The European Space Agency has published a tender aimed at beginning the development of a very high-thrust rocket engine for future heavy-lift launch vehicles.Article:
Here's the actual tender: https://esastar-publication-ext.sso.esa.int/ESATenderActions/details/71553"for the heavy liftcapability" implies that this tender is, indeed, to power something like EHLL.However, it could also serve for other purposes. It's similar in thrust to DLR's "SpaceLiner Main Engine", which they proposed would power a large winged RLV. It's also about twice the thrust of a Vulcain or Prometheus engine, so it could power a future upgrade of Ariane 6. In any case, the tender serves "to elaborate further the concept and de-risk the enablingtechnologies and infrastructures at the basis of such a very high thrust propulsion building block". In other words, "write a few papers". Don't expect any actual hardware until money is allocated at the 2025 ministerial council..
As part of ESA’s Future Launchers Preparatory Programme (FLPP), the first phase of hot-fire tests has been completed on a new, variable-thrust rocket engine in Warsaw, Poland. The engine is being developed by a Polish consortium investigating new designs for propellant valves and injectors that can vary the thrust of rocket engines powered by more sustainable and storable propellants. Such engines have great potential for use in future space missions and reusable rockets. The new engine is called the Throttleable Liquid Propulsion Demonstrator (TLPD), it is now being dismounted and inspected, with the results being analysed at the site of prime contractor ‘Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Aviation’ (Lukasiewicz-ILOT) in Poland, with partners Astronika and Jakusz SpaceTech, before the next phase of testing begins.
The throttleable engine includes a newly designed fuel injector and control valves. With a thrust of 5kN (compared to the Ariane 6 upper stage engine's thrust of 180 kN), the TLPD engine is perfect for the upper stage of smaller rockets, for in-space vehicles, for launcher kick-stages and exploration missions. The ability to modify its thrust makes it also very interesting for landing spacecraft on Earth, the Moon and beyond.
Pangea Aerospace has been tasked by the European Space Agency (ESA) to identify de-risking technologies and design a Very High Thrust rocket engine for future European launchers.
The company will conduct a detailed market analysis to identify current and future needs, as well as design a very high thrust engine of over 2MN of thrust.
