September 2023, with an engine test being conducted in February 2024. A proof-test of a shortened first stage test tank was conducted in December 2023. Stoke Space says it plans to develop the rocket and reach orbit by 2025, with some independent estimates projecting a timeframe of 2026.

Applications

Stoke Space says that Nova can be used for a variety of functions, including deploying satellites to space, performing manufacturing and science experiments in space, collecting and returning satellites, and removing

space debris Space debris (also known as space junk, space pollution, space waste, space trash, space garbage, or cosmic debris) are defunct human-made objects in spaceprincipally in Earth orbitwhich no longer serve a useful function. These include dere ...

References

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