Nerva Technologies · Solid propulsion
The core of every system, produced at the scale the moment demands.
Why solid propulsion
Solid propulsion is the backbone of modern defence systems: highly energetic, simple and reliable, ready to store for years and deploy in an instant.
Fewer moving parts, instant start-up and high thrust in a robust, low-cost package.
It is the technology that makes it possible to produce at the quantities European rearmament demands.
Solid rocket motor
01 What a solid rocket motor is
A solid rocket motor is a highly robust and reliable propulsion system. Unlike other motors, which need tanks, pumps, valves and piping, here both the fuel and the oxidiser are contained in a single solid mass — the propellant — integrated within the motor itself. This removes the need for external systems: all it takes is an igniter to light it so that it produces thrust almost instantly.
02 How it works
Once ignited, the propellant burns from the inside out and releases enormous quantities of gas at high pressure and temperature. That gas is expelled at several times the speed of sound through the nozzle at the rear of the motor, driving the rocket in the opposite direction. The geometry into which the propellant is moulded inside determines how much force it generates and for how long — that is, the motor's thrust curve.
Solid rocket motor
01 Air defence
Solid propulsion is the foundation of modern missiles, from air-defence systems to long-range artillery. Its ability to be stored for years and launched instantly, with no preparation or reloading, makes it the reference technology for defence systems ready to operate at any moment.
02 Hypersonic regime
Reaching speeds above five times the speed of sound demands high, sustained thrust within fractions of a second. Solid motors accelerate these vehicles into the hypersonic regime with a reliability and simplicity that liquid systems can rarely match at this phase of flight.
03 Access to space
Solid motors act as lift-off boosters on many launch vehicles, delivering the enormous initial thrust needed to overcome gravity. Their high energy density and robustness make them ideal for the most demanding stages of an orbital launch.
04 Uncrewed systems
In assisted-launch systems, a solid motor provides the instant impulse that puts a drone in the air from a fixed or mobile platform, with no runway needed. Immediate start-up and controlled force allow take-off in just a few metres.
05 Escape systems
In the ejection seats of military aircraft or in space capsules, every millisecond counts. Solid propulsion guarantees an instant start and an absolutely reliable response, propelling the pilot clear of the aircraft in critical conditions where there is no margin for failure.
06 Atmospheric science
Sounding rockets carry scientific instrumentation into the upper atmosphere to study phenomena impossible to measure from the ground. The simplicity, low cost and reliability of solid propulsion make them the ideal choice for these suborbital missions.
Nerva Technologies // From motor to system