Author Topic: Norway NSLV - Nucleus - Coverage  (Read 33871 times)

Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Norway NSLV - Nucleus - Coverage
« on: 05/25/2015 06:43 am »
Here's another small launcher development, this time from Norway. Its called the North Star Launch Vehicle (NSLV). They plan to use hybrid rockets. Their first test launch is the North Star Nucleus rocket in September 2015 carrying the 100kg Hotel payload into the aurora. Launch of a two stage (probably suborbital) NSLV is scheduled for 2018 and final three stage orbital vehicle is scheduled for 2020. The first and second stage appear to be bundles of seven and four Nucleus rockets, respectively. The third stage is a single Nucleus.

NSLV can carry a 20 kg payload to a 350 to 400 km high polar orbit. Development will depend on a final go from the company directors at the end of 2015. Is it just me, or does the presenter sound like Leonard Nomoy?


« Last Edit: 09/28/2018 02:31 pm by Chris Bergin »
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #1 on: 12/10/2015 06:15 am »
Here's a paper that was presented at the 2014 Small Satellites Systems and Services Symposium. Thanks to Rik ISS-fan for pointing this out in another thread.

http://congrexprojects.com/2014-events/4S2014/proceedings
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #2 on: 12/10/2015 07:10 pm »
Here's a paper that was presented at the 2014 Small Satellites Systems and Services Symposium. Thanks to Rik ISS-fan for pointing this out in another thread.

http://congrexprojects.com/2014-events/4S2014/proceedings
Here is some links (they dont like Chrome very well):
http://www.andoyaspace.no/
http://andoyaspace.no/wp-content/files/2013/01/NorthStar.pdf

This link is for the Primary developer/contractor:
https://www.nammo.com/
« Last Edit: 12/10/2015 07:18 pm by russianhalo117 »

Offline Rik ISS-fan

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #3 on: 01/08/2016 11:09 am »
Back in august, on ESC Aerospace (link) it was reported that Nammo plans to launch a single Unitary Motor (Nucleus) on a suborbital flight form Andoya somewere during 2016. The Nucleus rocket will weight 760kg (1676lb.) of this 40kg is for the payload. It will be 9meter tall (the diameter of the UN1 is 0,35m, and is planned to reach an altitude of 160km. (this is the same capability of the Improved Orion {surplus hawk} sounding rocket)

Offline Rik ISS-fan

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #4 on: 06/03/2016 04:00 pm »
Nammo reported on it website that they have succesfully test fired the Flight Weight Unitary Motor 1 (FWUM)

Offline InfraNut2

Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #5 on: 06/09/2016 09:54 am »
Nammo reported on it website that they have succesfully test fired the Flight Weight Unitary Motor 1 (FWUM)

This article (in norwegian) has a video at the end from this May 19 first test of the full-scale flight-weight motor.

Translated quote:
Quote
"The most important thing now is that that we have proven in full scale that we can stop and restart the motor multiple times during a firing and it worked optimally in this test"

    Onno Verbene -- Director of Spaceflight for Nammo

Test procedure for this first test: 5 sec burn, 2hr35min pause, 10 sec burn

The motor reportedly burned "flawlessly", delivering a stable nominal thrust of [approx] 30 kN (3 mt force) as expected.

The testing will continue during the summer. Among other things, the motor will be tested with an actual flight H2O2 tank.

Manufacturing of the additional components (tank, structures, payload, ++) have started and and everything will "come together" during the autumn and will also be tested at Raufoss.

The first launch will be of the simple 1 motor "Nucleus" rocket version which is about 9m tall, weighs 800kg and reaches an apogee of 110-130 km.

This first launch has been postponed into the beginning of next year (2017) and the biggest contributor to the delays seems to have been paperwork (i.e. getting all the needed contracts in place). Because of the often severe winter weather at the Andøya Rocket Range, this first launch will most likely take place in the march/april timeframe instead of as soon as the rocket is ready.

Other tidbits: Full burn time for the motor is 35[+] seconds. Fuel is HTPB. H2O2 is catalytically decomposed before reacting with the fuel. The motor is throttleable and can be restarted an "unlimited" number of times. The previous non-flight-weight test version was more than 100kg heavier.

edit: added: My comment 1: Seeing how clean this motor runs, it has to be running oxidizer-rich. This is quite different from the "flying tire-fire" of the Virgin Galactic HTPB motor...

edit: added: My comment 2: From another source I found out that the catalytically decomposed H2O2 (i.e. H2O+O2) is hot enough to burn HTPB without an igniter. This is what gives the motor its unlimited restarts capability. They are essentially firing a H2O2 monopropellant engine down a HTPB tube with a nozzle at the end...

edit: added: My comment 3: 800kg Nucleus weight matches the weight specified earlier including payload (rocket: 760kg + payload 40kg). I have seen higher numbers for apogee in some earlier descriptions, however.
« Last Edit: 06/09/2016 12:05 pm by InfraNut2 »

Offline Rik ISS-fan

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #6 on: 06/15/2016 11:48 pm »
InfraNut2 thanks for posting this ahead of me ;).

I think Nammo has a really nice technology with this. They are going to supply a HTP Hot Gas Reaction Controll system for Ariane 6, if I'm not mistaken. They have developed a smaller hybrid engine that was used for the FP7 SPARTAN lander test program. The FWUM-1 that is being tested now will be used in Nucleus (1xUM-1). I think the nucleus will be a nice replacement for the imp. Orion and S30 rocket launches. Nammo is involved in both the Altair and SMILE Horizon2020 programs. More details about unitary engines can be found inside the SMILE project document.

Info from this document:
The Hydrogen Peroxide (87,5%) is decomposed by a cathalist, Steam of 670 deg. C and gaseous oxigen (? radicals/free atoms) get created by this. This 670 deg. C is hot enough to ignite HTPB (a special Nammo formulation) but it could also ignite  paraffin, RP-1 or Ethanol. If I'm not mistaken another European company is developing HTP-Cathalist bi-liquid igniters for re-ignitable liquid engines.
Nammo has developed different cathalist pack sizes, small ones for the RCS thrusters, one for the test engine and the one for UM-1 can compose 10,8 kg/s.

The FWUM is a bit more capable then the HWUM. The diameter has increased from 12 to 14 inch (305mm => 356mm),
I think to match with the Hotel and REXUS payload systems.
The HWUM could burn at 30kN for 25s = 750kNs.
The FWUM should burn at 28kN for 35s = 980 kNs (@30kN = 1050kNs)
The dry mass will be less then 100kg; and in 35 seconds more then 60kg HTPB and ~380kg HTP will be consumed. by the UM-1 engine. The ISP is higher then 230s.   

The UM-1 will be used in the Nucleus (1xUM-1; 1 MNs) and Aurora (4xUM-1; 4 MNs) stages.
Next to the UM-1 there are also plans to develop a UM-2 (higher Trust and longer burn time). That will be used in Borealis (7xUM-2) gives 450kN, 64s 30MNs. So UM-2 will burn at 64,3kN for 64s (about 4,2 MNs).
And an upper-stage Corona with a (High Performance Hybrid Motor) 5kN, 70s = 0,35 MNs engine.
I think the HPHM will be the most difficult because the different regression rate. UM-2 will need a larger cathalist pack.
If all this will be developed successfully I think the North Star rocket family will dominate the European sounding rocket launches. I expect that MoRaBa will replace the S30, S31, S40, S43 and S44 with North Star stages. Borealis can replace the S50 stage that is being developed for VLM-1. A 4xUM-2 will be a replacement for the S40.
If the HPHM does not work out, I think HTP (>87,5%) and ethanol is a really nice green hypergolic liquid upper-stage combination. (possibly also nice for an in orbit stage like AVUM and Fregat.)

Possibly there is also a need for a smaller Unitary engine then UM-1 (250kNs). But there is no harm on leaving this market open for Universities.
« Last Edit: 06/15/2016 11:48 pm by Rik ISS-fan »

Offline Rik ISS-fan

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #7 on: 06/16/2016 09:37 pm »
The launch site configuration on the images at the top of this forum remind me of an old launch site that has been out of use for over 40 years. The Diamant launch site at CSG France Guiane, where also the Europe rockets and the first launches of Ariane 1 launched from. Here is a link with 3D images. And the location on google maps, and there is this hardly used facility. Might this hint to something, I think it would be nice  8).
To get back on topic Andoya Space Center in the view from the video.
« Last Edit: 06/16/2016 09:39 pm by Rik ISS-fan »

Offline Kryten

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #8 on: 09/26/2016 11:45 am »
 The Bloodhound SSC supersonic car is to use Nammo HTP/HTPB hybrid motors, presumably related to this project.

Offline Rik ISS-fan

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #9 on: 11/27/2016 09:35 am »
The Bloodhound SSC supersonic car is to use Nammo HTP/HTPB hybrid motors, presumably related to this project.

According to this BBC article, during the first attempt in the autumn of 2017 they will use 4× the catalist pack developed for UM-1. One UM-1 catalist pack with a nozzle develop 10kN of thrust (while consuming a little bit less then 10kg/s of HTP.
When the steam and oxigen from the catalist pack flow through the HTPB-C fuel chamber of UM-1 it consumes about 2.5 kg/s and the thrust increases to 30kN.
Bloodhound requires 40kN thrust from the rocket system on the 800mph runs. So 1x UM-1 as originally planned wasn't sufficient. So they chose to make beter use of the Jaguar engine. The engine will pump HTP to all four 10kN monopropalent rocket motors.
For the land speed record they have to make a return ride within a certain amount of time (2hours if I'm not mistaken). With a hybrid engine they need to replace the fuel grain within this time. With the monopropalent they only need to fill the HTP (and JET-A) tanks. I think it remains to be seen what rocket engine they will choose for the 1000mph record. (Hybrid or Bi-liquid)

Edit: I found this autoblog article that describes the reason for the rocket motor swap.


Now back on topic. Has anyone read or heard some news about the progress Nammo is making on their Northstar sounding rocket and orbital launcher program?
I read a article that contained the misconception that the Borealis (first)stage will contain 7xUM-1 engines. This is flawed. Borealis will provides 400kN for 60sec. (24000 kN.s). One UM-2 has to provide 64kN for 60sec. UM-1 provides 30kN for 35sec. (1050kN.s), multiplied by 7 is only 210kN for 30sec. (7350kN.s). UM-2 requires a cathalist pack with twise the flow rate, a fuel grain will experience double the regression rate. And  UM-2 will utelize a turbopump where UM-1 is a pressure feed1 system. So UM-2 is a lot more advanced then UM -1. It remains to be seen if UM-2 gets developed or if a bi-liquid system is prefered (SMILE).
« Last Edit: 11/27/2016 10:36 am by Rik ISS-fan »

Offline Rik ISS-fan

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #10 on: 05/13/2017 09:06 am »
Nammo posted a news release on it's website link

Nammo is searching for rocket scientists.
The Nucleus sounding rocket is now planned to launch during fall or winter. (Delayed from spring 2017.)
And added to the article; is a video from a UM-1 test from march this year.

Offline Rik ISS-fan

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #11 on: 09/13/2017 02:42 pm »
In the 'abstracts book' for the 23th ESA PAC symposium;
I read that the Nammo Nucleus rocket launch is planned for this month; September 2017.

I was not able to find another reference to this test launch.

Offline Rik ISS-fan

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #12 on: 11/10/2017 02:17 pm »
ASC has developed the payload for the Nucleus Rocket. Here a video from Facebook

Offline bolun

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #13 on: 07/07/2018 03:25 pm »
Hybrid rocket motor static firing

On 5 July 2018, Norway’s rocket motor scored a new record, demonstrating Europe’s lead in hybrid propulsion for future launchers.

During the test, the motor generated 30 kN of thrust, an equivalent of over 40 kN of thrust in vacuum. This is enough to propel a sounding rocket past the edge of Earth’s atmosphere to an altitude of over 100km – a first for a European rocket with hybrid propulsion.

Nammo in Raufoss, Norway, developed the motor under ESA’s Future Launchers Preparatory Programme. It combines the simplicity of solid propellant with the versatility and safety gain of liquid propulsion, using highly concentrated liquid hydrogen peroxide oxidiser combined with a solid inert rubbery fuel.

http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2018/07/Hybrid_rocket_motor_static_firing

Related articles:

- Norway's hybrid rocket motor sets new record

- Nammo ready to launch Norway's first space rocket

Image credit: Nammo AS
« Last Edit: 07/07/2018 03:35 pm by bolun »

Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #14 on: 07/08/2018 01:40 am »
From the Nammo link, they are plan to launch to 100 km in September.
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline Rik ISS-fan

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #15 on: 09/09/2018 06:18 pm »
A link about the Nucleus sounding rocket; It's in Norwegian so we'll have to use translate to read it.
https://www.oa.no/nammo/okonomi-og-naringsliv/raufoss/nammo-har-jobbet-med-denne-raketten-i-ti-ar-na-skal-den-snart-skytes-opp/s/5-35-703909

The launch is planned for the end of November from Andoya Space Center, on a suborbital mission (to 100km and fall back into the ocean.).

Offline Mighty-T

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #16 on: 09/27/2018 07:27 am »
Nammo is preparing the launch of a new hybrid sounding rocket. They might launch today - weather permitting.
The launch can be followed live:


Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #17 on: 09/27/2018 08:28 am »
They are in a hold at the moment.

"Still holding, we could unfortunately face a delay of several hours as we review the wind conditions at higher altitudes."

Nammo
‏ @Nammo
2 minutes ago

Just launched another wind balloon from @AndoyaSpace to verify conditions at higher altitudes for #NucleusLaunch. Follow youtube.com/watch?v=PNigku8jz48  to get everything live!

https://twitter.com/Nammo/status/1045228117068050432
« Last Edit: 09/27/2018 08:29 am by Steven Pietrobon »
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #18 on: 09/27/2018 08:30 am »
Using HTP and rubber type fuel.
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Re: Norway NSLV
« Reply #19 on: 09/27/2018 09:43 am »
Nammo
‏ @Nammo
2 minutes ago

New weather balloon going up now - hoping for good news! #NucleusLaunch

https://twitter.com/Nammo/status/1045246715660570624
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

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