LAUNCH MISSION
Stoke Space Nova Demo Flight
Status
TBD
DATE
31 MAR 2027
LAUNCH PROVIDER
Stoke Space
Launch Pad
Space Launch Complex 14
Description
First launch of Stoke Space’s Nova launch vehicle. Asteroid mining technologies company AstroForge will fly a spacecraft on this launch. Planned reusability of the 2 stages is TBD.
Nova
Rocket Description
Stoke Space’s Nova launch vehicle is a planned fully reusable 2-stage rocket. The 1st stage uses 7 Zenith Full-flow staged-combustion (FFSC) engines using Liquified natural gas/liquid oxygen (LNG/LOX) as fuel, with restartable capability and landing legs for landing. The 2nd stage is unconventionally designed around a 24-thrust chamber liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen (LH2/LOX) expander cycle rocket engine that surrounds a regeneratively cooled heat shield, thus enabling the upper stage to return to Earth from orbit without thermal tiles. The nozzle accommodates deep throttle operation even in the presence of atmospheric pressure and serves as an actively cooled metallic heat shield during atmospheric reentry. There is also a center passive bleed that aims to create an aerospike engine-like effect for improved efficiency.