{
  "id": "spacex-superdraco",
  "title": "SuperDraco engine",
  "maker": "SpaceX",
  "maker_type": "Commercial",
  "kind": "mission",
  "category": "engines",
  "page": "https://spacemushroom.com/space-products/spacex-superdraco/",
  "website": "https://nss.org/spacex-completes-qualification-testing-of-superdraco-thruster-for-launch-escape-system-on-dragon-spacecraft/",
  "summary": "SpaceX's hypergolic launch escape engine for Crew Dragon; SpaceX states the combustion chamber is 3D printed by direct metal laser sintering in Inconel and is regeneratively cooled.",
  "application": "Eight SuperDraco engines are built into the side walls of the Crew Dragon capsule to pull it away from a failing Falcon 9 at any point on the ascent. SpaceX fired all eight in a pad abort test in May 2015 and NASA reports a launch escape test in January 2020. The engine is a reference for a flight-qualified 3D printed superalloy combustion chamber.",
  "story": null,
  "specifications": [
    {
      "label": "Thrust per engine (SpaceX release)",
      "value": "16,000 lbf",
      "source_url": "https://nss.org/spacex-completes-qualification-testing-of-superdraco-thruster-for-launch-escape-system-on-dragon-spacecraft/",
      "quote": "Each SuperDraco produces 16,000 pounds of thrust"
    },
    {
      "label": "Thrust per engine (New Atlas, 2014)",
      "value": "16,400 lbf",
      "source_url": "https://newatlas.com/superdraco-test/32292",
      "quote": "which works out to 16,400 lb of thrust"
    },
    {
      "label": "Thrust measured in the pad abort test (NASA, 2015)",
      "value": "About 15,000 lbf per engine for about six seconds",
      "source_url": "https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/spacex-demonstrates-astronaut-escape-system-for-crew-dragon-spacecraft-0",
      "quote": "The engines fired for about six seconds, instantly producing about 15,000 pounds of thrust each"
    },
    {
      "label": "Total axial thrust from eight engines",
      "value": "Up to 120,000 lbf",
      "source_url": "https://nss.org/spacex-completes-qualification-testing-of-superdraco-thruster-for-launch-escape-system-on-dragon-spacecraft/",
      "quote": "Eight SuperDraco engines built into the side walls of the Dragon spacecraft will produce up to 120,000 pounds of axial thrust"
    },
    {
      "label": "Propellants",
      "value": "Monomethylhydrazine fuel and nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer (hypergolic)",
      "source_url": "https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/spacex-demonstrates-astronaut-escape-system-for-crew-dragon-spacecraft-0",
      "quote": "Each engine, the chambers of which are 3-D printed, burns hypergolic propellants monomethylhydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide."
    },
    {
      "label": "Throttling",
      "value": "Deep throttling (range not stated in the sources read)",
      "source_url": "https://nss.org/spacex-completes-qualification-testing-of-superdraco-thruster-for-launch-escape-system-on-dragon-spacecraft/",
      "quote": "the engines have the ability to deep throttle"
    },
    {
      "label": "Restart",
      "value": "Multiple restarts",
      "source_url": "https://nss.org/spacex-completes-qualification-testing-of-superdraco-thruster-for-launch-escape-system-on-dragon-spacecraft/",
      "quote": "can be restarted multiple times if necessary"
    },
    {
      "label": "Engines on Crew Dragon",
      "value": "Eight, in four pods on the midbody side walls",
      "source_url": "https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/crew-dragons-superdraco-engines-fire/",
      "quote": "Eight SuperDraco engines fire in four pods on the midbody side walls of a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft"
    },
    {
      "label": "Qualification testing (SpaceX release of 28 May 2014)",
      "value": "Multiple starts, extended firing durations, extreme off-nominal propellant flow and temperatures",
      "source_url": "https://nss.org/spacex-completes-qualification-testing-of-superdraco-thruster-for-launch-escape-system-on-dragon-spacecraft/",
      "quote": "multiple starts, extended firing durations and extreme off-nominal propellant flow and temperatures"
    },
    {
      "label": "Hot fire of a printed chamber",
      "value": "Late 2013",
      "source_url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20150014261/downloads/20150014261.pdf",
      "quote": "A successful hot fire was performed in late 2013 using a 3-D printed chamber developed entirely in-house."
    },
    {
      "label": "Pad abort test (NASA release of 6 May 2015)",
      "value": "All eight engines fired together at 9 a.m. EDT",
      "source_url": "https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/spacex-demonstrates-astronaut-escape-system-for-crew-dragon-spacecraft-0",
      "quote": "The Crew Dragon simultaneously fired its eight SuperDraco engines at 9 a.m. EDT"
    },
    {
      "label": "In-flight abort test",
      "value": "January 2020",
      "source_url": "https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/commercial_crew_press_kit_2.pdf",
      "quote": "SpaceX completed a successful launch escape test of its Crew Dragon spacecraft abort system in January 2020"
    }
  ],
  "features": [
    {
      "text": "Combustion chamber is 3D printed by direct metal laser sintering",
      "source_url": "https://nss.org/spacex-completes-qualification-testing-of-superdraco-thruster-for-launch-escape-system-on-dragon-spacecraft/",
      "quote": "The SuperDraco engine chamber is manufactured using state-of-the-art direct metal laser sintering (DMLS)"
    },
    {
      "text": "Chamber is regeneratively cooled and printed in Inconel",
      "source_url": "https://nss.org/spacex-completes-qualification-testing-of-superdraco-thruster-for-launch-escape-system-on-dragon-spacecraft/",
      "quote": "The chamber is regeneratively cooled and printed in Inconel, a high-performance superalloy"
    },
    {
      "text": "Inconel chosen for strength and creep resistance at high temperature",
      "source_url": "https://3dprint.com/267919/ahead-of-historic-demo-2-astronaut-launch-all-spacex-has-3d-printed/amp/",
      "quote": "using an Inconel superalloy to ensure high performance, mechanical strength and creep resistance at high temperatures"
    },
    {
      "text": "Hypergolic propellants",
      "source_url": "https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/spacex-demonstrates-astronaut-escape-system-for-crew-dragon-spacecraft-0",
      "quote": "Each engine, the chambers of which are 3-D printed, burns hypergolic propellants monomethylhydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide."
    },
    {
      "text": "Deep throttling",
      "source_url": "https://nss.org/spacex-completes-qualification-testing-of-superdraco-thruster-for-launch-escape-system-on-dragon-spacecraft/",
      "quote": "the engines have the ability to deep throttle"
    },
    {
      "text": "Fast ramp from ignition to full throttle (New Atlas, 2014)",
      "source_url": "https://newatlas.com/superdraco-test/32292",
      "quote": "and can go from ignition to full throttle in 100 ms"
    },
    {
      "text": "Restartable",
      "source_url": "https://nss.org/spacex-completes-qualification-testing-of-superdraco-thruster-for-launch-escape-system-on-dragon-spacecraft/",
      "quote": "can be restarted multiple times if necessary"
    },
    {
      "text": "Eight engines give redundancy",
      "source_url": "https://nss.org/spacex-completes-qualification-testing-of-superdraco-thruster-for-launch-escape-system-on-dragon-spacecraft/",
      "quote": "the eight SuperDracos provide redundancy"
    },
    {
      "text": "Escape from any point on the ascent trajectory",
      "source_url": "https://nss.org/spacex-completes-qualification-testing-of-superdraco-thruster-for-launch-escape-system-on-dragon-spacecraft/",
      "quote": "escape from danger at any point during the ascent trajectory"
    },
    {
      "text": "SpaceX produced the chambers in partnership with NASA Commercial Crew Program",
      "source_url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20150014261/downloads/20150014261.pdf",
      "quote": "SpaceX produced SuperDraco engine chambers for the Crew Dragon spacecraft"
    }
  ],
  "parts": [
    {
      "assembly": "Thrust chamber",
      "parts": [
        {
          "part": "Combustion chamber with regenerative cooling (3D printed)",
          "material": "Inconel (alloy not stated)",
          "form": "3D printed (direct metal laser sintering), regeneratively cooled",
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": "Printed on an EOS direct metal laser sintering machine per 3DPrint.com (2020)",
          "quote": "The chamber is regeneratively cooled and printed in Inconel, a high-performance superalloy",
          "source_url": "https://nss.org/spacex-completes-qualification-testing-of-superdraco-thruster-for-launch-escape-system-on-dragon-spacecraft/",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": "inconel"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "assembly": "Engine installation",
      "parts": [
        {
          "part": "Engine pods on the midbody side walls (four pods of two engines)",
          "material": null,
          "form": "eight engines in four pods",
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": "Crew Dragon capsule midbody",
          "quote": "Eight SuperDraco engines fire in four pods on the midbody side walls of a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft",
          "source_url": "https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/crew-dragons-superdraco-engines-fire/",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": null
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "assembly": "Propellants",
      "parts": [
        {
          "part": "Fuel: monomethylhydrazine (MMH)",
          "material": "monomethylhydrazine",
          "form": "hypergolic liquid fuel",
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": null,
          "quote": "Each engine, the chambers of which are 3-D printed, burns hypergolic propellants monomethylhydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide.",
          "source_url": "https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/spacex-demonstrates-astronaut-escape-system-for-crew-dragon-spacecraft-0",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": "monomethylhydrazine"
        },
        {
          "part": "Oxidizer: nitrogen tetroxide (NTO)",
          "material": "nitrogen tetroxide",
          "form": "hypergolic liquid oxidizer",
          "finish": null,
          "standard": null,
          "hardware_ref": null,
          "quote": "Each engine, the chambers of which are 3-D printed, burns hypergolic propellants monomethylhydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide.",
          "source_url": "https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/spacex-demonstrates-astronaut-escape-system-for-crew-dragon-spacecraft-0",
          "profile": null,
          "mid": "dinitrogen-tetroxide"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "materials": [
    {
      "id": "inconel",
      "name": "Inconel (alloy not stated)",
      "material_page": null
    },
    {
      "id": "monomethylhydrazine",
      "name": "monomethylhydrazine",
      "material_page": null
    },
    {
      "id": "dinitrogen-tetroxide",
      "name": "nitrogen tetroxide",
      "material_page": null
    }
  ],
  "standards": [],
  "relations": [
    {
      "type": "part_of",
      "target": "Crew Dragon",
      "target_slug": "spacex-crew-dragon",
      "note": "Eight SuperDraco engines for the launch escape system, in four pods",
      "quote": "Crew Dragon features an advanced abort system with eight SuperDraco engines",
      "source_url": "https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/commercial_crew_press_kit_2.pdf"
    },
    {
      "type": "supplied_by",
      "target": "SpaceX",
      "target_slug": null,
      "note": "Chambers produced by SpaceX in-house under the NASA Commercial Crew Program partnership",
      "quote": "SpaceX produced SuperDraco engine chambers for the Crew Dragon spacecraft",
      "source_url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20150014261/downloads/20150014261.pdf"
    }
  ],
  "not_published": "No alloy grade, injector, nozzle, valve, pressurant, seal, pod or nacelle material is published in the sources found; no standards.",
  "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"
}