Quote from: fatjohn1408 on 01/29/2014 01:29 pmWill all vehicles have an option to fly with a star engine on top of the orbital adjust module?The user's guide described use of a Star 37FM fifth stage on Athena 2c for GTO and escape missions, but did not mention it for Athena 1c. The smaller rocket would likely only be used for LEO missions. Star 37FM weighs more than the mass that Athena 1c can lift to LEO. - Ed Kyle
Will all vehicles have an option to fly with a star engine on top of the orbital adjust module?
Upperstages are different
Vanguard/Viking
Quote from: pippin on 03/14/2014 12:10 pmVanguard/VikingNo.
Quote from: Jim on 03/13/2014 11:24 pmUpperstages are differentHere's a visual comparison to illustrate. - Ed Kyle
I was looking at the ATK catalog not too long ago when the Minotaur-C was announced to look at the various motor stages. The Orion 50 and the Castor 30 motors seem to put out about the same total thrust, just the burn time is about twice as long for one of the them. It's interesting how 2 vendors are competing for the low end government launches with such similar designs.
So....is Lockheed Martin still pressing ahead with the Athena many MIRV cubesat launch next year? I have not seen any reports of a cubesat/microsat taking a seat on that flight.....
Alaska Aerospace Corp. has selected Lockheed Martin to use a renovated launch pad at the Kodiak Launch Complex for the company’s Athena 2S launch vehicle, the state-owned corporation announced Dec. 12http://spacenews.com/alaska-aerospace-selects-lockheed-martin-for-kodiak-launches/...Lockheed Martin has yet to announce any customers for the Athena 2S, a version of the company’s Athena 2 solid-propellant launch vehicle that adds up to six strap-on boosters to place payloads weighing up to 3,000 kilograms into sun-synchronous orbits. The first launches from Kodiak would take place in late 2016 or early 2017, according to the company. ...
I wonder who will win in this OSC vs LockMart battle for the few payloads in this class against international competitors. Maybe it will be neither?