Why Open Source Our 2021 Swirl Rocket Injector? (Accelerating Innovation Through Collaboration)

In 2021, our team through the initiative of our then lead engineer developed a swirl rocket injector which is a critical component in liquid-fueled rocket engines that enhances combustion efficiency and stability. Today, we’re taking an unconventional step: open-sourcing its design. While some may question releasing proprietary technology, we believe this decision aligns with a broader vision for the future of aerospace innovation. Here’s why.

1. Accelerating Technological Progress

Rocket science is hard. The challenges of combustion dynamics, thermal management, and fluid mechanics require immense collaboration. By open-sourcing our swirl injector design, we invite engineers, researchers, and enthusiasts worldwide to build upon our work. Collective problem-solving can uncover optimizations we might never have envisioned alone.

Consider the impact of open-source software like Linux or TensorFlow: they thrived because communities improved them iteratively. Similarly, opening aerospace hardware designs under CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0 can spark breakthroughs in propulsion, reducing costs and advancing humanity’s access to space.

2. Building Trust Through Transparency

Aerospace is an industry where safety and reliability are non-negotiable. Transparency fosters trust. By making our injector’s design publicly accessible, we allow peers to scrutinize, validate, and replicate allowing more data and insightful results. This openness not only elevates confidence in the technology but also sets a precedent for accountability in an industry often shrouded in secrecy.

Imagine a future where critical components are peer-reviewed like academic papers. Open-sourcing our injector is a step toward that reality.

3. Democratizing Access to Advanced Engineering

Educational institutions and startups especially in the Philippines often lack resources to develop complex propulsion systems from scratch. Our open-source injector acts as a learning tool and a foundation for experimentation. Students can study its mechanics, while budding teams can adapt it for their missions, bypassing years of R&D which we already took.

This democratization mirrors NASA’s open-source initiatives, which empower global participation in space exploration. Knowledge should not be siloed because it should inspire the next generation of engineers.

4. Reducing Redundancy, Cutting Costs

The aerospace industry wastes billions reinventing the wheel. By sharing our design, we hope to eliminate redundant efforts. Teams can focus their resources on solving new problems rather than replicating existing solutions. For example, a startup could use our injector as a baseline, investing saved time and capital into novel materials or AI-driven testing.

In the long term, this approach could lower barriers to entry, fostering a more competitive and innovative market.

5. Cultivating a Collaborative Community

Open-source projects thrive on community. By releasing our injector, we’re not just sharing files—we’re inviting others to join a mission. Contributors might enhance thermal resistance, 3D-print compatible materials, or simulate performance under extreme conditions. Every improvement benefits the entire ecosystem.

This collaborative spirit aligns with the ethos of organizations like the Open Source Initiative and the Open Lunar Foundation, which prioritize shared progress over proprietary control.

The Bigger Picture

Some may argue that open-sourcing undermines competitive advantage. We disagree. Leadership in the 21st century isn’t about hoarding knowledge. It is about shaping the future. By open-sourcing our injector, we position ourselves as pioneers of a collaborative aerospace era, attracting talent, partnerships, and goodwill.

Moreover, as commercial spaceflight and lunar exploration expand, standardized, community-vetted components will become invaluable. Our injector could one day be part of a library of open-source hardware, accelerating missions to Mars and beyond.

Join the Movement

We challenge others in the industry to embrace openness. Download the design, experiment with it, and share your insights. Together, we can transform aerospace into a field defined not by competition, but by collective ambition as one human race.

The 2021 swirl injector is more than a piece of hardware. It's an invitation to rethink how we innovate. Let’s build the future, openly. VISIT OUR GITHUB REPOSITORY TODAY [https://github.com/dpb-educ/openorbitxswirl]

By embracing open source, we’re not giving away secrets—we’re planting seeds for forests we’ll never see. And in those forests, countless new possibilities will take flight. 🌍🚀