Washington-based rocket company Stoke Space achieved a significant milestone Thursday with the successful hotfire test of their first-stage rocket engine at their Moses Lake testing facility. The test, which utilized a newly constructed vertical test stand, marks a crucial advancement for the Kent-headquartered startup.
The achievement is particularly noteworthy as Stoke Space joins SpaceX as only the second organization worldwide to successfully develop and test a full-flow staged combustion (FFSC) engine. This sophisticated propulsion system, which runs on liquified natural gas and liquid oxygen, generates 100,000 pounds of thrust.
Tom Feldman, Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of Stoke Space, emphasized the significance of testing the FFSC engine in its flight-oriented vertical position. “This test represents the culmination of some very hard work across many different teams at Stoke, and will serve as the basis for much learning to come,” Feldman stated.
The company, established in 2019, has been pursuing the development of fully reusable rockets and space vehicles designed to operate with the regularity of aircraft. The startup’s leadership brings significant industry experience, with CEO Andy Lapsa previously working at Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’ space venture, and Feldman having experience at both Blue Origin and SpaceX.
Following the test, Lapsa shared his enthusiasm on social media platform X, praising both the new test stand and the engine’s performance. “Can’t test an engine without a test stand, and this one’s a beauty,” he posted, adding that the engine demonstrated a “gorgeous clean burn using all the flows!”
The vertical test stand’s deployment aligns with Stoke’s philosophy of “test like you fly,” which the company considers essential for effective engine development. The successful hotfire represented the inaugural use of this new testing infrastructure at the Moses Lake facility.
This latest achievement builds upon Stoke Space’s momentum from 2023, during which the company secured $100 million in funding and successfully completed an up-and-down test of their “Hopper” developmental rocket vehicle. The company released striking
photographs documenting Thursday’s test, which showed the engine in action on the vertical stand.
The test specifically involved the company’s Block 2 engine in its flight layout configuration, representing a significant step forward in Stoke’s development timeline. While the exact duration of the hotfire wasn’t disclosed, the successful test demonstrates the company’s progress in developing their ambitious rocket technology.
The achievement coincides with CEO Andy Lapsa’s recognition as one of five “Uncommon Thinkers” at the GeekWire Gala in Seattle,
acknowledging his role in advancing innovative technologies and driving positive industry change.
Through this successful engine test, Stoke Space continues to demonstrate its capability to compete in the increasingly dynamic commercial space launch sector. The company’s progress in developing complex rocket propulsion systems, combined with their focus on reusability and rapid operations, positions them as an emerging player in the space transportation industry.
This advancement in rocket engine technology represents another step forward in Washington state’s growing space industry ecosystem, as companies like Stoke Space push the boundaries of what’s possible in space transportation and reusable rocket technology.