Swedish Space Corp
Considering the superior performance of the RK-IM (Red Kite - Improved Malemute) rocket compared to the VSB-30. And besides the supply chain for the RK & IM compared to S30 and S31. I would not at all be surprised if practically all European suborbital launchers that used VSB-30 will transition to RK-IM or RK-RK.
Quote from: Rik ISS-fan on 03/25/2024 08:07 pmConsidering the superior performance of the RK-IM (Red Kite - Improved Malemute) rocket compared to the VSB-30. And besides the supply chain for the RK & IM compared to S30 and S31. I would not at all be surprised if practically all European suborbital launchers that used VSB-30 will transition to RK-IM or RK-RK.The SSC manifest has the VSB-30 being used up to at least 2030!https://sscspace.com/uploads/Launching-Program.pdf
A question; does anyone know or could figure out how many Orion (hawk M112) motors are remaining?Edit to add: two more questions.What is the reason the Terrier Lynx or just the Lynx (mk.104) have hardly been used for sounding rocket missions?The Lynx motor has a higher performance than the imp.Orion. But there have been failures with the RIM-66 SM-2MR. Could the PAC-3 CRI motor or ESSM motor be useful for suborbital missions?These motors are the same diameter but shorter than the UP aerospace Spaceloft XL.
SM-2s with the older Mk 104 Mod 2 Dual Thrust Rocket Motors (DTRM) manufactured by the defunct Thiokol Corporation (now part of Orbital ATK) before 1992 — which also manufactured the shuttle programs SRBs — have been placed on the “Wartime Use Only” list, USNI News has learned.
For example, a common practice is ESRANGE is to launch two Improved Orion rockets as part of the REXUS research program each year. They can launch a 120 kg payload to an 80 km apogee. An Improved Malemute single stage could launch 240 kg to a 120 km apogee.
The majority of these alternative military rockets are narrower, with 9 to around 11 inches diameter. Those might be able to use a 14 inches diameter payload section only if paired with a bigger booster section, but not a single stage rocket.Do you think it is more plausible to develop a new payload system of about 10 inches diameter, or to just put more experiment in bigger rockets?
Two other technology flights are scheduled for FY 2023 to test a new vehicle configuration specifically aimed for Mesospheric research. The Science community has expressed a need for a type of vehicle that enables high launch cadence, is relatively easy to stage, is cost effective, and reaches altitudes of about 125 km. Our first design uses a single stage Orion, with a dart front-end housing the scientific instrumentation. The project named MesOrion, currently includes two test flights scheduled for launch in early 2023.
Two MesOrion vehicles, single stage Improved Orion vehicles with 4-inch (12.089) and 9-inch (12.090) diameter payloads were launched on February 16, 2023. The launches were a feasibility study for using Improved Orions for mesospheric research, with simplified operational requirements and rapid launch sequences. The goal for these testflights was to reach apogees between 70 and 125 km.Both vehicles performed well with 12.089 reaching an altitude of ~129 km, and 12.090 reaching ~125 km. Further development will include adding instrumentation, miniaturization of payload systems and developing a nosecone separation systems. Additionally, development of rapid rail staging will continue. A two stage “small motor” vehicle is also being evaluated.
High Cadence Mesospheric Capability:MesOrion Vehicle Pathfinder, flown as Edwards 12.089 and 12.090.Mesospheric Payload and Systems Development, planned for a future flight in 2024/2025.Mesospheric 2-Stage Vehicle Development, planned for a future flight in 2025/2026.This year the program assembled, tested, and flew two single stage Orion missions from Wallops flightfacility as part of a pathfinder for the development of a vehicle that will carry high cadence payloads to study themesosphere. Engineering teams began the planning and development of the necessary payload systems for afuture flight of a mesospheric payload as well as a 2-stage mesospheric vehicle capability.”
Observations from space by satellites allow us to see the big picture of weather systems, greenhouse gases and the hole in the ozone layer. However, satellites are not well suited to provide a complete profile of the atmosphere from ground to space. Phenomena such as coupling between different atmospheric layers play an important role in large and long-term weather systems. The chemical composition of the atmosphere, including different gases, ions, electrons and aerosols (small particles) also play an important role.In recent years, for example, we have seen a large increase in very high clouds around 80 km altitude (Polar Mesospheric Clouds, also called Noctilucent clouds). Where do they come from? What effect do they have? To study these phenomena, so-called in-situ measurements are needed.
I think the mission cost for metrological rockets with the available rockets is to high for the available budget. When more affordable (smaller) rockets become available again. I expect there will be a significant demand. (~10 launches a year, when cost is <0.1mln/launch)
The current inventory of NASA sounding rockets are not optimum for exploring the 50 to 120 km region. The single stage Orion vehicle barely reaches 90 km and the more complex two-stage Nike-Orion typically take payloads above this region. (...) The SRWG strongly recommends that Wallops develop a low-cost sounding rocket system for studying the 50 to 120 km region. Experience with the small 2 inch Viper Dart systems has shown that a larger (e.g., 4 to 6-inch) system may be better suited for science payloads(...)
Jonathan McDowell@planet4589LAUNCH of a suborbital missile test from GTsMP-4 (Kapustin Yar) near Volgograd in Russia to the GNIIP-10 range at Sary Shagan, Kazakhstan at about 1600 or 1630 UTC Apr 12. Apogee at least 1000 km, observed widely across the Middle East. The yellow straight line shows approx path
QuoteJonathan McDowell@planet4589LAUNCH of a suborbital missile test from GTsMP-4 (Kapustin Yar) near Volgograd in Russia to the GNIIP-10 range at Sary Shagan, Kazakhstan at about 1600 or 1630 UTC Apr 12. Apogee at least 1000 km, observed widely across the Middle East. The yellow straight line shows approx path
...If they want to use a 4-inch payload, as the one tested on 2023, they could use quite small rocket motors. For example, the rocket motors from Zuni rockets or AIM-9 missiles. Although, if they propose a 2-stage rocket, they may need custom-build rocket motors.
12.068 GT HALL/HICKMAN/NASA WALLOPS FLIGHT FACILITY12-16-2009 A M26/MLRS vehicle was launched from Wallops Flight Facility, VA on December 16, 2009. The purpose of this mission is to evaluate the performance of new vehicle configuration under development. The Principal Investigator team consists of Brian Hall and John Hickman, both NASA Wallops Flight Facility, VA.The Mesquito vehicle consists of a 4.5 inch Dart propelled to 90 - 100 km with an US Army M26 Basic Multiple Launch System Rocket (MLRS) motor, and is intended for temporal and spatial measurements in the lower Mesosphere.
