{
  "id": "rocket-lab-rutherford",
  "title": "Rutherford engine",
  "maker": "Rocket Lab",
  "maker_type": "Commercial",
  "kind": "mission",
  "category": "engines",
  "page": "https://spacemushroom.com/space-products/rocket-lab-rutherford/",
  "website": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
  "summary": "Rocket Lab's electric pump-fed LOX/kerosene engine for Electron; the Payload User Guide says all primary components are additively manufactured and the pumps run on brushless DC motors and lithium polymer batteries. No alloy is named by Rocket Lab.",
  "application": "Rutherford engines power both stages of Rocket Lab's Electron small launcher: nine sea-level engines on the first stage and one vacuum-optimized engine on the second. Electric motors and lithium polymer batteries drive the propellant pumps instead of a gas generator, and the main engine parts are 3D printed. It is a reference for how additive manufacturing and battery-driven pumps simplify a small launcher engine.",
  "story": null,
  "specifications": [
    {
      "label": "Sea-level thrust (stage 1 engine, each)",
      "value": "5,600 lbf (24 kN)",
      "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
      "quote": "5600 LBF Sea Level (Per Engine)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Sea-level specific impulse (stage 1 engine)",
      "value": "311 s",
      "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
      "quote": "311 Sec"
    },
    {
      "label": "Vacuum thrust (stage 2 engine)",
      "value": "5,800 lbf",
      "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
      "quote": "5800 LBF Vacuum"
    },
    {
      "label": "Vacuum specific impulse (stage 2 engine)",
      "value": "343 s",
      "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
      "quote": "343 Sec"
    },
    {
      "label": "Earlier thrust rating (2015 announcement)",
      "value": "4,600 lbf",
      "source_url": "https://australianmanufacturing.com.au/?p=27930",
      "quote": "the 4,600 lbf Rutherford engine adopts an entirely new electric propulsion cycle"
    },
    {
      "label": "Propellants",
      "value": "Liquid oxygen and kerosene (RP-1)",
      "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
      "quote": "LOX/Kerosene"
    },
    {
      "label": "Cycle",
      "value": "Electric pump-fed (brushless DC motors and lithium polymer batteries drive the pumps)",
      "source_url": "https://australianmanufacturing.com.au/?p=27930",
      "quote": "making use of high-performance brushless DC electric motors and lithium-polymer batteries to drive its turbopumps"
    },
    {
      "label": "Pump power",
      "value": "More than 50 horsepower from each of two turbo-pumps",
      "source_url": "https://www.satellitetoday.com/launch/2015/04/15/rocket-lab-to-use-3-d-printed-engines-for-electron-rocket/",
      "quote": "two turbo-pumps produce more than 50 horsepower each"
    },
    {
      "label": "Engines on Electron stage 1",
      "value": "Nine sea-level engines",
      "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
      "quote": "9x Rutherford Sea Level Engines"
    },
    {
      "label": "Engines on Electron stage 2",
      "value": "One vacuum engine",
      "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
      "quote": "1x Rutherford Vacuum Engine"
    },
    {
      "label": "Stage 1 lift-off thrust (2017 report)",
      "value": "About 34,500 lbf from nine engines",
      "source_url": "https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/05/20/small-satellite-launcher-set-for-first-orbital-test-flight/",
      "quote": "producing around 34,500 pounds of thrust at liftoff"
    },
    {
      "label": "Stage 1 thrust later in flight (2017 report)",
      "value": "Up to 41,500 lbf from nine engines",
      "source_url": "https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/05/20/small-satellite-launcher-set-for-first-orbital-test-flight/",
      "quote": "powering up to 41,500 pounds of thrust later in the flight"
    },
    {
      "label": "First Electron launch (Spaceflight Now report of 25 May 2017)",
      "value": "Test flight lifted off at 4:20 p.m. New Zealand time with nine Rutherford engines",
      "source_url": "https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/05/25/maiden-flight-of-rocket-labs-small-satellite-launcher-reaches-space/",
      "quote": "Liftoff occurred at 4:20 p.m. local time in New Zealand"
    },
    {
      "label": "Printed components",
      "value": "Chamber, injector, pumps and main propellant valves",
      "source_url": "https://www.popsci.com/rocket-labs-got-3d-printed-battery-powered-rocket-engine",
      "quote": "Its engine chamber, injector, turbopumps, and main propellant valves are all printed and assembled into a lightweight shape."
    },
    {
      "label": "Production",
      "value": "1,000th engine built (2026 report)",
      "source_url": "https://3dadept.com/rocket-labs-1000th-rutherford-engine-when-additive-manufacturing-becomes-a-competitive-moat/",
      "quote": "the 1,000th Rutherford engine has rolled off its production line"
    }
  ],
  "features": [
    {
      "text": "Electric propulsion cycle instead of a gas generator",
      "source_url": "https://australianmanufacturing.com.au/?p=27930",
      "quote": "Unlike traditional propulsion cycles based on complex and expensive gas generators"
    },
    {
      "text": "All primary components are 3D printed, including chamber, injector, pumps and main propellant valves",
      "source_url": "https://australianmanufacturing.com.au/?p=27930",
      "quote": "to use 3D printing for all primary components including its engine chamber, injector, pumps and main propellant valves"
    },
    {
      "text": "Stage 2 engine is the same design with a larger expansion ratio nozzle",
      "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
      "quote": "The Stage 1 and Stage 2 Rutherford engines are identical, with the exception of a larger expansion ratio nozzle for Stage 2"
    },
    {
      "text": "Designed and built in-house in Long Beach, California",
      "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
      "quote": "All aspects of the Rutherford engines are completely designed in-house and are manufactured directly at our Long Beach headquarters in California"
    },
    {
      "text": "Engine parts printed in days rather than months (2015 claim)",
      "source_url": "https://www.satellitetoday.com/launch/2015/04/15/rocket-lab-to-use-3-d-printed-engines-for-electron-rocket/",
      "quote": "within three days we have all of the components printed necessary to produce a whole engine"
    },
    {
      "text": "Pre-flown engine hot-fired for reuse",
      "source_url": "https://3dprint.com/299610/to-space-and-back-rocket-lab-to-reuse-3d-printed-rutherford-engine/",
      "quote": "the pre-flown engine performed flawlessly and on par with a new Rutherford engine"
    },
    {
      "text": "Engine thrust vectoring by electromechanical actuators",
      "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
      "quote": "electromechanical thrust vector actuators"
    }
  ],
  "parts": [
    {
      "assembly": "Thrust chamber and nozzle",
      "parts": [
        {
          "part": "Regeneratively cooled thrust chamber (3D printed)",
          "material": null,
          "form": "additively manufactured, regeneratively cooled",
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": "Process reported as electron beam melting (Popular Science 2015) and as EOS machines (3DPrint.com 2023); alloy not stated",
          "quote": "including the regeneratively cooled thrust chamber, injector pumps, and main propellant valves",
          "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": null
        },
        {
          "part": "Nozzle (3D printed)",
          "material": null,
          "form": "additively manufactured",
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": null,
          "quote": "EOS to 3D print the engine combustion chamber and nozzle for its Rutherford engine",
          "source_url": "https://3dprint.com/299610/to-space-and-back-rocket-lab-to-reuse-3d-printed-rutherford-engine/",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": null
        },
        {
          "part": "Stage 2 vacuum nozzle (larger expansion ratio)",
          "material": null,
          "form": null,
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": "Stage 1 sea-level engines use the smaller nozzle",
          "quote": "The Stage 1 and Stage 2 Rutherford engines are identical, with the exception of a larger expansion ratio nozzle for Stage 2",
          "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": null
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "assembly": "Injector",
      "parts": [
        {
          "part": "Injector (3D printed)",
          "material": null,
          "form": "additively manufactured",
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": "Renishaw DMLS platforms per the 2023 report",
          "quote": "direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) platforms to 3D print injectors for the Rutherford",
          "source_url": "https://3dprint.com/299610/to-space-and-back-rocket-lab-to-reuse-3d-printed-rutherford-engine/",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": null
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "assembly": "Electric pump drive",
      "parts": [
        {
          "part": "Propellant pumps (LOX and kerosene, electrically driven)",
          "material": null,
          "form": "3D printed turbopumps, two per engine",
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": "Electric turbo-pumping system",
          "quote": "Its engine chamber, injector, turbopumps, and main propellant valves are all printed and assembled into a lightweight shape.",
          "source_url": "https://www.popsci.com/rocket-labs-got-3d-printed-battery-powered-rocket-engine",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": null
        },
        {
          "part": "Brushless DC electric motors (two per engine)",
          "material": null,
          "form": "brushless DC motors driving the pumps directly",
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": "More than 50 horsepower each (Via Satellite 2015)",
          "quote": "two 50 horsepower brushless motors powered by a bank of lithium polymer batteries",
          "source_url": "https://hackaday.com/2018/01/29/smaller-and-smarter-the-electron-rocket-takes-flight",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": null
        },
        {
          "part": "High-voltage battery packs",
          "material": "lithium polymer batteries",
          "form": "battery packs (HVBs)",
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": "Stage 2 carries three packs; the first two are jettisoned when depleted (Payload User Guide)",
          "quote": "the pumps are powered by electric motors with lithium polymer batteries.",
          "source_url": "https://www.popsci.com/rocket-labs-got-3d-printed-battery-powered-rocket-engine",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": "lithium-polymer-battery"
        },
        {
          "part": "Battery sequencing on stage 2",
          "material": null,
          "form": null,
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": "A third pack takes over after depletion and the first two are jettisoned to reduce mass (Payload User Guide)",
          "quote": "two HVBs power the electric pumps",
          "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": null
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "assembly": "Valves and thrust vector control",
      "parts": [
        {
          "part": "Main propellant valves (3D printed)",
          "material": null,
          "form": "additively manufactured",
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": null,
          "quote": "Its engine chamber, injector, turbopumps, and main propellant valves are all printed and assembled into a lightweight shape.",
          "source_url": "https://www.popsci.com/rocket-labs-got-3d-printed-battery-powered-rocket-engine",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": null
        },
        {
          "part": "Electromechanical thrust vector actuators",
          "material": null,
          "form": null,
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": "Two-axis thrust vector control; roll control by cold gas reaction control system (Payload User Guide)",
          "quote": "electromechanical thrust vector actuators",
          "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": null
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "assembly": "Propellants and pressurisation",
      "parts": [
        {
          "part": "Oxidizer: liquid oxygen (LOX)",
          "material": "liquid oxygen",
          "form": "cryogenic liquid",
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": null,
          "quote": "common bulkhead tanks for LOx and RP-1",
          "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": "liquid-oxygen"
        },
        {
          "part": "Fuel: RP-1 kerosene",
          "material": "RP-1 kerosene",
          "form": "liquid fuel",
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": null,
          "quote": "common bulkhead tanks for LOx and RP-1",
          "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": "rp-1-kerosene"
        },
        {
          "part": "Pressurant system for pump inlet pressure",
          "material": null,
          "form": null,
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": "Pressurant gas not named",
          "quote": "a pressurant system is used to provide enough pump inlet pressure to safely operate",
          "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": null
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "assembly": "Whole engine (general statement)",
      "parts": [
        {
          "part": "Printed engine components (general statement)",
          "material": "titanium and other alloys (alloys not named)",
          "form": "additively manufactured",
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": "Engadget 2015 wording; Rocket Lab's own guide names no alloy. Metal powders supplied by Carpenter Technology (3DPrint.com 2023)",
          "quote": "print the components of the Rutherford engine out of titanium and other alloys",
          "source_url": "https://www.engadget.com/2015/04/15/rocket-lab-rutherford-engine",
          "profile": "titanium",
          "mid": "titanium"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "materials": [
    {
      "id": "lithium-polymer-battery",
      "name": "lithium polymer batteries",
      "material_page": null
    },
    {
      "id": "liquid-oxygen",
      "name": "liquid oxygen",
      "material_page": null
    },
    {
      "id": "rp-1-kerosene",
      "name": "RP-1 kerosene",
      "material_page": null
    },
    {
      "id": "titanium",
      "name": "titanium and other alloys (alloys not named)",
      "material_page": "https://spacemushroom.com/profiles/titanium/"
    }
  ],
  "standards": [],
  "relations": [
    {
      "type": "part_of",
      "target": "Electron",
      "target_slug": "rocket-lab-electron",
      "note": "Nine sea-level Rutherford engines on stage 1 and one vacuum Rutherford on stage 2",
      "quote": "The Electron rocket uses nine Rutherford engines to power the first stage, and one slightly modified Rutherford engine for the second stage.",
      "source_url": "https://www.satellitetoday.com/launch/2015/04/15/rocket-lab-to-use-3-d-printed-engines-for-electron-rocket/"
    },
    {
      "type": "supplied_by",
      "target": "Rocket Lab",
      "target_slug": null,
      "note": "Designed in-house and built at the Long Beach headquarters",
      "quote": "All aspects of the Rutherford engines are completely designed in-house and are manufactured directly at our Long Beach headquarters in California",
      "source_url": "https://rocketlabcorp.com/assets/Rocket-Lab-Electron-Payload-User-Guide-8.0.pdf"
    },
    {
      "type": "supplied_by",
      "target": "Carpenter Technology",
      "target_slug": null,
      "note": "Metal powders for the 3D printing processes (alloy not named)",
      "quote": "Carpenter Technology for the metal powders used in its 3D printing processes",
      "source_url": "https://3dprint.com/299610/to-space-and-back-rocket-lab-to-reuse-3d-printed-rutherford-engine/"
    }
  ],
  "not_published": "No alloy grade, chamber liner, wall thickness, pump or motor construction, bearing, seal or valve material is published in the sources found; no standards. Igniter not described.",
  "depth": "materials-only",
  "photos": [],
  "context": {
    "size": [],
    "mass": [],
    "orbit": []
  },
  "licence": "Product data CC BY 4.0, cite Space Mushroom. Photos keep their own licences, given per photo.",
  "mcp": "https://spacemushroom.com/mcp"
}