6. No Firefly is completely separate
Quote from: Celestial_Mech on 05/22/2020 09:44 pm6. No Firefly is completely separateSkyrora 3D printing in Ukraine:From this story:https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/skyrora-propels-uk-space-missions-3d-printed-rocket-parts-128852/Firefly 3D printing in Ukraine:From this story:https://sobitie.com.ua/dnepropetrovsk-novosti/pervuyu-chastnuyu-raketnuyu-kompaniyu-v-ukraine-prezentovali-v-dnepre
We're progressively getting more vertically integrated, as we're finding that more effective, just as SpaceX found in their early days.Can't wait to cover what happening next!
We're currently sourcing big prints from a couple of leading additive manufacturing bureau in Europe (and I consider that to include the UK still!) Our most recent 3rd stage engine, used at Spaceport Cornwall last year, and for the Ecosene tests this year was produced in association with Frazer Nash and Hythe Marine
Before coming across them in their current form I only new of Frazer Nash as an historic car manufacturer! But they've continued into a spread of engineering companies involved in all sorts of stuff. Hythe were the welding provider on that first engine.
Edinburgh-based Skyrora successfully launched its Skylark Nano rocket from remote land, the Fethaland Peninsula at North Roe on the Scottish island on Saturday, the 13th of June.Skyrora plans to launch from one of the three proposed spaceports in Scotland and commercially launching from Shetland in the future is a potential option for them.Reaching an altitude of six kilometers, this marked the third time the 2 meter (6.5ft) projectile took to the skies. The launch was completed for educational purposes, collecting meteorological data, measuring wind profiles, analysing the vehicles trajectory and providing critical training in support of Skyrora’s future plans. [...]
Today we are celebrating Skyrora's third year in business! Skyrora has come a long way since June 2017, ticking off many milestones on the way to putting the UK back in Space. By 2023, we aim to have Skyrora XL placing satellites into Space, taking off from UK soil. #LaunchUK
https://twitter.com/skyrora_ltd/status/1275434373022511104QuoteToday we are celebrating Skyrora's third year in business! Skyrora has come a long way since June 2017, ticking off many milestones on the way to putting the UK back in Space. By 2023, we aim to have Skyrora XL placing satellites into Space, taking off from UK soil. #LaunchUK
14.07.2020 by Skyrora TeamSKYRORA OPENS ROCKET ENGINE TEST COMPLEX EXPECTED TO CREATE OVER 170 JOBSSkyrora has established an engine test complex in Scotland, where it already has successfully tested its 3.5kN engine and three-tonne engine for its sub-orbital and orbital rockets. Skyrora expects the newly established Engine Test Complex to help the company create over 170 new jobs in the area by 2030. Skyrora’s engine test complex layout is fairly minimal, mainly consisting of a fuel and oxidiser loading system to put fuel into both tanks and a pressure supply system to feed the fuel to the engine in the test stand. Skyrora also built the actual test stand, the road to access the test site and the concrete slab for the test site to sit on. It took the team only a few weeks to build it, at a fraction of the estimated time and cost while making sure all measures followed health and safety guidelines.Skyrora’s vision is to test all three engines used on its rocket suite in the one location: the seven-tonne engine for the first and second stage of the orbital Skyrora XL launch vehicle, the 3.5Kn engine for the third stage, and the three-tonne engine for the sub-orbital Skylark L launch vehicle. The test site is estimated to help Skyrora create over 170 mainly technical jobs in manufacturing and operations ranging from mechanical engineering to electronics for avionics systems. Volodymyr Levykin, chief executive officer of Skyrora, said: “The opening of our engine test complex represents a giant leap forward for the UK’s ambitions as a space nation and Scotland’s status as a space hub. The location and additional jobs will benefit the UK space industry and help the overall economy grow. It will also allow Skyrora’s highly skilled workforce and a young generation of engineers and technicians to be a part of this space revolution. Skyrora has developed and come so far as a team and a company, and I am really proud to see how many milestones we have achieved in a short period of time.”In January 2020, Skyrora announced it had completed up to 25 tests on their 3.5kN upper stage orbital engine testing their Ecosene fuel, an equivalent kerosene derived from unrecyclable plastics. And right before the UK lockdown measures were implemented, the complex saw the three-tonne engine through several tests. The engine produces 30kN’s of thrust, meaning that it is one order of magnitude greater than the 3.5kN third stage.Skyrora’s main objective of testing engines is to validate the performance of the engine. Variables such as pressure, thrust, flow of fuel and flow of oxidizer were stress-tested and assessed as part of the process. The three-tonne engine, integrated onto Skylark-L, also underwent a successful full vertical static fire test in May 2020. The 11-metre rocket could be ready to launch from as early as spring 2021 and can reach an altitude of 100km; the test results showed it would have crossed the Karman line.Following the 3.5kN and three-tonne engine tests, Skyrora is now looking at expanding the test site to allow the rocket company to test their seven-tonne engine, used for the first and second stage of the low Earth orbit (LEO) vehicle, the Skyrora XL. Dr Jack-James Marlow, Engineering Manager at Skyrora, who oversaw the testing, said: “Our engine test complex is a fantastic opportunity for Skyrora and the UK Space industry. Scotland is heading towards an unprecedented growth in UK space and our complex is one step closer to achieving this. We are planning to test all our engines, which are fully 3D printed and operate on high-test peroxide (HTP, a highly concentrated solution of hydrogen peroxide), at the site. Our recent successful testing of the three-tonne engine is nearly ten times greater in thrust than our last series of engine tests on our LEO engine. We pushed the engine to its limits to find its operational envelope and critical parameters. The engine performed as expected and has enabled us to begin small volume production of the engine”.Looking to the future, both Skylark L and its 22-metre sibling Skyrora XL will utilise Ecosene – the fuel comprised of waste plastics developed by Skyrora. Technological advances mean Ecosene will be able to produce 600kg of usable kerosene from 1000kg of waste plastics in the space of 24 hours. Using proven technology from the likes of Black Arrow, Skyrora will use hydrogen peroxide as a fuel oxidiser. This removes the need and cost for cryogenic freezing due to Scotland’s unpredictable weather, which it would prove debilitating in the event of a late cancellation. The launch vehicle manufacturing company aims to complete the inaugural launch of Skyrora XL from a UK spaceport by 2023.
Take a look at this footage from our three-tonne engine test completed at the Engine Test Complex in Fife back in early March. Skyrora aim to test all three engines in our suite at this facility. #Scotlandtospace #LaunchUK
Skyrora's tech team have been working away on different parts of our orbital launch vehicle, and have constructed pressure vessels made from carbon fibre and resin for the third stage of Skyrora XL.🚀Take a look at the vessel in action! #inhousecapabilities #Innovative#Launch
We are delighted to announce that we are launching Skylark Micro in Iceland! The launch will be part of our de-risking programme, with the first launch window scheduled for a week’s time! Stay tuned!🚀Full Article: bit.ly/2ENe3ab #IcelandLaunch#Research#Educate
Skyrora continues with its de-risking programme by preparing to launch the Skylark Micro rocket from Iceland later this month. With the first launch window scheduled for 12 August, the two-stage, four-metre tall sub-orbital rocket, is set for take-off from Langanes Penisula, Iceland. Following the July test for trajectory and hardware on the Skylark Nano, the Icelandic launch of the Skylark Micro will test onboard avionics and communications as well as practice marine recovery operations. Skyrora’s de-risking programme is based on testing its systems with smaller and more cost-effective vehicles before they are used in their larger Skylark L and Skyrora XL rockets. Their low Earth orbital rocket, the Skyrora XL, is scheduled to launch in 2023.Volodymyr Levykin, chief executive officer from Skyrora said: “Skyrora’s de-risking programme is essential for scaling, learning and education before we launch our two commercial vehicles, Skylark L and Skyrora XL. The entire team is working at a pace and has made great efforts to get another launch underway. I’d also like to express my thanks and gratitude towards Iceland’s government, which has been tremendously supportive with the preparations for this upcoming launch.”
Skyrora's launch crew have successfully arrived at the launch site in the Langanes Peninsula in Iceland, where we will be launching the suborbital Skylark Micro rocket for the first time. T-minus 5 days until our first launch window arrives! #Readytolaunch#Liftoff#Rocketlaunch
T- minus 1 day for our first launch window! Who’s ready? 🇮🇸 🏴🚀#SkylarkMicroLaunch
Launch update: this morning we have received the information that the wind in Langanes will not allow for the Skylark Micro Mission I launch to take place today. We will be watching the weather closely and will review first thing tomorrow! Stay tuned!🚀#IcelandLaunch #Rocket
Launch update: the upper level winds today in the Langanes Peninsula are in violation of our launch conditions, and so we will be standing down from today's Skylark Micro Mission I launch. We will continue to closely monitor the weather and provide further updates.
Launch update: Today, the mid level winds are unfortunately not in our favour. However, the weather is predicting a viable launch window tomorrow so keep your fingers crossed, and at least we have some beautiful sunsets to watch while our tech team continue to prepare for launch!