Liquid-fuelled rocket engine design has largely followed a simple template since the development of the German V-2 rocket in the middle of World War 2. Propellant and oxidizer are mixed in a combustion chamber, creating a mixture of hot gases at high pressure that very much wish to leave out the back of the rocket, generating thrust.

However, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has recently completed a successful test of a different type of rocket, known as a rotating detonation engine. The engine relies on an entirely different method of combustion, with the aim to produce more thrust from less fuel. We’ll dive into how it works, and how the Japanese test bodes for the future of this technology.

The new launch window opens Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. EDT.

The four astronauts finished their training at SpaceX headquarters in Los Angeles.

The four-person crew of SpaceX’s all-civilian Inspiration4 mission has arrived in Florida to prep for next week’s historic liftoff.

Time to light this candle.

Crew-4 will carry four astronauts to the station for a six-month stay.

SpaceX and NASA are targeting April 15 2022, for the launch of the Crew-4 mission to the International Space Station, agency officials announced yesterday (Sept. 7).

SpaceX’s under-development rocket is set to soar, and a new render shows how the ship will look with the booster attached.

The Falcon 9 rocket booster, which made its way to to the launch facilities, has also been flown twice already.

But instead of a docking module built into the nosecone of the Crew Dragon, the spacecraft will be outfitted with a massive glass dome that will give its occupants an incredible view of the Earth below.

It’s a momentous occasion for the space company. If successful, SpaceX could prove once and for all that spaceflight is indeed possible — even without decades of training.

Go Inspiration4, go SpaceX 👍👨‍🚀