Comments on: Voyager wins $16.5 million DARPA contract to give solid-fueled rockets variable thrust https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/voyager-wins-16-5-million-darpa-contract-to-give-solid-fueled-rockets-variable-thrust/ Tue, 26 May 2026 18:13:23 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Cloudy https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/voyager-wins-16-5-million-darpa-contract-to-give-solid-fueled-rockets-variable-thrust/#comment-1632188 Tue, 26 May 2026 18:13:23 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=123968#comment-1632188 The operative word in this article is “post-manufacturing”, since solids do commonly vary thrust, but only in a fixed pattern set when the motor is built. The ability to change that pattern at will right before launch would confer a major military advantage. My guess is that would not mean much for space launch, though.

]]> By: Ray Van Dune https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/voyager-wins-16-5-million-darpa-contract-to-give-solid-fueled-rockets-variable-thrust/#comment-1632186 Tue, 26 May 2026 17:55:40 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=123968#comment-1632186 Significant words from announcement: “… to advance the development of a new propellant-embedded control technology that gives solid rocket motors (SRMs) tailorable, post-manufacturing thrust control…”

“Propellant-embedded”, eh? Sounds like a way to control propellant burn rate at run-time! Perhaps selectable at firing, as opposed modulated during flight?

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