Abu Dhabi researchers test-fire rocket engine for future Mars missions

Researchers in Abu Dhabi have designed, built and test-fired a liquid rocket engine that could one day be used to power satellites, lunar landers and future Mars missions.

The project was led by engineers and researchers at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII).

It is part of the country’s wider push to become a regional hub for building and testing spacecraft systems.

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Dr Elias Tsoutsanis, chief researcher at the centre, told The National that one of the biggest challenges was the lack of testing infrastructure for the 250-newton liquid rocket thruster, which was built over a 12-month period and completed last month.

“Designing, building and firing an engine in this time frame was an enormous challenge, especially given that this was the UAE’s very first liquid rocket programme,” Dr Tsoutsanis said. “One of the biggest hurdles we faced was the need for highly specialised test infrastructure, from cold flow benches to hot-fire test infrastructure, to validate injectors, combustion chambers and ignition systems.”

The team built its own testing rig from scratch to speed up progress and developed portable systems that could be set up and used when required. However, for proper testing, Dr Tsoutsanis said that the centre partnered with the UK’s Airborne Engineering.

“This allowed us to conduct more than 50 firings without slowing the development of the engine,” he said. “This combination of creative problem-solving, custom-built equipment and international collaboration allowed us to reach 94 per cent combustion efficiency and zero failures across the test campaign.”

The lack of local infrastructure, such as engine test stands, has been highlighted before by other companies, including Dubai's Leap 71, which develops 3D-printed engines designed for rocket launches.

Lin Kayser, co-founder of the company, previously told The National that they had been test-firing their engines abroad.

Dr Tsoutsanis said that a test fire rig is under development in Abu Dhabi, so their future tests can take place locally.

Choice of propellants

Dr Tsoutsanis said the team chose to use green propellants rather than hydrazine.

“Traditional storable propellants, such as hydrazine, are effective but extremely toxic and hazardous to handle,” he said. “From the outset, we wanted a solution that was both high-performing and sustainable, aligned with global trends and the UAE’s own commitment to safe and responsible innovation.

“Storable green propellants give us several advantages. They can be stored for long periods both on the ground and in space, while also being safer for operators and less damaging to the environment.”

What can the engine be used for?

Dr Tsoutsanis said the engine can be used for a wide range of missions. “In the near term, this class of engine is perfectly suited for satellite operations, adjusting orbits, performing station keeping and extending satellite lifetimes,” he said.

“It can also be used in planetary exploration missions, where precise control is required for orbital insertion or landing manoeuvres. Over the next decade, we see it enabling lunar and even Mars-related missions, where safe and reliable descent engines are essential.”

The UAE has a Mars orbiter mission, called the Hope Probe, but that was developed in the US at the University of Colorado Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics alongside Emirati engineers.

It also attempted to place a lunar rover called Rashid on the Moon's surface in 2023, but was carried aboard a Japanese-made landing vehicle.

The country's next attempt at landing on the Moon with its Rashid 2 rover will rely on a US-made landing vehicle by Firefly.

TII is aiming to scale up in the future, including developing a more powerful one-kilonewton engine, in which the fuel is circulated around the engine walls to keep it from overheating, allowing it to run for longer durations.

“Beyond that, we are working towards cryogenic propulsion systems, which are critical for orbital launch,” said Dr Tsoutsanis. “While our current focus is on in-space propulsion, the UAE is expected to extend its capabilities to larger engines for launch vehicles.

“Independent and frequent access to space is a strategic goal, and liquid propulsion is central to achieving it. The journey to multi-kilonewton engines is a natural progression and this first milestone proves that the UAE has both the vision and the talent to get there.”