Am I the only one who smells a rat in this PR cascade from Vector?They say things like they have 100 launches contracted. And statements like "$45m in backlog and another $25m in backlog." (http://usgif.org/system/uploads/4608/original/Vector_Space_USGIF.pdf)Let's look at this.The Iceye contract is for 21 launches. But this is a young startup that raised $5.5m in VC and EU grant money 2015/6, and probably has $4.5M of that money left today.Helsinki, Finland, 12 November 2015 – Iceye announced today a $2.8 million Series A funding round led by True Ventures, with participation from Lifeline Ventures and Founder.org. In September, ICEYE also secured € 2.5 million in R&D funding from SME Instrument within EU Horizon 2020.There is industry commentary which is hard to take seriously:And because Iceye is buying in bulk, and in advance (deliveries will begin in 2018), it's getting the best rates Vector has to offer -- somewhere on the order of $20 million to $30 million for the entire project.Vector R has a 50kg payload bay. $1.5M is the price for the entire bay. Iceye is developing a nanosat, so it won't be taking 50kg or paying 1.5M per launch, even if it had the money to do so.And then the contract with York Space - a company that is barely a year old, which got seed funding in late 2015, and has 7 employees:The seven-employee company, currently based in Denver, is establishing a satellite factory near Centennial And signs an alleged $60m contract? The launch contract with Vector covers six launches between 2019 and 2022 and can be extended to add 14 more missions, the companies said. So actually 6 contracted, with an option for 14. The headline figure is just PR noise. Plus, Jim Cantrell is on the York Space Systems advisory board, and Iceye is buying 10 of their platforms. Is it a circle?And then there are the "fueling test" images, where they basically vent some LOX out of an empty aluminium tube (watch the video, there is only one "fuel" line running to the "rocket" http://vectorspacesystems.com/video/) that was welded up in what looks like Jim's garage (https://scontent.ftxl1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13925890_277190145985261_6666894334636149440_o.jpg).I get that they want to make some noise, but this looks like heavily scented PR that ends up hurting everybody.
ICEYE is not a Cubesat or a nanosat, but an S-Class Microsat from York Space Systems
Vector testing aerospike engine. https://mobile.twitter.com/i/web/status/798991167345917952
Vector Space Systems Receives Additional $1.25M in Seed Funding Led by Space Angels Network
Quote from: russianhalo117 on 11/06/2016 09:07 pmICEYE is not a Cubesat or a nanosat, but an S-Class Microsat from York Space SystemsWell the S-class is 65-85kg, and the Vector-R handles 50kg, so there is another big mismatch right there...
Quote from: TrevorMonty on 11/16/2016 08:42 pmVector testing aerospike engine. https://mobile.twitter.com/i/web/status/798991167345917952No they aren't, that's a blog post about Garvey Space's aerospike testing in the early 2000's.
Nah, they might exaggerate a bit to gain more visibility and traction, but there isn't anything fantasy-land like here, unlike millions of people on Mars in ten years pronouncements
QuoteVector Space Systems Receives Additional $1.25M in Seed Funding Led by Space Angels Network http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vector-space-systems-receives-additional-125m-in-seed-funding-led-by-space-angels-network-300365718.html?tc=eml_cleartime
http://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/vector-space-secures-25-year-lease-in-tucson-hiring-200-employeesVector Space Systems secures 25-year lease in Tucson, hiring 200 employeesMust be very confident in funding.
Quote from: savuporo on 12/17/2016 12:40 amhttp://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/vector-space-secures-25-year-lease-in-tucson-hiring-200-employeesVector Space Systems secures 25-year lease in Tucson, hiring 200 employeesMust be very confident in funding.200 x 75000 = 15 million dollars a year in salaries. For a 6 month old startup company still raising seed-level $1m angel money off a mock-up and living off $1-2m in SBIR pork projects.Such utter horse manure. This kind of stupid PR will backfire eventually, it will be a mess bigger than Firefly in the end. And it will hurt other companies because nobody will trust the sector. Cantrell is going to ruin Garvey's relatively good name with this crap.
Quote from: ringsider on 12/17/2016 06:14 amQuote from: savuporo on 12/17/2016 12:40 amhttp://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/vector-space-secures-25-year-lease-in-tucson-hiring-200-employeesVector Space Systems secures 25-year lease in Tucson, hiring 200 employeesMust be very confident in funding.200 x 75000 = 15 million dollars a year in salaries. For a 6 month old startup company still raising seed-level $1m angel money off a mock-up and living off $1-2m in SBIR pork projects.Such utter horse manure. This kind of stupid PR will backfire eventually, it will be a mess bigger than Firefly in the end. And it will hurt other companies because nobody will trust the sector. Cantrell is going to ruin Garvey's relatively good name with this crap.Already bigger than SpaceX in 2006, with a pressure fed small rocket?
Already bigger than SpaceX in 2006, with a pressure fed small rocket?
Quote from: ringsider on 11/06/2016 10:14 pmQuote from: russianhalo117 on 11/06/2016 09:07 pmICEYE is not a Cubesat or a nanosat, but an S-Class Microsat from York Space SystemsWell the S-class is 65-85kg, and the Vector-R handles 50kg, so there is another big mismatch right there...look at the VSS info in the latest Vector-R Users Guide v1.5 for the Vector-RE1. Also these Microsats are a Custom non standard S-Class Platform being built by YSS.
February 3rd 2017Kanematsu Corporation (KG) is pleased to announce the intention to establish a business collaboration through strategic investment with Vector Space Systems (Vector) for micro launch vehicles and related services.Vector will offer small launch vehicles dedicated to micro satellites and related services. Vector's CEO Jim Cantrell was involved in the start-up of SpaceX, an influential company which provides heavy lift launch vehicles. Incidentally, Vector's CTO John Garvey had developed nanosat launch vehicles at Garvey Space Corp. (GSC) for 15 years prior to joining the team.Vector took over GSC's IP, assets and team in 2016, and is in the development of providing operational launch services by 2018. Vector has already been awarded contracts in several countries, including a contract with the United States' NASA program.In the current space industry, although there is growing demand in the micro satellite launch market, customers can only launch micro satellites using heavy launch vehicles, mounting their satellites into space through medium and large class satellites launches. This is problematic because customers cannot select the desired launch timing, and are limited in orbit to send the satellites. After 2018, Vector will enable Japanese customers to launch their low-cost microsatellites into a desired orbit and at their preferred timing. In addition to this launch capability, Vector will provide satellite simulation services using virtual machine technology through the GalacticSky program.KG has extensive experience in space business through sales transactions with European and American satellite manufacturers/satellite on-board equipment suppliers, satellite control system providers and rocket downrange system providers. KG will leverage synergy in addition to its domestic and international network with Vector, to make a strong showing in future business collaborations and further expand space businesses.About VectorEstablishment : March in 2016CEO : Jim CantrellLocation : 824 E, 16th Street, Tucson AZ 85719Business lineup: Development of launch vehicle and satellite simulation, launch service and its related servicesContact:Public & Investor Relations Section, Kanematsu CorporationTel: +81-3-5440-8000