Edinburgh avionics firm to help power pioneering ‘self-consuming’ rocket engine

Space technology developed by a Scottish company is set to help power a pioneering “self-consuming” rocket engine.

Edinburgh-based Aurora Avionics has agreed a contract with European aerospace company Alpha Impulsion to supply crucial electronic systems for the innovative new propulsion system. The engine is designed to consume part of its own structure as fuel, in a move aimed at making future space missions more efficient and affordable.

The agreement will see Aurora Avionics provide an engine control unit and power distribution unit, which will control key engine functions and manage the electrical power needed during operation.

The new rocket engine is designed to consume part of its own structure as fuel, in a move aimed at making future space missions more efficient and affordable.

Myles Bax, commercial lead at Aurora Avionics, said the partnership demonstrated how the firm’s adaptable technology could support some of the most ambitious propulsion projects now emerging in the European space industry.

“This is exactly the kind of programme our technology has been designed to support - one where new thinking, advanced engineering and reliable control systems all have to work together,” he said. “Alpha Impulsion is taking a fundamentally different approach to rocket propulsion, with the potential to reduce complexity and cost while making better use of the vehicle itself.

“Our role is to give its engineers a dependable electronic backbone for the engine, controlling its operation and distributing power where it is needed. The initial contract is an important first step, but the wider opportunity is significant as the engine progresses through development and towards future missions.”

Founded in 2022, Alpha Impulsion already has teams in France and Italy and is drawing on expertise from across Europe’s aerospace sector as it develops the technology. Its long-term aim is to slash propulsion costs and create more efficient solutions for future space vehicles, while strengthening Europe’s autonomy and export capabilities in space access.

Marius Celette, chief executive at Alpha Impulsion, said: “Developing a new propulsion system requires every part of the vehicle to perform reliably and work seamlessly with the wider engine architecture.

“The control and power systems are central to that process, and this partnership gives us access to flexible avionics technology that can support the engine as it moves through successive stages of development.

“Our focus is on challenging established approaches to propulsion and creating systems that can make future European space missions more efficient and commercially viable.”

Aurora Avionics develops universal avionics systems designed to help launch vehicle manufacturers move from development to flight more quickly and cost-effectively. Its Edinburgh-based team is said to bring extensive aerospace experience to the design of guidance, navigation, control and related electronic systems for launch vehicles and spacecraft.

The firm’s chief executive, Oren Smith-Carpenter, said: “Europe has no shortage of ambitious space engineering businesses, but bringing those ideas to market depends on making development faster, less risky and more affordable.

“By creating avionics that can work across different programmes instead of starting again for every vehicle, we can help companies concentrate their time and investment on the technology that makes their mission unique. That is particularly valuable for emerging launch and propulsion companies, where controlling development costs can make the difference between a promising concept and a commercially viable system.”

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