Author Topic: Taurus II changes name to the Antares ahead of debut launch  (Read 18253 times)

Online ugordan

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Re: Taurus II changes name to the Antares ahead of debut launch
« Reply #20 on: 12/13/2011 05:04 pm »
Heh.
Quote
To clear up any marketplace confusion and provide clear differentiation between this new launch vehicle and our Taurus XL rocket.

I wonder why...

Was this in the press release at some point? It's gone now.

http://www.orbital.com/Antares/index.shtml

Offline Jose

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Re: Taurus II changes name to the Antares ahead of debut launch
« Reply #21 on: 12/13/2011 05:52 pm »
I like it, tho one thing bothers me about this design: why choose a solid upperstage? Performance-wise that doesn't seem like a very smart move to me, as solids usually have a pretty low isp, no?

Read all about it here:

...
Historically, rockets are easier to grow on the top (i.e. a bigger upper stage is cheaper than adding strapons or otherwise growing the lower stage).  SO many designers, including yours truly, tend to undersize the upper stages in the initial design, to allow for a cheaper growth path...





Offline Orbiter

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Re: Taurus II changes name to the Antares ahead of debut launch
« Reply #22 on: 12/13/2011 08:28 pm »
Antares was my choice for SLS's name!

We can scratch that one off the list I guess.

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Offline Jason1701

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Re: Taurus II changes name to the Antares ahead of debut launch
« Reply #23 on: 12/13/2011 10:30 pm »
Antares was my choice for SLS's name!

We can scratch that one off the list I guess.

Orbiter

How about just Ares? ::)

Offline NotGncDude

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Re: Taurus II changes name to the Antares ahead of debut launch
« Reply #24 on: 12/14/2011 12:05 am »
I like it, tho one thing bothers me about this design: why choose a solid upperstage? Performance-wise that doesn't seem like a very smart move to me, as solids usually have a pretty low isp, no?

There have been improvements.  Castor 30 provides 301 to 303 sec ISP, closing the gap a bit on, say, gas generator hydrocarbon liquid alternatives.  A solid upper stage could prove more reliable than a liquid upper stage that uses cryogenics, though that is not guaranteed.  In addition, a solid upper stage requires less work (umbilicals, propellant loading) on the pad, etc.

Of course a real issue was lack of liquid upper stage alternatives in the U.S. 

 - Ed Kyle

Well, it may be slightly lower performance but in an upper stage it matters a lot. Plus a solid upper stage is inflexible wrt to restart and has lower insertion accuracy all things compared. I understant that you are focusing on the upsides it may have, but it's still a bad idea.

Offline kevin-rf

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Re: Taurus II changes name to the Antares ahead of debut launch
« Reply #25 on: 12/14/2011 01:30 am »
In the past did they not talking about some sort of HAPS derivative to address the accuracy issue.
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Offline Ronsmytheiii

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Re: Taurus II changes name to the Antares ahead of debut launch
« Reply #26 on: 12/14/2011 01:31 am »
I like it, tho one thing bothers me about this design: why choose a solid upperstage? Performance-wise that doesn't seem like a very smart move to me, as solids usually have a pretty low isp, no?

There have been improvements.  Castor 30 provides 301 to 303 sec ISP, closing the gap a bit on, say, gas generator hydrocarbon liquid alternatives.  A solid upper stage could prove more reliable than a liquid upper stage that uses cryogenics, though that is not guaranteed.  In addition, a solid upper stage requires less work (umbilicals, propellant loading) on the pad, etc.

Of course a real issue was lack of liquid upper stage alternatives in the U.S. 

 - Ed Kyle

Well, it may be slightly lower performance but in an upper stage it matters a lot. Plus a solid upper stage is inflexible wrt to restart and has lower insertion accuracy all things compared. I understant that you are focusing on the upsides it may have, but it's still a bad idea.

Which is what HAPS and the Star 48 optional third stages are for.

Offline jcm

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Re: Taurus II changes name to the Antares ahead of debut launch
« Reply #27 on: 12/14/2011 05:04 am »
Of course, let's not forget the true meaning of the name for the red star Antares: "Rival of Ares".  Subtle dig at the Liberty folks? :-)

Considering the fact that ATK makes the upperstage for Antares and the first stage for Ares I/Liberty, highly doubtful.  It was just an available constellation name.

I was just kidding!
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Offline simonbp

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Re: Taurus II changes name to the Antares ahead of debut launch
« Reply #28 on: 12/14/2011 09:49 pm »
It was just an available constellation name.

Star, not constellation!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antares

Antares is the beating red heart of Scorpius. Interestingly, it's one of the brightest stars close the ecliptic, apropos for planetary missions.

Offline Chandonn

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Re: Taurus II changes name to the Antares ahead of debut launch
« Reply #29 on: 12/14/2011 11:31 pm »
It was just an available constellation name.

Star, not constellation!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antares

Antares is the beating red heart of Scorpius. Interestingly, it's one of the brightest stars close the ecliptic, apropos for planetary missions.


... which is why I expect a press release any day now renaming the Cygnus spacecraft to the Scorpio!  ;)

Offline Proponent

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Re: Taurus II changes name to the Antares ahead of debut launch
« Reply #30 on: 12/15/2011 04:12 am »
To be really pedantic, the name of the constellation is Scorpius; Scorpio is the associated astrological sign.

Offline gladiator1332

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Re: Taurus II changes name to the Antares ahead of debut launch
« Reply #31 on: 01/24/2012 03:28 am »
Like the new name

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