Engineering services company Leap 71 has announced a collaboration with The Exploration Company that will focus on the development of computationally engineered rocket engines.
Through Leap 71’s computational engineering services, the company uses 'powerful algorithms' to generate physical objects which are primed for production with advanced manufacturing methods like 3D printing. The Exploration Company, meanwhile, is developing, manufacturing and operating a modular and reusable orbital space vehicle called Nyx in a bid to make space exploration affordable, available and open.
Together, they will work to create a physically and practically validated computational model for the engineering of rocket and orbital engines, which the partners believe will be the ‘first of its kind.’ The cooperation, Leap 71 says, will enhance its existing computational model for space propulsion, RP/CEM, by leveraging practical feedback and conducting rigorous testing to validate and improve its performance.
The RP/CEM computational model is under active development by Leap 71 and uses analytical formulae, heuristics, and condensed aerospace engineering knowledge, all encoded in a coherent algorithmic framework, to develop rocket propulsion systems. With this model, users can input part and performance specifications and get a manufacturable engine geometry within minutes.
“We are excited to put our computational engineering model to the test and get real-world feedback to fine-tune it to the point where we have a robust foundation,” commented Leap 71 founder and Managing Director Josefine Lissner. “I expect a tipping point in the space industry when our model successfully starts producing operational engines across a wide range of parameters. As each new test feeds back into the model, the resulting objects will improve exponentially. This is a key building block on our path to a space-faring society.”
“One of the challenges for reducing the cost of space exploration is the conventional approach to engineering,” added Hélène Huby, co-founder and CEO of The Exploration Company. “Complex parts like rocket engines are hard to design, and each iteration can sometimes take a significant amount of manual rework with traditional CAD-based tools. Using computational models, we want to engineer faster, so that we can print and test faster – hence accelerating the improvement and validation of our engines.”
