Lockheed Martin Invests in Venus Aerospace to Advance Rotating Detonation Rocket Engines

Venus Aerospace announced a strategic investment from Lockheed Martin Ventures, accelerating development of its rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) technology following a successful high-thrust flight test earlier this year. 

The test, described as a world first, marked a major milestone for next-generation propulsion and represents the first new rocket engine architecture to demonstrate flight-proven performance since the Apollo era.

Venus is currently the only company with a flight-proven, high-thrust RDRE and a clear plan toward scalable production. 

The company aims to bring RDRE and its detonation ramjet technologies into operational systems across space launch, hypersonics, and high-speed aviation, positioning the platform for both defense and commercial applications.

The investment underscores growing collaboration between defense primes and emerging propulsion companies as the United States seeks to advance capabilities in strategic areas such as hypersonics and reusable high-speed systems. 

Venus Aerospace has raised more than $100 million to date and continues to work with government and commercial partners to mature its engine family for mission deployment.