A UK startup named Pulsar Fusion test-fired a hybrid rocket engine that is said to be powered by recycled plastic. The “green” rocket makes use of hybrid fuel made with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and nitrous oxide oxidizer, reports New Atlas.
HDPE comes in handy for a lot of plastic products such as detergent and beverage bottles – making it an interesting way to power energy-hungry rockets. “We are delighted with the UK test firings,” said Pulsar CEO Richard Dinan, as per New Atlas. “To have a British rocket test on UK soil is novel. Pulsar is among a very few companies around the world to have built and tested these technologies. We have a team of fantastic scientists with a wealth of experience to thank for these milestones.”
Great option to recycle plastic waste
The company managed to test its first static fire of the hybrid engine at the UK’s Ministry of Defense military base, as per a report by The Independent. The company held a demo for industry clients on November 25 in Switzerland. Pulsar Fusion also posted a video of the test on its Instagram account.
Launching rockets with the help of plastic waste is a strong pitch, as plastic has become a major source of pollution that’s very difficult to recycle. While producing rocket fuel might not soak up all of the world’s excess plastic, it’s still a better alternative to recycle plastic.
Main goal is to control nuclear fusion
The company says that its prime goal is to tackle nuclear fusion propulsion, which has plagued researchers for several years. Fusion could slash travel time to Mars by half and reduce the requirement for rockets to carry heavy fuel loads into space, but it raises the question of why the company is testing plastic-powered rockets at the moment.
Once it is figured out how fusion can be controlled, it will become the source of limitless power, so maybe the recent test was in hopes of getting some good press and support in the interim. As per the report, Pulsar Fusion wants to demonstrate a fusion propulsion engine for static fire testing by 2025.
