Rubicon ASCENT Thruster Advances from Hot‑Fire Testing to Production
Rubicon Space Systems announced that it has finished the hot‑fire test campaign for its Velox 5‑newton ASCENT monopropellant thruster. The tests were conducted at the company’s facilities in San Francisco and verified that the propulsion unit meets the required performance thresholds.
According to the firm, the successful test campaign clears the path for the thruster to be integrated into spacecraft slated for launch beginning in 2027. The ASCENT system is designed to provide precise attitude control and small‑scale maneuvering for satellites and other orbital platforms.
The Velox‑based thruster uses a monopropellant that decomposes exothermically to generate thrust, offering a simple feed‑system and high reliability. Rubicon noted that the test data showed performance margins exceeding the design specifications, which reduces risk for future flight hardware.
With the hot‑fire phase completed, the company will now move toward qualification testing, production tooling and eventual delivery to customers. Rubicon expects the first flight units to be available for integration in the mid‑2020s, supporting a range of missions from low‑Earth orbit constellations to deep‑space probes.
The ASCENT thruster joins a growing portfolio of green propulsion solutions that aim to reduce the use of hazardous hydrazine‑based systems. By relying on a monopropellant that is safer to handle and store, Rubicon addresses both performance and environmental concerns raised by satellite operators and regulatory bodies.