Northrop Grumman successfully static‑fired two new solid rocket motors — SMASH!22 and BAMM!29 2.0 — on Dec. 4 at Promontory, Utah under its SMART Demo program. Built in less than 12 months, the motors produced initial test data the company called “as expected and promising,” showcasing new materials and faster, lower‑cost development.
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The company fired two prototype motors on Dec. 4 and said initial data were “as expected and promising,” demonstrating an ability to design, manufacture and test SRMs in under 12 months — a faster prototyping cadence that could accelerate replenishment of missile and launch inventories.
The test highlights momentum behind expanding domestic SRM capacity and new supplier pathways, in line with recent industry investments such as the L3Harris $400M solid rocket motor campus and Avio's plan to build a U.S. SRM plant.
Technical advances claimed by Northrop — new materials and lower‑cost development — sit alongside other recent propulsion test milestones, including the Anduril–Raytheon Highly Loaded Grain SRM static‑fire, underscoring concurrent industry progress in solid‑propulsion options.
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Northrop Grumman Tests Rocket Motor Built via SMART Advanced-Manufacturing Program • Air & Space Forces Mag
SpaceNews.com
• Jeff Foust