Hybrid rocket engines combine liquid oxidizers with solid fuels, offering safety advantages and simpler technology compared to pure liquid or solid rockets. They provide a balance of thrust and specific impulse, but their specific energy is not always superior, which limits their widespread use. While hybrids can minimize mass and maximize energy, they push materials to their limits, raising concerns about failure margins. The complexity and mass of liquid systems, alongside the high thrust but low efficiency of solid rockets, highlight the trade-offs in propulsion technology. Despite their benefits, hybrids remain less common in orbital applications due to performance constraints.
