🚀 A Rocket That Burns Itself to Reach the Stars!?
Traditional rockets carry empty fuel tanks as "dead weight" throughout their journey. UK researchers are developing "autophage" rockets that consume their own tanks as fuel while flying. This revolutionary technology could dramatically reduce the cost of reaching lunar orbit, challenging everything we know about space travel.
What is an Autophage Rocket?
"Autophage" comes from the Latin word meaning "self-eating." Conventional rockets must continue carrying their empty tanks long after the fuel is consumed. This excess mass, known as "dead weight," has been a major obstacle to efficient space travel.
The autophage rocket offers a revolutionary solution. It uses waste heat from combustion to sequentially melt its own plastic fuselage, feeding the molten material into the combustion chamber as additional fuel. In other words, the rocket literally "eats itself" as it flies.
The University of Glasgow's "Ouroboros-3" Engine
Leading the charge in making this concept a reality is the research team at the University of Glasgow's James Watt School of Engineering. Their "Ouroboros-3" engine successfully completed test firings in January 2024 at the MachLab facility at Machrihanish Airbase in Scotland.
The engine's name comes from the ancient symbol of a serpent eating its own tail. It uses high-density polyethylene plastic tubing as its autophagic fuel source, burning it alongside the main propellants—a mix of liquid propane and gaseous oxygen. Tests achieved 100 newtons of thrust, demonstrating that the plastic fuselage can supply up to one-fifth of the total propellant.
Professor Patrick Harkness explains: "A conventional rocket's structure makes up between five and 12 percent of its total mass. Our tests show that the Ouroboros-3 can burn a very similar amount of its own structural mass as propellant. If we could make at least some of that mass available for payload instead, it would be a compelling prospect for future rocket designs."
Why "Self-Consumption" is Revolutionary
The Limits of Traditional Rockets
There's a fundamental limit to rocket miniaturization. When you scale down a rocket, the propellant mass decreases, but the mass of tanks and other components doesn't shrink at the same rate. This is called the "Tsiolkovsky wall." It's why rockets have remained essentially the same size since the 1950s.
Benefits of Autophage Technology
Autophage technology offers an elegant solution to this problem:
Improved Mass Efficiency — By consuming tanks as fuel, dead weight is dramatically reduced. The same mass of rocket can carry more payload to space.
Enabling Smaller Rockets — Small payloads like nanosatellites can be launched on smaller, cheaper rockets without waiting for expensive "rideshare" opportunities on larger vehicles.
Reducing Space Debris — Less spent rocket hardware remains in orbit. By the time an autophage rocket reaches its destination, almost nothing remains except the payload.
The "Economical Transfer Vehicle" Project Launches
In September 2025, the UK Space Agency announced new funding at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney. UK-based Meridian Space Command and French propulsion company Alpha Impulsion received £150,000 (approximately $201,000) to begin a Preliminary Design Review for the "Economical Transfer Vehicle" (ETV).
The ETV is conceived as "the world's first self-eating spacecraft." Key specifications include:
- Payload Capacity: Up to 50kg
- Total Launch Mass: Approximately 250kg
- Delta-V Capability: About 4.5 km/s
- Orbital Maneuvering: Up to 30-degree inclination changes within LEO
- Reachable Destinations: LEO, MEO, GEO, highly elliptical orbits, lunar orbit, and beyond
According to Meridian CEO Sam Richards, the ETV could potentially deliver payloads to lunar orbit at "an order of magnitude cheaper" than current chemical propulsion systems. The project has already attracted interest from missions including ShakthiSAT, a global STEM mission led by Space Kidz India to deliver a micro-lander to the lunar surface.
Historical Background and International Collaboration
The autophage rocket concept isn't new—it was first proposed and patented in 1938. However, controlled combustion testing wasn't achieved until 2018, when a pioneering research partnership between the University of Glasgow and Dnipro National University in Ukraine reached this milestone.
Since then, the technology has steadily matured through funding from the UK Ministry of Defence's Defence & Security Accelerator (DASA) and testing at facilities like Kingston University's rocket laboratory. The Glasgow team received an additional £290,000 in 2024 to continue development.
Impact on the Space Industry
Dr. Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, has praised the technology's potential: "The University of Glasgow's impressive work towards an autophage engine is an example of one which has great potential to meet the growing global appetite for developments in the efficiency and sustainability of rocket propulsion."
The impact on the space startup ecosystem could be tremendous:
Expanding the Small Satellite Market — By the mid-2020s, demand for small payload launches could reach 3,000 per year, representing a potential market value of £100 million.
Boosting UK Space Industry Competitiveness — Enabling launches from UK sites like the Sutherland spaceport in Scotland, reducing dependence on launch sites in the USA or Kazakhstan.
Sustainable Space Development — An environmentally friendly approach that minimizes disposable rocket components, addressing the growing space debris problem.
Challenges and Future Prospects
Technical challenges remain. Maintaining structural integrity while feeding the fuselage into the combustion chamber, developing materials that withstand extreme temperatures, and scaling up thrust as the design grows larger are all ongoing concerns. The research team is exploring heat-resistant materials like tungsten and graphite.
However, the foundational technology has been proven, and the path to commercialization is clear. Alpha Impulsion confirmed stable ignition and controlled combustion during a six-day test campaign in May 2025, opening the door to launch and in-orbit missions.
In the world of space development, creativity has always been required to defy the natural law of gravity. The seemingly strange idea of a spacecraft "eating itself" might become the key to democratizing access to space.
In Japan, JAXA and private companies are advancing innovative space technologies, but what unique approaches to space development exist in your country? And what do you think about this kind of "paradigm shift" in technological innovation? Please share your thoughts in the comments!
References
- https://www.gla.ac.uk/news/archiveofnews/2024/january/headline_1033908_en.html
- https://payloadspace.com/uk-funds-design-review-of-new-autophage-spacecraft/
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-space-agency-goes-global-with-23-new-projects
- https://meridianspacecommand.com/etv
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/revolutionary-rocket-eats-for-the-stars
Reactions in Japan
The name Ouroboros is so clever. Using the symbol of a snake eating its own tail for a rocket shows the engineers' playful side. The technology is fascinating too—I hope it gets commercialized soon.
100 newtons of thrust sounds impressive, but it's far from practical levels. Compare it to the H-IIA rocket and the numbers are worlds apart. Interesting as a proof of concept, but there seem to be significant hurdles to commercialization.
Amazing that this could help solve the space debris problem! A rocket that consumes itself leaving nothing behind is truly sustainable space development. Japan should take note.
This feels like science fiction becoming reality. A spacecraft eating itself as it travels—I feel like I've seen this in some anime... Scientific progress is truly exciting.
A preliminary design for lunar orbit transport with only about $200K in funding? The cost-performance is incredible. Limited downside if it fails, immeasurable returns if it succeeds. Japanese government should do more investments like this.
Using polyethylene as fuel is an old idea, but maintaining structural strength while feeding it into the combustion chamber was the challenge. Impressive they overcame that. Though scaling up to larger sizes is a different issue altogether.
I've actually visited the Glasgow University lab—small scale but incredible results. The UK government's DASA really takes risks with its investments. There's a lot Japan's space policy could learn from this.
As someone developing nanosats, having more small rocket options would be a blessing. Currently, rideshares on large rockets mean 1-2 year waits and high costs. I hope this gets commercialized quickly.
50kg payload to lunar orbit for under £5 million (about $6.7M)? If true, that's extraordinary. Current services cost tens of millions, so this could be disruptive. But it's still at PDR stage, so feasibility is unknown.
87 years from patent to practical use... Technology sometimes lies dormant and suddenly awakens. Advances in materials science and computing power probably enabled this breakthrough.
Japan is pursuing large, high-reliability rockets with H3, but I wish we'd also compete in innovative small rocket tech. Companies like ispace are working hard, but more national support would help...
The rocket industry sees lots of 'revolutionary tech' announcements, but few reach commercial operation. This is interesting, but where will it be in 5 years? Against SpaceX's reusable rockets, it might struggle.
The article mentions the first success came in 2018 through collaboration with Ukraine's Dnipro University. I wonder if scientific cooperation continues during the war. I hope technology develops through peaceful means.
Maybe I'll make this my graduation thesis topic next year. Thermal efficiency analysis of autophage propulsion systems sounds interesting. But my professor is conservative, so it'll probably get rejected lol
The title 'self-eating spacecraft' was so impactful I had to read the article. People who can think outside the box like this are the ones who change the world.
As a Glasgow University alumnus, I'm proud of this news. The UK space industry has long been overshadowed by America and Europe, but innovative research like this is putting us on the map. From Scotland to space!
I'm an engineer at SpaceX, and this approach is intriguing. A completely different philosophy from reusable rockets—not just using up, but 'consuming entirely.' Could be competitive in the small payload market.
DLR (German Space Agency) was researching a similar concept but stopped due to funding issues. I envy how the UK government continues investing in risky research even on a small scale. They're advancing in space even after leaving the EU.
As a member of Space Kidz India, I'm excited about the ETV project! The ShakthiSAT mission might deliver Indian children's dreams to the lunar surface. Technology that reaches the Moon affordably is a huge opportunity for countries like India.
Interesting tech, but I'm skeptical about commercial success. Small rocket companies like Rocket Lab and Firefly are already in the market with proven track records. Being 'innovative' alone won't win.
I'm a Japanese student studying aerospace engineering in Canada. This technology was theoretically known since 1938 but was impossible without advances in materials science. A great example of the importance of interdisciplinary research.
As an Alpha Impulsion engineer, I'm happy this article is getting attention. We confirmed stable combustion in our May tests. The ETV project is just beginning, but the possibilities are endless. Thank you for your support!
I was moved to see the collaboration with Ukraine's Dnipro University mentioned. Even amid war, science connects across borders. I hope Ukrainian scientists' contributions are recognized.
Australia is trying to grow its space industry too, but investment in fundamental research like this is lacking. The announcement at IAC in Sydney was good publicity. Watching the Asia-Pacific space race closely.
Brazil's space agency ALCÂNTARA is also trying to enter the small satellite launch market. Low-cost technologies like this could democratize space access for developing countries. Great news.
I work at a Swedish space startup, and I'm skeptical about the scalability of this technology. The gap from 100 newtons to practical levels is bigger than you'd think. But it's worth pursuing.
UAE just launched the Hope Mars probe. Innovative propulsion technologies like this are essential for future deep space exploration. I feel we've entered an era where the Middle East can participate in space development.
New Zealand's Rocket Lab pioneered the small rocket market, but autophage technology could reduce costs even further. More competition is great for customers (satellite operators)!
As someone involved in China's space program, I pay attention to Western innovations like this. We're developing our own small rocket technology with different approaches. Diversity in the space industry benefits all of humanity.
Ireland has a space industry too, but we're not doing groundbreaking research like this. It's complicated as an EU member to see the UK continuing to lead in space post-Brexit. But I support the technology itself.