Hypergolic Vacuum Test Stand Commissioned by Frontier Aerospace
New Facility Unlocks Rapid, High Fidelity Propulsion Development and Qualification
The first hot fire test has been successfully completed at the new Frontier Aerospace hypergolic vacuum test stand, marking a major expansion of the company's in-house testing capability. The inaugural campaign validated Frontier's latest MON/MMH satellite engine and underscores the company's commitment to provide customers with the fastest path from concept to flight-qualified hardware.
"There is a clear need for faster, more flexible propulsion testing."
Jim McKinnon, Frontier Aerospace
Demand for hypergolic propulsion is growing – from "Golden Dome" missile-intercept initiatives and maneuver-on-demand military satellites, to NASA's lunar exploration and increased commercial space missions – yet US testing capacity remains bottlenecked by a handful of fully booked, aging facilities, forcing new programs to wait months and sometimes years for a testing window. Frontier's new test facility fills that gap, offering customers a readily accessible, high-thrust hypergolic stand capable of moving programs from bench-top concept to flight qualification. This expansion not only strengthens Frontier's offerings but also opens a critical avenue for accelerated propulsion development across the industry.
"There is a clear need for faster, more flexible propulsion testing," said Jim McKinnon, president and CEO of Frontier Aerospace. "After testing at several different facilities with varying limitations, we decided to build a facility that delivers superior data, greater schedule certainty and rapid turnaround time. Our customers can now qualify cutting-edge engines on an accelerated cadence."
Engineered to meet the demanding requirements of commercial and defense programs, the stand supports steady-state and pulse-mode engine firings up to 1000 lbf under vacuum conditions. Extensive instrumentation, high-speed data acquisition, and propellant-temperature conditioning deliver high-fidelity performance data across a broad range of hypergolic propellants – including MON-25/MMH and emerging advanced formulations – enabling precise, repeatable results that accelerate engine development and drive down mission risk.