Giant leap for Space Machines Company after completing its Scintilla propulsion engine

It’s a small step for the domestic space industry and a giant leap for Sydney-based Space Machines Company after announcing the successful completion of its proprietary Scintilla propulsion engine – the first Australian-built spacecraft engine.

Space Machines Company (SMC) says the engine achieved extended burn durations of 65 seconds with more than 1,200 seconds of total testing time and 40 restarts and counting, representing a critical advancement in the company’s rapid response vehicle Optimus Viper, which is designed for rapid orbital manoeuvring and space domain awareness missions.

The Scintilla engine, developed entirely in-house by SMC’s propulsion team, delivers 50 Newtons of thrust while maintaining 92 per cent efficiency, exceeding the company’s initial 90 per cent efficiency target.

SMC says the metal 3D-printed engine represents a new approach to satellite propulsion, prioritising reliability, scalability and rapid iteration capabilities.

“We’ve achieved faster progress than even our most optimistic schedules predicted,” says Rajat Kulshrestha, co-founder and CEO of SMC.

“The engine has reached steady-state conditions and demonstrated the ability to run for extended periods – a critical requirement for our satellite operations.

“We can now run this engine for minutes, limited only by total propellant supply from our tanks.”

Unlike traditional satellite manufacturers who typically outsource propulsion systems, Space Machines Company has invested in complete vertical integration for this mission-critical technology.

The company says the decision reflects the central role propulsion plays in its satellite capabilities, with the Optimus Viper platform designed around extensive orbital manoeuvring requirements.

“Propulsion is absolutely core to what Space Machines needs to do,” says Ian Partis, vice president of engineering and mission operations at SMC.

“The better the propulsion system and the more delta-v available, the greater range of orbits we can access and the faster we can get there. This is so fundamental to our mission that the satellite is essentially a propulsion system with a payload on top.”

SMC says the successful completion of Scintilla at the company’s new manufacturing facility at the UTS Tech Lab in Sydney demonstrates the effectiveness of SMC’s “build-to-learn, learn-to-build” development philosophy.

It says the team discovered failure modes through rapid iteration, maintained multiple backup systems and ensured continuous learning capabilities through co-located testing and manufacturing facilities.

“Having everything vertically integrated means we can respond immediately to design changes without external contractor delays,” says Kulshrestha.

“When the team identified an issue during testing, they were able to diagnose it within 10 minutes and implement solutions immediately. This kind of responsiveness is impossible when working with external suppliers.”

With the engine development complete, SMC is now proceeding to full subsystem integration, incorporating flight-grade valves and propellant management systems.

The Scintilla engine will power the company’s Optimus Viper, which is designed for space domain awareness and rapid orbital manoeuvring missions.

“This achievement demonstrates that small, focused teams can deliver world-class propulsion systems on accelerated timelines,” says Partis.

“The propulsion-centric design of our Optimus Viper satellite represents a fundamentally different approach to space missions, where manoeuvrability and rapid response are paramount.”