Rocket Lab Hot Fire Tests of Archimedes Engine for Neutron Rocket | NASA Stennis

Rocket Lab Hot Fire Tests of Archimedes Engine for Neutron Rocket | NASA Stennis

🔥Enjoy! Rocket Lab is continuing to perform hot-fire tests of its Archimedes engine through its rocket test stand at NASA’s historic Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. Rocket Lab’s new Neutron medium-lift reusable launch vehicle will use Archimedes engines to provide government and commercial customers with an alternative launch service capable of deploying 13,000 kg to low Earth orbit (LEO). Significant progress continues to be made at the rocket’s launch pad on Wallops Island, Virginia. Production, infrastructure scaling, and Archimedes engine and full-scale components testing is continuing across Rocket Lab’s production and test facilities in the United States. Neutron’s debut remains on track for first launch in the second half of 2025.

The advanced design of the Neutron rocket includes carbon composite for all of the rocket’s major structures and an upper stage that enables high-performance for complex satellite deployments, including the deployment of satellite mega-constellations.

The Archimedes engine is an oxidizer rich staged combustion cycle engine that will power the reusable first stage of Neutron and the new rocket’s second stage that is designed to carry up to 13,000 kilograms of payload to space. Capable of producing up to 165,000 (733 kilonewtons) pounds of thrust per engine, Archimedes operates at lower stress levels than other rocket engines to enable rapid and reliable reusability. The combined thrust of nine Archimedes engines for Neutron’s first stage is designed to reach 1,450,000 lbf total. Archimedes uses a cryogenic propellant mix of liquid oxygen and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to enable higher reusability and performance. Furthermore, many of its critical components are 3D printed including Archimedes’ turbo pump housings, pre-burner and main chamber components, valve housings, and engine structural components. Production of the Archimedes engines takes place at Rocket Lab’s Engine Development Complex at its headquarters in Long Beach, California.

Rocket Lab's new Neutron rocket will feature the new Archimedes Engine.

First Stage

9 Archimedes Engines

Lox/Methane Oxidizer Rich Closed Cycle

Total Lift-off Thrust: 1,485,000 lbf

Second Stage

Single Vacuum Archimedes Engine

Lox/Methane Oxidizer Rich Closed Cycle

Vacuum Thrust: 890 kN (200,000 lbf)

Learn more: 

https://rocketlabcorp.com/launch/neutron/

Video Credit: Rocket Lab
Duration: 1 minute, 32 seconds
Release Date: Aug. 26, 2025

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