Latest news with #LinKayser
The National
15-05-2025
- Business
- The National
Success of Elon Musk's Starship ‘more important than ever' as Nasa faces budget cuts
SpaceX's Starship rocket is poised to become one of the most critical assets in US space ambitions, experts have said. The comments come as the White House's proposed budget cuts cast doubt on Nasa projects such as the SLS rocket and Orion capsule, both technologies which would be used to take astronauts to the Moon. Space industry experts told The National that Starship could be the foundation of a new era in exploration, one that relies on powerful rockets, called heavy-lift vehicles, capable of carrying megatons of cargo and astronauts to the Moon and Mars. The Starship rocket, however, is still under development, with test flights being carried out since 2023 from Boca Chica, Texas. The next test flight is potentially scheduled for May 21. 'With the future of Nasa's SLS and Orion uncertain due to rising costs and limited reusability, Starship is increasingly emerging as the de facto backbone of US launch infrastructure,' said Lin Kayser, co-founder of Dubai company Leap 71, which develops artificial-intelligence models to generate rocket engines. 'SpaceX is already the primary launch provider for the US government and with Starship it becomes a near-monopoly at the high end of launch capability. That level of centralisation raises strategic concerns but it also highlights how far ahead SpaceX has pulled.' Nasa had developed the SLS rocket for its Moon programme Artemis but each launch would have reportedly cost $4 billion and the entire programme is behind schedule. Billionaire Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, has said Starship projects would be at a fraction of cost. SpaceX has also made rapid progress through an iterative testing approach, which has helped speed up development compared to traditional government programmes. The company, however, still faces technical challenges before commercial operations of the powerful rocket can begin. Starship's eighth test flight in March ended with the spacecraft destroyed, though the booster was recovered successfully. The test next week will be crucial in proving the vehicle's ability to operate reliably and safely. 'With Nasa's budget cuts looming and SLS and Orion on the chopping block, Starship has become increasingly important,' said Sahith Madara, an aerospace engineer and founder of Paris advisory firm Bumi & Space. 'It's ironic to see that what was once a 'back-up' is now carrying the entire weight of the US deep-space ambitions.' The shift comes as the White House proposes slashing Nasa's budget by 24 per cent, from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion, in 2026. The cut could affect major science missions, the International Space Station and planned Moon landings. It could also reshape how the US approaches space exploration, with the private sector playing a more dominant role. Mr Kayser said Starship is also important in enabling a range of new commercial applications in orbit. 'Starship is the enabler for an entire class of orbital infrastructure. Starlink 2.0 cannot launch without it. The upcoming generation of direct-to-device internet, including global smartphone connectivity and real-time voice calls from orbit, will hinge on this vehicle,' said Mr Kayser. He said beyond communications, companies are exploring the use of space for data centres and advanced manufacturing, thanks to Starship's scale and payload capacity. 'AI data centre infrastructure is now migrating to space to take advantage of unlimited solar energy and passive radiative cooling," he said. 'It's about who will dominate the next trillion-dollar layer of the global economy. Anyone who wants to compete in that race needs to be building right now.' Dave Barnhart, chief executive of California-based space infrastructure firm Arkisys, said the proposed cuts could push industry players to step up faster to fill the gaps. 'The ability for Nasa to continue its fundamental mission of science growth in space requires a variety of transport, platform and ground logistics,' he said. 'Starship is important to replace heavy lift loss of SLS, as are smaller launch vehicles to support higher cadence. "Near-term loss of Nasa key infrastructure elements, I believe, will incentivise and tap into fast response by industry to step up, support Nasa goals and accelerate their science goals.' While SpaceX leads the current heavy-lift race, it is not the only private company in the game. Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, has also developed its own heavy-lift rocket, called New Glenn. The vehicle was launched successfully for the first time in January. The Federal Aviation Administration recently approved up to 25 Starship launches a year, up from only five previously, giving SpaceX a clearer path to scaling up operations. Mr Musk is set to arrive in the UAE on Thursday, as part of a Gulf visit alongside US President Donald Trump.
The National
15-05-2025
- Business
- The National
Success of Elon Musk's Starship ‘more important than ever' in light of proposed budget cuts to Nasa
SpaceX's Starship rocket is poised to become one of the most critical assets in US space ambitions, experts have said. The comments come as the White House's proposed budget cuts cast doubt on Nasa projects such as the SLS rocket and Orion capsule, both technologies which would be used to take astronauts to the Moon. Space industry experts told The National that Starship could be the foundation of a new era in exploration, one that relies on powerful rockets, called heavy-lift vehicles, capable of carrying megatons of cargo and astronauts to the Moon and Mars. The Starship rocket, however, is still under development, with test flights being carried out since 2023 from Boca Chica, Texas. The next test flight is potentially scheduled for May 21. 'With the future of Nasa's SLS and Orion uncertain due to rising costs and limited reusability, Starship is increasingly emerging as the de facto backbone of US launch infrastructure,' said Lin Kayser, co-founder of Dubai company Leap 71, which develops artificial-intelligence models to generate rocket engines. 'SpaceX is already the primary launch provider for the US government and with Starship it becomes a near-monopoly at the high end of launch capability. That level of centralisation raises strategic concerns but it also highlights how far ahead SpaceX has pulled.' Nasa had developed the SLS rocket for its Moon programme Artemis but each launch would have reportedly cost $4 billion and the entire programme is behind schedule. Billionaire Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, has said Starship projects would be at a fraction of cost. SpaceX has also made rapid progress through an iterative testing approach, which has helped speed up development compared to traditional government programmes. The company, however, still faces technical challenges before commercial operations of the powerful rocket can begin. Starship's eighth test flight in March ended with the spacecraft destroyed, though the booster was recovered successfully. The test next week will be crucial in proving the vehicle's ability to operate reliably and safely. 'With Nasa's budget cuts looming and SLS and Orion on the chopping block, Starship has become increasingly important,' said Sahith Madara, an aerospace engineer and founder of Paris advisory firm Bumi & Space. 'It's ironic to see that what was once a 'back-up' is now carrying the entire weight of the US deep-space ambitions.' The shift comes as the White House proposes slashing Nasa's budget by 24 per cent, from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion, in 2026. The cut could affect major science missions, the International Space Station and planned Moon landings. It could also reshape how the US approaches space exploration, with the private sector playing a more dominant role. Mr Kayser said Starship is also important in enabling a range of new commercial applications in orbit. 'Starship is the enabler for an entire class of orbital infrastructure. Starlink 2.0 cannot launch without it. The upcoming generation of direct-to-device internet, including global smartphone connectivity and real-time voice calls from orbit, will hinge on this vehicle,' said Mr Kayser. He said beyond communications, companies are exploring the use of space for data centres and advanced manufacturing, thanks to Starship's scale and payload capacity. 'AI data centre infrastructure is now migrating to space to take advantage of unlimited solar energy and passive radiative cooling," he said. 'It's about who will dominate the next trillion-dollar layer of the global economy. Anyone who wants to compete in that race needs to be building right now.' Dave Barnhart, chief executive of California-based space infrastructure firm Arkisys, said the proposed cuts could push industry players to step up faster to fill the gaps. 'The ability for Nasa to continue its fundamental mission of science growth in space requires a variety of transport, platform and ground logistics,' he said. 'Starship is important to replace heavy lift loss of SLS, as are smaller launch vehicles to support higher cadence. "Near-term loss of Nasa key infrastructure elements, I believe, will incentivise and tap into fast response by industry to step up, support Nasa goals and accelerate their science goals.' While SpaceX leads the current heavy-lift race, it is not the only private company in the game. Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, has also developed its own heavy-lift rocket, called New Glenn. The vehicle was launched successfully for the first time in January. The Federal Aviation Administration recently approved up to 25 Starship launches a year, up from only five previously, giving SpaceX a clearer path to scaling up operations. Mr Musk is set to arrive in the UAE on Thursday, as part of a Gulf visit alongside US President Donald Trump.
Zawya
01-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
LEAP 71 scales computational rocket engine development to meganewton-class thrust
Dubai, UAE — LEAP 71 has announced the next phase of its rocket engine program, scaling its computational engineering methodology to develop meganewton-class propulsion systems. Building on the successful validation of smaller-scale engines, the company is now advancing two reference designs: the Noyron XRA-2E5, a 200 kN aerospike engine, and the Noyron XRB-2E6, a 2000 kN bell-nozzle engine. Both new reference rocket motors are conceived as complete propulsion systems, including the turbomachinery required to power them. At the core of this effort is Noyron, LEAP 71's Large Computational Engineering Model, which encodes physics-informed logic to autonomously generate manufacturable hardware—without human intervention. 'The aerospike and bell-nozzle engines we are developing are not separate efforts—they are different phenotypes of the same computational DNA,' said Josefine Lissner, Managing Director of LEAP 71 and principal architect of the Noyron model. 'This unified approach allows us to explore fundamentally different engine architectures without reinventing the wheel every time. It's a systematic way of scaling complexity.' LEAP 71's methodology combines Computational Engineering with the latest advancements in industrial 3D printing. The recent maturation of very large-format metal Additive Manufacturing systems—with build volumes exceeding 1.5 m in all dimensions—has made it possible to directly produce complex, high-thrust engine components at full scale. This breakthrough enables radically reduced part counts, sometimes down to a single component, and eliminates the need for intricate multi-part assemblies, easing precision requirements and minimizing post-machining operations. The company previously demonstrated this principle with its 5 kN aerospike engine, manufactured as a single monolithic piece of copper. The new reference designs push this approach dramatically further. Components such as the 600 mm-diameter injector head of the XRB-2E6 and its sea-level nozzle, requiring a build height of approximately 1.6 m, exemplify the scale and complexity now achievable. 'The hardest challenge remains translating a computational model into real, testable hardware,' said Lin Kayser, Co-Founder of LEAP 71. 'Especially in turbomachinery, where sealing, material fatigue, and transient conditions during startup and shutdown are critical. These are not just design problems — they demand practical testing, iteration, and close collaboration with manufacturing partners.' The program follows a phased, multi-year approach. Initial testing will focus on simpler configurations, such as gas generator cycles, establishing a robust foundation before scaling to more advanced systems. While the ambition is long-term, the roadmap is concrete. LEAP 71 is targeting the first test campaign of the XRA-2E5 aerospike engine within 18 months, with the XRB-2E6 bell-nozzle engine, based on a full-flow staged combustion cycle, planned for readiness by 2029. 'This is a long journey, but the speed at which we can progress with computational engineering and modern manufacturing tools is encouraging,' added Lissner. 'We believe this approach has the potential to change how propulsion systems are engineered and built.' LEAP 71 is actively collaborating with Additive Manufacturing partners to qualify production processes for full-scale hardware. In parallel, the company is working with customers to translate the DNA of its reference designs into flight-ready propulsion systems for orbital missions. About LEAP 71 LEAP 71 is a global technology company headquartered in Dubai, UAE, pioneering the emerging field of Computational Engineering. Using advanced software algorithms, the company autonomously designs complex physical products. At the core of LEAP 71's work is Noyron, a Large Computational Engineering Model that enables the rapid generation of sophisticated machinery without manual drafting or CAD. Noyron has been described as 'the first AI that builds machines.' In 2024, LEAP 71 reached a major milestone by successfully test-firing multiple 3D-printed, liquid-fuel rocket engines designed entirely using Noyron—demonstrating the transformative potential of its approach. In collaboration with global partners, the company is accelerating innovation across industries including aerospace, electric mobility, and thermal systems. For more information, visit:
