The heavy class looks like a vibration nightmare. Wonder how they will solve that...
Quote from: The_Ronin on 04/17/2018 08:28 pmThe heavy class looks like a vibration nightmare. Wonder how they will solve that...I'm more interested/concerned with them air lighting a 12ft solid upper stage.That thing better have wheelibars. Can't wait to see the test flight.
They have plenty of experience with air lit motors (Anatares, Minotaur, Peacekeeper, Minuteman, etc.) and the initial burn can be controlled with the casting pattern.
This post is a continuation of a thread in L2, I'm placing it here as there is nothing revolutionary in its contents.For clarity, is this NGL technology for the core stage Solid Rocket Motors, which are approx. the same size as STS/SLS Solid Rocket Boosters, going to be directly applicable to the future "Black Knights" Solid Rocket Boosters that will be required once the current stock of 1/2" thick steel casings have been exhausted via SLS launches?I'd think that most of this development would be a "wrap" considering there was a set of flight Filament Wound Case Solid Rocket Boosters (FWC-SRB) stacked at the West Coast shuttle launch facility that was chosen back in 1972 which was Vandenberg AFB, more precisely Space Launch Complex-6 (SLC-6 or "slick-Six")awaiting final stacking with ET-(sorry couldnt quickly find a tank number) and OV-103 Discovery in preparation for the imminent due South launch of the polar mission STS-62-A crewed by: Robert L. CrippenGuy S. GardnerRichard M. MullaneJerry L. RossDale A. GardnerEdward C. Aldridge, Jr.Brett WattersonOne added bonus of using such a Solid Rocket Motor in a "stick" configuration is that there would be no "twang" motion for the joints to account for during launch.
While its obviously not its intended purpose, has anyone tried to take a stab at what Omega & Omega Heavy could place in LEO?
Quote from: Hog on 10/29/2018 03:03 pmThis post is a continuation of a thread in L2, I'm placing it here as there is nothing revolutionary in its contents.For clarity, is this NGL technology for the core stage Solid Rocket Motors, which are approx. the same size as STS/SLS Solid Rocket Boosters, going to be directly applicable to the future "Black Knights" Solid Rocket Boosters that will be required once the current stock of 1/2" thick steel casings have been exhausted via SLS launches?I'd think that most of this development would be a "wrap" considering there was a set of flight Filament Wound Case Solid Rocket Boosters (FWC-SRB) stacked at the West Coast shuttle launch facility that was chosen back in 1972 which was Vandenberg AFB, more precisely Space Launch Complex-6 (SLC-6 or "slick-Six")awaiting final stacking with ET-(sorry couldnt quickly find a tank number) and OV-103 Discovery in preparation for the imminent due South launch of the polar mission STS-62-A crewed by: Robert L. CrippenGuy S. GardnerRichard M. MullaneJerry L. RossDale A. GardnerEdward C. Aldridge, Jr.Brett WattersonOne added bonus of using such a Solid Rocket Motor in a "stick" configuration is that there would be no "twang" motion for the joints to account for during launch.The short answer is yes. The longer answer is that the NGL/OmegA solids will incorporate lessons learned from both the FWC effort as well as the Titan SRMU, however, the length of time that has elapsed from those programs means that there are lessons that will need to be relearned as well as new materials to incorporate. The "Black Knights" will utilize that expertise along with the infrastructure investments that were made for NGL/OmegA.
Quote from: Calphor on 10/29/2018 07:57 pmQuote from: Hog on 10/29/2018 03:03 pmThis post is a continuation of a thread in L2, I'm placing it here as there is nothing revolutionary in its contents.For clarity, is this NGL technology for the core stage Solid Rocket Motors, which are approx. the same size as STS/SLS Solid Rocket Boosters, going to be directly applicable to the future "Black Knights" Solid Rocket Boosters that will be required once the current stock of 1/2" thick steel casings have been exhausted via SLS launches?I'd think that most of this development would be a "wrap" considering there was a set of flight Filament Wound Case Solid Rocket Boosters (FWC-SRB) stacked at the West Coast shuttle launch facility that was chosen back in 1972 which was Vandenberg AFB, more precisely Space Launch Complex-6 (SLC-6 or "slick-Six")awaiting final stacking with ET-(sorry couldnt quickly find a tank number) and OV-103 Discovery in preparation for the imminent due South launch of the polar mission STS-62-A crewed by: Robert L. CrippenGuy S. GardnerRichard M. MullaneJerry L. RossDale A. GardnerEdward C. Aldridge, Jr.Brett WattersonOne added bonus of using such a Solid Rocket Motor in a "stick" configuration is that there would be no "twang" motion for the joints to account for during launch.The short answer is yes. The longer answer is that the NGL/OmegA solids will incorporate lessons learned from both the FWC effort as well as the Titan SRMU, however, the length of time that has elapsed from those programs means that there are lessons that will need to be relearned as well as new materials to incorporate. The "Black Knights" will utilize that expertise along with the infrastructure investments that were made for NGL/OmegA.Your view is to narrow: they just completed several next gen development programmes (Castor-120XL, LCS et cetera). In terms of casing material and construction they are going with next gen design used on LCS ICBM stage development programme and civilian equivalent Castor 120, 30 Star 92. Lessons learned from the previous shuttle/Titan motor programmes are also being incorporated too.
1 The final launch of the Delta II rocket occurred in September 2018, however a new corporate entity has proposed to reutilize SLC-2W.
Noticed this in a USAF VAFB EIS study previously linked in a SpaceX thread:Quote1 The final launch of the Delta II rocket occurred in September 2018, however a new corporate entity has proposed to reutilize SLC-2W.https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/01/24/2019-00090/taking-and-importing-marine-mammals-taking-marine-mammals-incidental-to-us-air-force-launches-andThe report does mention Blue Origin, but it is called out on its own, leading me to suspect that NGIS might be looking at the pad for the West Coast OmegA pad.
Quote from: Ronsmytheiii on 01/29/2019 07:05 pmNoticed this in a USAF VAFB EIS study previously linked in a SpaceX thread:Quote1 The final launch of the Delta II rocket occurred in September 2018, however a new corporate entity has proposed to reutilize SLC-2W.https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/01/24/2019-00090/taking-and-importing-marine-mammals-taking-marine-mammals-incidental-to-us-air-force-launches-andThe report does mention Blue Origin, but it is called out on its own, leading me to suspect that NGIS might be looking at the pad for the West Coast OmegA pad.SLC-2W will be used by Firefly for they Firefly Alpha rocket, and maybe even Beta later.
Just out of curiosity. Can the SLC-6 pad at VAFB be able to launched the Delta IV and the OmegA with minor GSE modifications? In other words can they shared the pad before Delta IV Heavy retires?
First and second stage OmegA solid rocket motors are being manufactured at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Promontory, Utah, in preparation for static test firing in 2019
Phase 1 of the new Shuttle-solid-rocket-booster-derived OmegA launch platform, intended to house a cryogenic upper stage, is completed and heading to inspection.
A bit of extra detail and context for the photo. Not exactly sure what "Phase 1" consists of.