Taurus II Development News

[edkyle99]

Here is a link to Dave Steffy's AIAA 2008 conference paper on Taurus II.

http://www.aiaa.org/pdf/conferences/Steffy_NRO-AIAA_Conference_Paper--Steffy.pdf

This paper includes a schedule that shows the following significant milestones occurring during 2009.

[bad_astra]

Thanks for these updates.

[Jose]

Your Internets-fu is strong.  Thanks!

[simonbp]

Here is a link to Dave Steffy's AIAA 2008 conference paper on Taurus II.

http://www.aiaa.org/pdf/conferences/Steffy_NRO-AIAA_Conference_Paper--Steffy.pdf

This paper includes a schedule that shows the following significant milestones occurring during 2009.

...and has a great set of model-making-ready drawings. Thanks Ed!

Simon

[antonioe]

Here is a link to Dave Steffy's AIAA 2008 conference paper on Taurus II.

http://www.aiaa.org/pdf/conferences/Steffy_NRO-AIAA_Conference_Paper--Steffy.pdf

This paper includes a schedule that shows the following significant milestones occurring during 2009.

...and has a great set of model-making-ready drawings. Thanks Ed!

Simon

Note: the location of the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) has been moved about a mile to the right (North) of the picture in page 9 of the presentation.

[ugordan]

Any chance we'll get to see some videos of those AJ-26 qualification firings?

[zaitcev]

Far it be for me to challenge design and engineering at OSC, this is just my curiosity: why does Taurus II use Castor-30 after all? At best as I can discern by reading the presentation linked in the "news" thread, this is done to leverage heritage hardware with a track record. Is that correct, or there's more to it? It's difficult to imagine that nobody in the industry can build an upper stage engine, so the stage would restart. Moreover, the flight history of Falcon 1 suggests that Kestrel is unproblematic, so perhaps the heritage issues are overblown.
-- Pete

{Edit: as Jose pointed out below, Dr. Elias has outlined the "High Energy Second Stage" at forum previously.}

[Jose]

Read these:

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=11980.msg309609#msg309609
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=11980.msg309648#msg309648

And also these:

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=11980.msg309891#msg309891
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=11980.msg309745#msg309745

[madscientist197]

In general, solids are cheap and reliable -- I don't think you can get a much better argument for a commercial contractor. I don't think OSC wants to invest any more money than they have to, because it is a particularly risky enterprise after all. It's not like there is a truely viable non-government/commercial market for small launchers.

[simonbp]

The presentation mentions performance with a third stage; is that with the Orbit Raising Kit (which is a Cygnus SM, right?) or a Star 48/similar?

Would it make any sense to stack two Castor 30's on top on each other (as a third stage)?

Is the High-Energy Second Stage in the works at all?

Simon

[antonioe]

1.- Yes (Star 48)  The ORK and Cygnus SM have a lot in common (mostly in the propulsion system), but are NOT identical; for starters, the SM has a quad-redundant avionics system - the ORK uses the basic LV avionics.  The SM has solar panels - the ORK only the LV batteries; etc. etc.

2.- Yes

3.- Yes

[antonioe]

Was use of a high energy second stage presented to the CRS SEB?

I'm afraid you would have to ask NASA for any SEB questions...

[pippin]

SEB? Isn't that a Swedish Bank?

[AnalogMan]

Came across this in my web travels (from a document dated April 16, 2009) - thought it might be of interest.

[Ronsmytheiii]

Looking to the launch pads yesterday from the Wallops Visitor's Center, though I saw a few buildings near the pad that I did not recognize, is there any way we could get some pictures of any new buidlings (I couldnt take any pictures as I cold only see the pad through high powered binoculars!)

Also I would suggest Orbital ask Wallops to make an observation deck at the visitor's center that extends over the marsh a little bit with a few permanent spyglasses or toll binoculars: