The MK-2X is the culmination of 5 years of intense R&D. Thousands of hours worth of parametric modeling and CFD went into the final monolithic engine design. This engine began as an idea in 2018 and today it is a reality, with a throttleable range of thrust in a 200lb engine you can fit on the passenger seat of your car. While still in the experimental stage, it heralds what MARS Engines can do for the Aerospace industry with our innovative engines and technology. We have been awarded 6 patents overall on our novel engine designs and considering how long rocket engines have been around, that underscores MARS Engines' innovative approach to propulsion technology.
Our MK-1 prototype was a low power proof of function test, designed to gather data which could be modeled and compared with the CFD of the same test in order to establish a baseline data set. We were testing an annular combustion chamber on a rocket engine with holes in both ends. Low power was a wise choice; we showed you can make an annular configured air-augmented rocket engine that works without needing forward air-speed. As far as our research shows, that was a world first. The uncooled engine ran for 120 seconds and resulted in a successful test.
These are the basic schematics of the world's first trans-lunar. single-stage spaceplane, the MOON DANCER, which was designed for MARS by Nextgen Aeronautics and is our planned flight testbed and the technology demonstrator for our new engines.