Norwegian Potatoes to Power Moon Rockets

Nammo has signed a 30 million kroner contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop a new, more environmentally friendly rocket motor. The goal is for this motor to support landings on both the Moon and Mars. Nammo is now in the initial phase of development, working toward the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) milestone. The new rocket motor will use potato spirit sourced from Hoff, a company based in Gjøvik, Norway. Kristian Lium, head of Nammo’s space division, said they aim to create a motor that runs on eco-friendly fuel. He admitted it’s “a bit funny” that rocket fuel could come from Norwegian potatoes. The potato spirit will be mixed with hydrogen peroxide to create a powerful reaction that can be controlled to propel rockets. Hoff, Norway’s largest producer of potato spirit, called the collaboration unexpected but amusing. Managing director Ken Are Østlid said he never imagined their product might end up on Mars. He stressed that quality matters deeply, not just for their business but for Norwegian potato farming overall. Still, Østlid emphasized their main focus remains producing high-quality spirit for aquavit. “I think we’ll stay on Earth for now,” he added. Developing this motor presents serious technical challenges. Lium explained they must cool the combustion chamber and rely heavily on new technologies like 3D printing. “It’s going to be very, very demanding,” he said. This contract covers work up to the first design milestone, where Nammo also hopes to test actual motors.