Medium, heavy, and rideshare launch demand is strong. If Peregrine and Dream Chaser are not ready, competitive alternative customers should be scheduled. Playing "schedule chicken" and finger pointing are not an abject circumstance. Even if Centaur V is not ready, get everything else ready. Even if BE-4 is not ready, get everything else ready. Waste anything but time here, because wasted time will waste money and add risk.
Quote from: Craigles on 06/17/2023 03:59 pmMedium, heavy, and rideshare launch demand is strong. If Peregrine and Dream Chaser are not ready, competitive alternative customers should be scheduled. Playing "schedule chicken" and finger pointing are not an abject circumstance. Even if Centaur V is not ready, get everything else ready. Even if BE-4 is not ready, get everything else ready. Waste anything but time here, because wasted time will waste money and add risk.No, that is not realistic. Not easy to call up a payload. Customers don't want to get ready and then be told to stand down. It costs money to even prep a spacecraft for shipment and get a team together for the launch site. Also, processing facility space is at a premium and it is also not cheap.
Quote from: Jim on 06/28/2023 12:47 amQuote from: Craigles on 06/17/2023 03:59 pmMedium, heavy, and rideshare launch demand is strong. If Peregrine and Dream Chaser are not ready, competitive alternative customers should be scheduled. Playing "schedule chicken" and finger pointing are not an abject circumstance. Even if Centaur V is not ready, get everything else ready. Even if BE-4 is not ready, get everything else ready. Waste anything but time here, because wasted time will waste money and add risk.No, that is not realistic. Not easy to call up a payload. Customers don't want to get ready and then be told to stand down. It costs money to even prep a spacecraft for shipment and get a team together for the launch site. Also, processing facility space is at a premium and it is also not cheap.There is one particular payload that can be call up in a hurry. A mass simulator. Of course that should only be done for the inaugural launch of a new launcher.However ULA could fly another launch with a mass simulator if the Vulcan Centaur stack exhibits non-minor issues with the inaugural launch with a mass simulator.
Quote from: Zed_Noir on 06/28/2023 06:19 amQuote from: Jim on 06/28/2023 12:47 amQuote from: Craigles on 06/17/2023 03:59 pmMedium, heavy, and rideshare launch demand is strong. If Peregrine and Dream Chaser are not ready, competitive alternative customers should be scheduled. Playing "schedule chicken" and finger pointing are not an abject circumstance. Even if Centaur V is not ready, get everything else ready. Even if BE-4 is not ready, get everything else ready. Waste anything but time here, because wasted time will waste money and add risk.No, that is not realistic. Not easy to call up a payload. Customers don't want to get ready and then be told to stand down. It costs money to even prep a spacecraft for shipment and get a team together for the launch site. Also, processing facility space is at a premium and it is also not cheap.There is one particular payload that can be call up in a hurry. A mass simulator. Of course that should only be done for the inaugural launch of a new launcher.However ULA could fly another launch with a mass simulator if the Vulcan Centaur stack exhibits non-minor issues with the inaugural launch with a mass simulator.I'm sure Elon will sell you a Tesla to use as a mass simulator. It worked for the Falcon Heavy.
I'll take the big ol' concrete block instead, please. I prefer the more traditional take on the mass simulator.
Quote from: DanClemmensen on 06/28/2023 02:35 pmQuote from: Zed_Noir on 06/28/2023 06:19 amQuote from: Jim on 06/28/2023 12:47 amQuote from: Craigles on 06/17/2023 03:59 pmMedium, heavy, and rideshare launch demand is strong. If Peregrine and Dream Chaser are not ready, competitive alternative customers should be scheduled. Playing "schedule chicken" and finger pointing are not an abject circumstance. Even if Centaur V is not ready, get everything else ready. Even if BE-4 is not ready, get everything else ready. Waste anything but time here, because wasted time will waste money and add risk.No, that is not realistic. Not easy to call up a payload. Customers don't want to get ready and then be told to stand down. It costs money to even prep a spacecraft for shipment and get a team together for the launch site. Also, processing facility space is at a premium and it is also not cheap.There is one particular payload that can be call up in a hurry. A mass simulator. Of course that should only be done for the inaugural launch of a new launcher.However ULA could fly another launch with a mass simulator if the Vulcan Centaur stack exhibits non-minor issues with the inaugural launch with a mass simulator.I'm sure Elon will sell you a Tesla to use as a mass simulator. It worked for the Falcon Heavy. The Atlas V did not carry a mass simulator on its first launch, and a mass simulator won't work for the Vulcan.
https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1678844068703477762QuoteScoop – One of Blue Origin’s BE-4 rocket engines exploded during a test firing in Texas on June 30, according to CNBC sources.The engine was to be delivered this month to ULA for Vulcan’s Cert-2 launch. More:https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/11/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-be-4-rocket-engine-explodes-during-testing.htmlQuoteKEY POINTSJeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin suffered a rocket engine explosion while testing its BE-4 rocket engine last month, CNBC has learned.During a firing on June 30 at Blue Origin’s facility in West Texas, a BE-4 engine detonated about 10 seconds into the test.A Blue Origin spokesperson confirmed the incident, noting that no personnel were injured and that an investigation is underway, with a “proximate cause” identified.
Scoop – One of Blue Origin’s BE-4 rocket engines exploded during a test firing in Texas on June 30, according to CNBC sources.The engine was to be delivered this month to ULA for Vulcan’s Cert-2 launch. More:
KEY POINTSJeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin suffered a rocket engine explosion while testing its BE-4 rocket engine last month, CNBC has learned.During a firing on June 30 at Blue Origin’s facility in West Texas, a BE-4 engine detonated about 10 seconds into the test.A Blue Origin spokesperson confirmed the incident, noting that no personnel were injured and that an investigation is underway, with a “proximate cause” identified.
Article says that the engine that exploded was Vulcan flight engine 3. Not clear what, if any impact there is to Vulcan. Blue Origin have said they will still meet their engine delivery commitments this year.
<snip> Wider implications for the Vulcan programme belong here (with discussion of the engine issue on the BE-4 thread).
https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1679512399282417666QuoteULA CEO @torybruno, during a media roundtable, lays out the upcoming schedule of Vulcan launches:Cert-1 in 2023 Q4Cert-2 in first half 2024 First Space Force (NSSL) launch in second half 2024
ULA CEO @torybruno, during a media roundtable, lays out the upcoming schedule of Vulcan launches:Cert-1 in 2023 Q4Cert-2 in first half 2024 First Space Force (NSSL) launch in second half 2024
Centaur V will be qualified for the Cert-1 trajectory for the flight by the end of this year. Remaining tests will be completed in 1st Q 2024. Cert-2 flight is Sierra Space's Dream Chaser "a few months" after Cert-1. First NSSL launch in 2nd Q 2024.
NASA's Joel Montalbano said the agency's current expectation is that Dream Chaser's debut flight to the ISS will take place during the first half of 2024; but acknowledged that potential delays to the Vulcan rocket and spacecraft may require further adjustments to the right.
So I asked and was told I could post this
Yes. Huntsville is coming up faster
The cargo module’s folded solar array "wing" being installed to the deployment and release mechanisms. These arrays provide reliable charging capabilities for all on-board batteries while in orbit.
@torybruno how are the flight 2 engines coming along, and are you done with the failure investigation
In ATP Yes, done
https://twitter.com/SierraSpaceCo/status/1696647177357930682
Quote from: Robert_the_Doll on 08/29/2023 11:47 pmhttps://twitter.com/SierraSpaceCo/status/1696647177357930682Clean room?
Speaking of ATPs, do you have an update for us on the Cert-2 BE-4s? A few weeks ago you'd said they were in ATP in Texas, and I hope things are going well or went well.
Going well. Booster is built up and ready to receive them.
