LUNR-01 Launch Vehicle
In-house engine and propulsion architecture, supporting a simplified and scalable approach to launch system design.
Standing approximately 24 meters tall with an approximate 2-meter wide diameter, LUNR-01 is being developed as a compact two-stage vehicle optimized for rapid manufacturing, transport, and vertical launch from Canadian sites. Its streamlined design is intended to support efficient scaling and positions Nova Scotia operations to capture a latitude advantage for high-inclination polar and sun-synchronous orbits.
Five first-stage engines are expected to deliver deliver 300 kN of liftoff thrust, while the second-stage vacuum engine is designed to provide provides 63 kN. Both are intended to use LUNR’s electric-pump (E-Pump) cycle with proprietary cooling. This mechanically simple architecture accelerates development timelines and is expected to support the dual-use reliability required for commercial and national-security missions.
Liquid methane and liquid oxygen (methalox) are expected to deliver high specific impulse, clean combustion, and operational simplicity. These propellants align with reusable architectures prioritized in federal defence and space policy.
LUNR-01 is expected to deliver 250–350 kg to Low Earth Orbit. The vehicle is designed to be optimized for polar, sun-synchronous, and standard LEO missions that are intended to address growing demand for sovereign Earth observation, communications, and Arctic domain awareness.
The first stage is designed for recovery and reuse. This capability is intended to advance federal goals for cost-effective, sustainable domestic launch infrastructure, and is expected to enable higher cadence and lower per-mission costs for both commercial customers and government programs.
