HyPrSpace's hybrid-propellant small launch vehicle targeting 50 kg to SSO from a European spaceport.
Hype
HyPrSpace's hybrid-propellant small launch vehicle targeting 50 kg to SSO from a European spaceport.
Description
Hype is HyPrSpace's small orbital launch vehicle using hybrid propulsion — a combination of liquid oxidizer (LOX) and a solid fuel grain — for its stages. HyPrSpace (Hybrid Propulsion Space) is a French startup founded in 2019, specializing in hybrid propulsion technology as a safer and simpler alternative to fully liquid or solid propulsion for small launch vehicles.
The vehicle targets approximately 50 kg to sun-synchronous orbit. Hybrid propulsion offers advantages for small launch vehicle development: solid fuel grains are non-explosive and can be manufactured and transported without the hazard permits required for liquid propellants, while the liquid oxidizer injection provides throttleability and restart capability not available with pure solid motors. HyPrSpace has developed its engine technology through a series of increasingly large test campaigns at its facilities in Bordeaux, France.
HyPrSpace has received support from CNES (French space agency) and ESA's Business Incubation Centre, and is targeting a launch from a European spaceport.
Specifications
| Propulsion | Hybrid (LOX / solid fuel) |
|---|---|
| Payload to SSO | ~50 kg |
| Target orbit | Sun-synchronous |
| Country | France |
