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
