A few tidbits from my conversation with Rocket Lab's @Peter_J_Beck earlier today:--Neutron would use a pad at Wallops adjacent to the one used by Electron.--Wallops would be the primary base of operations initially, but could expand elsewhere depending on mission profile. 1/
Did he specify if that’s pad OA or another pad that they’ll be building?
Pad 0A
If this is true then it means NG have decided to end Antares, and it puts a hard limit on the last flights at the 2024 maiden launch target of Neutron.
Quote from: Kryten on 03/02/2021 08:49 am If this is true then it means NG have decided to end Antares, and it puts a hard limit on the last flights at the 2024 maiden launch target of Neutron.Now don't quote me here cause I'm by no means an expert when it comes to the infrastructure at Wallops, but I don't see any particular reason why Antares and Neutron couldn't share the pad. It's not like they'd use the same strong-back.
Quote from: JEF_300 on 03/02/2021 11:45 amQuote from: Kryten on 03/02/2021 08:49 am If this is true then it means NG have decided to end Antares, and it puts a hard limit on the last flights at the 2024 maiden launch target of Neutron.Now don't quote me here cause I'm by no means an expert when it comes to the infrastructure at Wallops, but I don't see any particular reason why Antares and Neutron couldn't share the pad. It's not like they'd use the same strong-back.The way the Antares sits on the pad makes that tricky. Its launch mount is basically a cylinder that detaches the rocket (sere image below). But this cylinder is the same 3.9m diameter as the Antares, and would likely not be a great fit for Neutron that has a diameter of 4.5m.So while it is possible, it would require a significant pad rebuild. I don't see it happening.IMO the only way Neutron launches from 0A is if NG retires Antares and makes the pad available. NG has made no such announcement.
Quote from: Lars-J on 03/02/2021 08:47 pmQuote from: JEF_300 on 03/02/2021 11:45 amQuote from: Kryten on 03/02/2021 08:49 am If this is true then it means NG have decided to end Antares, and it puts a hard limit on the last flights at the 2024 maiden launch target of Neutron.Now don't quote me here cause I'm by no means an expert when it comes to the infrastructure at Wallops, but I don't see any particular reason why Antares and Neutron couldn't share the pad. It's not like they'd use the same strong-back.The way the Antares sits on the pad makes that tricky. Its launch mount is basically a cylinder that detaches the rocket (sere image below). But this cylinder is the same 3.9m diameter as the Antares, and would likely not be a great fit for Neutron that has a diameter of 4.5m.So while it is possible, it would require a significant pad rebuild. I don't see it happening.IMO the only way Neutron launches from 0A is if NG retires Antares and makes the pad available. NG has made no such announcement.If you look at the Antares during rollout, you can see the 'reaction frame' (not sure the OSC/NG parlance, but it's the same concept) is carried as part of the integrated TE. When the TE erects, that frame sits down onto the pad itself and the TE strongback is bolted to the fixed pivots, then the transport bolts are removed to allow the TE to move back at time of launch. To convert 0A to a multiple occupancy pad, the seat for the 'reaction frame' would need to be widened (you can already see the existing mount 'necks down' to a narrower diameter), and the Antares reaction frame would need to be enlarged to sit on the wider seat. Neutron would also need a wider set of TE pivot points installed. The harder part would be that all the tail service plumbing would need to be made modular to allow swapping between vehicle configurations.It's not an impossible task, and depending on expected Antares launch rate even a painful switchover could be tolerable if the once (an on occasion twice) a year launch rate continues.
Pad 0-A confirmed Very curious how Rocket Lab managed to secure that extraordinary deal...QuoteNeutron will fly from Pad 0-A from Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia, the pad currently used by Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket and next to Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 2 pad for its Electron rocket. Using that pad, Beck said, avoids the expense of building a new launch complex.“Leveraging the $100 million of wonderful investment by the state into a launch pad that’s used very infrequently just makes good business sense,” he said, a reference to the current Antares flight rate of two missions a year. “It saves a whole lot of time and risk out of development program.”Rocket Lab will build a factory for Neutron as close as it can to that launch pad to minimize issues with transporting the vehicle, such as bridge clearances when transporting rockets by road.https://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-says-spac-deal-will-accelerate-development-of-neutron-rocket/
Neutron will fly from Pad 0-A from Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia, the pad currently used by Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket and next to Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 2 pad for its Electron rocket. Using that pad, Beck said, avoids the expense of building a new launch complex.“Leveraging the $100 million of wonderful investment by the state into a launch pad that’s used very infrequently just makes good business sense,” he said, a reference to the current Antares flight rate of two missions a year. “It saves a whole lot of time and risk out of development program.”Rocket Lab will build a factory for Neutron as close as it can to that launch pad to minimize issues with transporting the vehicle, such as bridge clearances when transporting rockets by road.
Is Antares in the class to take up some Vulcan missions if the BE-4 continues to be delayed?
Quote from: KEdward5 on 09/20/2021 02:38 pmIs Antares in the class to take up some Vulcan missions if the BE-4 continues to be delayed?No, Antares can only do 8000kg to LEO.
Which other rocket would be a direct capability comparison to Antares for such payloads? Then Wallops would be the only unique difference.
Quote from: Simon90 on 06/05/2021 03:51 pmWhich other rocket would be a direct capability comparison to Antares for such payloads? Then Wallops would be the only unique difference.RocketLab Neutron.
