New Frontier Aerospace successfully tests additively manufactured Mjölnir rocket engine
July 3, 2025
New Frontier Aerospace (NFA), Tukwila, Washington, USA, has successfully completed a series of hot fire tests of its additively manufactured Mjölnir pump-fed rocket engine. Featuring a full-flow staged combustion cycle, the Mjölnir engine is said to be well-suited for use in high-performance reusable rockets, hypersonic vehicles and orbital transfer spacecraft.
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Powered by clean liquid natural gas (LNG), Mjölnir is net carbon negative when sourced from bio-waste, offering a sustainable solution for next-generation aerospace missions.
Mjölnir will propel NFA’s Pathfinder hypersonic Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) to its first hovering flight in early 2026. The engine will also drive NFA’s Bifröst orbital transfer spacecraft, set to fly in space by 2027. Mjölnir is now available as a standalone product, offering customers a cutting-edge propulsion solution for their own missions.
“We are proud of the amazing team that built this programme and thrilled with the engine’s performance during this series of hot fire tests,” said Bill Bruner, CEO of New Frontier Aerospace. “Mjölnir’s compact design, unmatched efficiency, and clean fuel make it a game-changer for hypersonic flight and space propulsion. It is poised to power our ambitious roadmap and open new possibilities for our customers.”
The engine’s development was made possible through seed funding from National Security Innovation Capital, part of the Defense Innovation Unit, with this sustained engine test series funded by NASA.
