Skyrora Passes Hot-Fire Test of 3D-Printed LEO Rocket Engine

UK launch company Skyrora has completed a hot-fire test campaign of its 3.5kN LEO engine, a milestone that brings 3D-printed rocket propulsion one step closer to operational use.

The engine incorporates a titanium-coated component manufactured using Skyprint 2, the company's hybrid directed energy deposition printer. The part was developed through MADE-3D, a European Union research program focused on multi-material additive manufacturing.

Testing took place at Skyrora's Midlothian facility. The team conducted six fire tests without reporting any damage to the modified engine components. According to Skyrora, the titanium construction reduces weight by approximately 44% compared to a nickel-based alloy.

Jordan McCormick, Design and Test Engineer at Skyrora, said: "One of the biggest challenges in advanced manufacturing is moving promising technologies beyond the laboratory and proving that they can perform in real operating environments. Successfully completing this hot-fire campaign is an important demonstration of that process."

The MADE-3D consortium allowed Skyrora to work with European partners on approaches that could reshape propulsion system design and manufacture. By producing components with multiple materials in a single process, engineers can optimize different sections for strength, weight, and thermal performance.

For launch vehicles, these advances could cut manufacturing complexity while improving engine efficiency and performance. Skyrora's work within MADE-3D has now concluded, but the company plans to carry the lessons forward into future propulsion systems.