Feb. 21 (UPI) -- The Department of Defense has awarded a $1.5 million contract to New Frontier Aerospace to continue its work on a 3D-printed rocket engine.
The aerospace manufacturer announced the deal in a press release Tuesday, with funding coming from the National Security Innovation Capital. The company is developing a rocket engine called Mjölnir. Development began with a $750,000 contract from the NSIC in 2020.
The new contract will fund the development of the remaining parts needed to complete the engine. The company plans to run a final test -- called a hotfire test -- by May 2024.
"Based on NFA's performance in designing, 3D printing and testing the first, key component of the Mjölnir full-flow staged combustion engine in less than a year, we are pleased NSIC sees the enormous potential in the continued development and completion of Mjölnir," NFA CEO Bill Bruner said in a statement.
NFA was founded in 2020 and focuses its efforts on creating fuel-efficient, 3D-printed aircraft, according to the company.
Mjölnir is a reusable engine with a net negative carbon footprint, NFA said. In the future, NFA plans to use the engine to build hypersonic aircraft used to transport cargo and passengers to any airport in the world in less than two hours.
It will be fueled with liquid natural gas.
This story has been updated to correct an error about the engine's fuel.
