Juno Propulsion Awarded NASA TechLeap Prize to Fly First-Ever Rotating Detonation Engine in Orbit
Juno Propulsion Awarded NASA TechLeap Prize to Fly First-Ever Rotating Detonation Engine in Orbit
Seattle, WA – July 23, 2025 — Juno Propulsion has been awarded the NASA TechLeap Prize for its groundbreaking work in advanced propulsion technology. With this award, Juno expects to become the first entity in history to fly a rotating detonation combustion (RDC) propulsion system in an orbital mission — marking a monumental leap in spaceflight capabilities and propulsion efficiency.
NASA’s TechLeap Prize, led by NASA’s Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing program and the agency’s Flight Opportunities program, challenges the aerospace community to rapidly develop and demonstrate space technologies that can transform future missions. Juno Propulsion was selected as one of ten winners of the “Space Technology Payload Challenge” for its development of a compact, high-performance RDC engine designed for scalable, on-orbit applications.
“We’re honored by NASA’s recognition and excited to demonstrate what we believe is the future of chemical propulsion,” said Alexis Harroun, CEO of Juno Propulsion. “Rotating detonation combustion offers significant advantages in thrust efficiency, mass reduction, and system simplicity — and we’re thrilled to be the first to take it into space.”
Rotating detonation engines (RDEs) utilize continuous detonation waves to combust propellant more efficiently than conventional rocket engines. Although studied for decades, no RDE has ever flown on-orbit in space. Juno’s demonstration will validate this technology in the most demanding environment, opening the door to faster, lighter, and more capable spacecraft propulsion systems.
With successful progress through this TechLeap-supported project, Juno plans to flight-test the engine aboard a small satellite platform, evaluating performance metrics including specific impulse, impulse bit, and long-duration operation in microgravity. The flight is targeted for summer 2026.
This milestone further establishes Juno Propulsion as a leader in advanced in-space propulsion. Founded with the mission of accelerating humanity’s presence in space, Juno’s team is focused on building practical, next-generation propulsion systems — enabling more ambitious missions in Earth orbit and beyond.
About Juno Propulsion
Juno Propulsion is a privately held aerospace company based in Federal Way, Washington, developing advanced propulsion systems for orbital and deep space applications. From high-performance chemical engines to revolutionary combustion architectures, Juno is engineering the future of in-space transportation.
For press inquiries or partnership opportunities, contact:
info@junopropulsion.com
www.junopropulsion.com
Juno Propulsion Awarded Competitive Grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation
SEATTLE, WA, September 11, 2024 – Juno Propulsion Inc. has been awarded a U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for $275,000 to conduct research and development (R&D) work on next-generation rocket propulsion using rotating detonation combustion.
Juno Propulsion is working to power the next decade of the space economy, rapidly growing to a projected $1T USD industry by 2030. Despite the strong demand for products and services offered by space providers, there remains a large barrier to accessing and operating in space, mainly due to outdated propulsion options. Juno’s in-space propulsion solution is based on rotating detonation combustion, with improved fuel efficiency to enable endless mission opportunities.
“NSF accelerates the translation of emerging technologies into transformative new products and services,” said Erwin Gianchandani, NSF Assistant Director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships. “We take great pride in funding deep-technology startups and small businesses that will shape science and engineering results into meaningful solutions for today and tomorrow.”
“Through the NSF SBIR, we are funding the next phase of our technology development and bringing our product closer to market” said Alexis Harroun, CEO and Founder of Juno Propulsion. “This award is critical to advancing our goal of offering the first rotating detonation combustion-based thruster for use in space.”
All proposals submitted to the NSF SBIR/STTR program, also known as America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, undergo a rigorous merit-based review process. Once a small business is awarded a Phase I grant, it becomes eligible to apply for Phase II funding and additional supplements totaling up to $2 million.
About the U.S. National Science Foundation's Small Business Programs: America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF awards more than $200 million annually to startups and small businesses, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Startups working across almost all areas of science and technology can receive up to $2 million to support research and development, helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $9.5 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering.
Welcome to our VP of Engineering!
Juno Propulsion is happy to announce our new VP of Engineering! Ariana Martinez is joining from Purdue University, where she worked on industry-leading designs in additively manufactured rotating detonation combustion rocket engine prototypes. She earned her Bachelor’s, Master’s, and soon to be Ph.D. from Purdue’s school of aerospace engineering. As the VP of Engineering, she is in charge of the engineering team and will be leading the product development for Juno. Welcome Ariana!
Alexis Accepted as Activate Fellow
Alexis, our Founder and CEO, has been accepted into the prestigious Activate Fellowship!
Alexis, our Founder and CEO, has been accepted into the prestigious Activate Fellowship! She is a Cohort 2023 fellow in the Activate Anywhere community.
Founded in 2015, Activate empowers scientists to reinvent the world by launching startups to address climate change and other global challenges. Working between government, philanthropy, universities, and the private sector, Activate transforms scientists into high-impact entrepreneurs through the Activate Fellowship, a two-year immersive experience that provides funding and fosters the resources, knowledge, networks, investors, and partnerships that fellows need to succeed.