Sunbird
Planned fusion-powered tug to push spacecraft toward Mars
British company that sells electric and hybrid rocket engines today and is developing a fusion-powered engine for much faster trips to Mars and the outer planets, with an in-orbit test of core parts planned for 2027.
Funding history is not public, so stage is unknown. The UK registered company (no. 11914684, incorporated 29 March 2019) was renamed from Pulsar Fusion Ltd to Pulsar Aerospace Limited on 20 August 2025; it still trades as Pulsar Fusion.
Products, by altitude
Deep space · Beyond Mars
In development
Low Earth orbit · 160–2,000 km
In service ![]()
Hall-effect thrusters (LEOBEAR, Moonranger, Marsranger)
Electric thrusters that help satellites use less fuel
Launch · From the pad to orbit
In service ![]()
Hybrid rocket engine
Rocket engine pairing solid fuel with liquid or gas oxidizer
Government awards
| Date | Agency | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2022 | UK Space Agency | Integrated nuclear fission-based power systems for electric propulsion | Not disclosed1 |
Milestones
- Jan 2024 Pulsar fired a plasma space engine about ten times larger than typical ones of its kind in a vacuum chamber at the University of Southampton. Company statement2
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction