Whether the German V-2 rocket, NASA’s legendary Saturn V, or SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, all rocket engines share a common attribute: their exhaust nozzles are shaped like bells. The geometry of this ...

Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story: For 65 years of human spaceflight, rockets ferrying astronauts to the stars have all had bell-shaped nozzles specifically designed to produce enough ...

The aerospike engine holds great promise for spaceflight, but for various reasons, has remained slightly out of reach for decades. But thanks to Leap 71, the technology has moved one step closer to a ...

Polaris will build a two-stage, horizontal take-off and fully reusable hypersonic research vehicle, featuring a linear aerospike rocket engine. German company Polaris Spaceplanes announced on Jan. 27, ...

Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story: The aerospike engine—which uses air pressure to shape the downward force needed to launch a spacecraft—has been on the cusp of entering mainstream ...