Blencowe Resources (LSE:BRES), the AIM-listed company developing the Orom-Cross graphite project in Uganda, said graphite from the project was used across multiple components in a hypersonic rocket flight test conducted on 18 August in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
The Pluto Aerospace solid-fuel rocket reached a maximum speed of Mach 5.5 and acceleration approaching 150G, a marked jump from a prior test in April that used a smaller motor.
Orom-Cross graphite featured in an ablative nozzle insert manufactured by technical partner American Energy Technologies Co (AETC), anti-friction and ice-phobic coatings on the rocket's fins, and the lithium-ion battery powering its altimeter.
The battery, built by Navitas Systems, combined natural graphite from Blencowe with up to 15% recycled graphite from AETC's recycling process, containing no synthetic graphite, which the companies describe as the first fully functional battery of its kind in the North American industry.
Executive Chairman Cameron Pearce said the results highlight Orom-Cross as a source of high-quality graphite for military and aerospace use, noting that few graphite projects worldwide can meet the specification required, which "may open new offtake relationships and strategic opportunities" as the project advances toward first production.
Orbital testing with Pluto Aerospace is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026.
News Intelligence what this means for the company
Blencowe's Orom-Cross graphite performed across nozzle, fin coating and battery components in a Mach 5.5 hypersonic rocket test on 18 August, validating its suitability for defence and aerospace applications where few graphite projects meet the required specification. The battery—combining natural graphite from Blencowe with recycled graphite and containing no synthetic material—was described as the first fully functional battery of its kind in North American industry, potentially opening new offtake relationships as the project advances toward first production.
- Pluto Aerospace plans orbital testing in Q4 2026, providing a near-term validation milestone for Orom-Cross graphite in hypersonic applications.
- The battery result involving Navitas Systems and AETC demonstrates Blencowe's ability to integrate into supply chains for high-specification defence and aerospace end-uses, supporting the company's stated push into niche applications.
The test reinforces Blencowe's differentiation in high-purity graphite for defence and aerospace, sectors where specification barriers are high and few projects qualify. This supports the company's strategy to develop higher-value niche applications alongside its planned Phase 1 and Phase 2 concentrate production, though commercial offtake conversion from these defence applications remains to be demonstrated at scale.
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