# Rocket Engine Technology Development

**R-2A activity** of project 624847 — Rocket Propulsion Technology  
**Program element:** 1206601SF — Space Technology  
**Component:** U.S. Space Force · **Budget Activity:** 2  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206601SF/624847/a0  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206601SF/624847

## Summary

This activity requests $14.4M in FY2027, 58% of project 624847, up 1.8% on FY2026. The R-2A exhibit describes it across FY2026–FY2027, including what the FY2027 money is planned to buy.

## What the FY2027 request buys

**FY2027 planned work.** Continue: -Employment of new fuel and material operating limitations, manufacturing processes, and launch goals including remote launch site analyses and launch pad material measurements. Activities include development of austere launch concepts of operation including validation of fuel/material launch pad interactions factors and scale-up of engine ground testing. -Development and payoff determination of rotating detonation rocket engine technologies including testing that inform a heavyweight rocket engine. Activities include scale up of hardware to flight-weight and progress from ground testing to demonstration. -Technology and material studies supporting rapid launch capabilities including demonstration of mobile modular payload processing operations. Activities include validation of payload processing facility design and verification of developed payload processing concept of operations for rapid launch use cases. Complete: - Development, demonstration, and evaluation of advanced material solutions for high temperature components in rocket propulsion including final facility qualification of multiscale rocket engine test stand. Activities include final activation, calibration, and tuning of new rocket engine test stand.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** FY 2027 increased compared to FY 2026 by $0.259 million due to increased component and rocket propellant cost.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Continue: - Employment of new fuel and material operating limitations, manufacturing processes, and launch goals including remote launch site analyses and launch pad material measurements - Develop, demonstrate, and evaluate advanced material solutions for high temperature components in rocket propulsion including final facility qualification of multiscale rocket engine test stand - Development and payoff determination of rotating detonation rocket engine technologies including testing that inform a heavyweight rocket engine - Technologies and material studies supporting rapid launch capabilities including demonstration of mobile modular payload processing operations

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 11.5 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 14.2 |
| FY2027 | Request | 14.4 |

> Prior, current and budget year only — an R-2A activity carries no five-year plan. It sums exactly into its project in the request year and not necessarily in any other.

## Other activities in project 624847

- On-Orbit Propulsion Technology Development — FY2027 8.7
- Applied Space Access Technologies — FY2027 1.8

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 1206601SF project 624847 (PB PB2027). Narrative is the government's own text.
- **No marks, no contractors at this grain** — congressional marks land on the program element and R-3 performers on the project.
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_activity`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*