Reaction Motors XLR-11 rocket motor
Reaction Motors' XLR-11 was a historically significant four-chamber liquid rocket motor for piloted research aircraft. NASA records diluted ethyl alcohol and liquid oxygen propellants, four independently operable 1,500-lbf chambers for roughly 6,000 lbf total thrust, and use across the X-1 family, D-558-II, early X-15 flights, and later lifting-body research vehicles.
Identity
- Aliases
- XLR-11XLR11Black Betsy
- Domains
- aviationspaceflight
- Identity Level
- model
- Kind
- liquid-rocket-engine
- Name
- Reaction Motors XLR-11 rocket motor
- Status
- retired
Details
- Description
- Reaction Motors' XLR-11 was a historically significant four-chamber liquid rocket motor for piloted research aircraft. NASA records diluted ethyl alcohol and liquid oxygen propellants, four independently operable 1,500-lbf chambers for roughly 6,000 lbf total thrust, and use across the X-1 family, D-558-II, early X-15 flights, and later lifting-body research vehicles.
- Propellants
- diluted ethyl alcoholliquid oxygen
- Rocket Specs
- Chamber Count
- 4
- Sea Level Thrust Kn
- 26.689968
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- August 15, 2026 at 03:30:23 UTC
- Updated Time
- August 15, 2026 at 03:30:23 UTC
Other
- Sources
- Accessed Date
- 2026-08-14
- Note
- NASA's flight-research history documents four independently operable XLR-11 chambers, approximately 1,500 lbf per chamber, and the motor's long service across rocket research aircraft including X-1, D-558-II, and X-15.
- Publisher
- NASA Technical Reports Server
- Title
- XLR-11 Rocket Powered Aircraft
- Accessed Date
- 2026-08-14
- Note
- NASA's X-15 test-facility report records the four-chamber diluted-ethyl-alcohol/LOX motor, approximately 12,000 lbf when two XLR-11 engines were used together, and 30 early X-15 flights in that configuration.
- Publisher
- NASA Technical Reports Server
- Title
- Rocket Engine Test Facility X-15 Testing and Servicing
- Accessed Date
- 2026-08-14
- Note
- NASA identifies the displayed XLR-11 as the Reaction Motors four-chamber Black Betsy motor using diluted ethyl alcohol and liquid oxygen at 6,000 pounds or more of thrust.
- Publisher
- NASA
- Title
- Black Betsy: XLR-11 Rocket Engine