German launch startup HyImpulse has released an updated design of its SL1 rocket, which features a 20% performance boost over its previous iteration.

When it was first announced, the three-stage SL1 rocket was expected to be 27 metres tall, with a traditional tube-shaped profile and a black livery. It was designed to carry payloads of up to 500 kilograms to low Earth orbit.

The new design now has the rocket reaching 33 metres in height with a squared-off aft section that will better accommodate the first stage hybrid rocket motor cluster. The rocket’s HyPLOX 75 motors, which will power its first and second stages, have also received a performance upgrade, boosting the rocket’s payload capacity to 600 kilograms to low Earth orbit. The company has also officially added an optional kick stage to the SL1 offering.