Where We're Headed

Roadmap

Milestones

Where Equilibrium Aerospace sits today

We have completed a hydrogen-fuelled Rotating Detonation Engine demonstrator. This places us at a meaningful milestone in the development process: we have proven that the core physics work in a controlled environment.

In plain terms, we are past the “does this work in theory?” phase and firmly into the “we have demonstrated it works in practice” phase. The remaining journey is about hardening that proven engine into a flight-ready, deployable system.

The progression ahead

  1. Completed

    TRL 5: Hydrogen-fuelled prototype

    Successful demonstration of a complete propulsion system at Mach 4 in the hypersonic wind tunnel.

    RDE under Mach 4 wind-tunnel test
  2. We are here nowNext

    TRL 6: Kerosene-fuelled prototype (2027)

    A new engine in a practical flight-ready configuration will be tested in the hypersonic wind tunnel. The engine will incorporate a fuel system, an ignition system and a data acquisition system on board.

    Flight-ready engine with onboard fuel, ignition & data systems
  3. Then

    TRL 7: Vertical flight tests (2028)

    The RDE will be installed on top of a rocket booster and jettisoned at Mach 3 at 30,000 ft. altitude. The RDE will then be started, and it will continue to accelerate vertically up under its own thrust in a short-duration operation (nominally 3 seconds).

    Booster-launched RDE igniting for vertical ascent
  4. Then

    TRL 8: Horizontal flight tests (2029)

    The RDE will be integrated with a missile platform for long-duration flights. The engine is expected to travel nearly 100 km over 60 seconds of operation.

    RDE-powered missile in sustained horizontal flight
  5. Goal

    TRL 9: Hypersonic cruise missile (2030)

    The first operational hypersonic cruise missile will be deployed. Subsequently, mass production will begin.

    Operational hypersonic cruise missile
  6. Goal

    Operational Hypersonic System

    Fielding a fully operational hypersonic cruise missile powered by our engine — a deployable product in the hands of end users, completing the journey from laboratory concept to operational capability.

Path Forward

Reaching a fielded product takes focused investment across three areas. Together they turn a proven demonstrator into a flight-ready, deployable hypersonic system — but the opportunity is far larger than a single product. This technology will change the entire aerospace industry.

Rotating Detonation Engines will enable cost-effective hypersonic flight, and that reach goes far beyond cruise missiles — opening the door to reusable launch vehicles, high-speed aircraft, and a new generation of space and defence platforms.

Research & Testing

Ongoing collaboration with world-class research institutions, hypersonic wind tunnel testing campaigns, high-performance computing, and the technical support needed to validate and refine the engine design.

Hardware

The physical engine hardware, data acquisition systems, fuel and ignition systems, and instrumentation required to build and test each successive prototype.

Business Operations

The team, legal, accounting, software, insurance, travel, and conference presence needed to operate and grow the company professionally.

Investing in the next milestone

Equilibrium Aerospace is actively seeking its first external investment to advance the engine to the next TRL milestone. This initial pre-seed round is the first in a planned series of funding rounds — each tied to a clear technical milestone — that will take the technology from demonstrator to deployable product.

Investors joining early are backing a company at the frontier of hypersonic propulsion, at exactly the stage where the technology risk is resolving and the commercial opportunity is coming into view.

Pre-Seed Round Open

Join Equilibrium — invest $10,000,000 USD and transform the aerospace industry.

Become an investor

Let's build the future.

contact@equilibriumaerospace.com

For all enquiries, please reach us at contact@equilibriumaerospace.com. We aim to respond as soon as possible.