Pangea Aerospace, based in Barcelona, Spain, has secured €7.27 million in funding from the Spanish government to advance the development of its ARCOS aerospike engine. The funding, awarded through Spain’s Space Technology Programme (PTE) 2024, aims to support the maturation of disruptive space technologies. The grant is part of a €70 million funding initiative announced by the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI) on April 9, 2024, under the Strategic Projects for Economic Recovery and Transformation (PERTE) Aerospace programme.
The ARCOS engine is set to revolutionize space propulsion, with Pangea Aerospace attributing its advancements to the use of Additive Manufacturing and new materials. These innovations have significantly improved the thermal properties of the aerospike engine, setting it apart from conventional designs. ARCOS is expected to generate 750 kN of thrust and will be used in the upper stages of medium and heavy launch vehicles. Moreover, the engine is designed to support the re-entry and reuse of upper stages, a feature currently only demonstrated by SpaceX’s Starship.
The €7.27 million grant, although a substantial contribution, will not fully cover the total estimated project cost of €11.6 million. The remainder will be funded by consortium partners. The MERLIn (Efficient and Reusable Engine for International Launchers) project, which is leading the development, is headed by ITP Aero, a key player in the propulsion systems for the project. Other partners include Sener, which will provide the thrust vector control system, and Aenium Engineering, responsible for supplying advanced materials and additive manufacturing technology.
Pangea Aerospace, which will receive the largest share of the grant (€3.9 million), is responsible for the engine’s full development, including design, manufacturing, and testing. This project marks a significant step towards the realization of reusable and efficient propulsion systems for the space industry.