Author Topic: The suborbital thread! (Read 1055759 times)

Fmedici · « **Reply #2160 on:** 10/26/2022 10:10 am »

Two suborbital launches from the DoD scheduled to take place between 26 and 30 October at Wallops:

https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/1584941216499699716

https://twitter.com/SpaceAtWallops/status/1585138354496376833

Fmedici · « **Reply #2161 on:** 10/27/2022 05:32 pm »

Quote from: [email protected] on 10/27/2022 05:09 pm

Two suborbital rockets launched from the Outer Hebrides (UK.)

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6990610620903489536/

They claim to have launched a couple of Kingfisher rockets, but I can't find info about them anywhere in their website

Yiosie · « **Reply #2162 on:** 10/27/2022 10:21 pm »

Quote from: Fmedici on 10/26/2022 10:10 am

Two suborbital launches from the DoD scheduled to take place between 26 and 30 October at Wallops:

https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/1584941216499699716

First launch occurred on 26 October, 18:30 UTC:

https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops/status/1585375932247904276

Looks like the second launch did take place today, though no tweet yet:

https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/wallops/2022/nasa-wallops-supports-department-of-defense-rocket-launches

Quote

NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility supported the launch of two suborbital sounding rockets Oct. 26 and 27, 2022, for the Navy Strategic Systems Programs and the Army Hypersonic Program Office.

russianhalo117 · « **Reply #2163 on:** 10/28/2022 12:59 am »

Quote from: VLN on 10/25/2022 02:42 am

This is a current Hazardous Operations warning from the NGA:
Quote
232350Z OCT 22
NAVAREA XII 794/22(18,19).
EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC.
CALIFORNIA.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 251730Z TO 260042Z OCT,
ALTERNATE 1730Z TO 0042Z DAILY 26 THRU 28 OCT
IN AREAS BOUND BY:
A. 34-37.00N 121-24.00W, 34-40.00N 122-13.00W,
34-02.00N 122-58.00W, 32-12.00N 125-14.00W,
31-34.00N 125-29.00W, 31-04.00N 124-45.00W,
31-26.00N 124-07.00W, 34-02.00N 121-13.00W.
B. 23-17.00N 135-50.00W, 21-37.00N 137-03.00W,
19-58.00N 133-59.00W, 22-07.00N 132-44.00W.
2. CANCEL NAVAREA XII 778/22.
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 290142Z OCT 22.

I speculate that this is a test of Firefly Aerospace under its new SSC VICTUS NOX contract, a.k.a. the Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS-3) Launch Service Task Order under the Orbital Services Program 4 (OSP-4) Contract. It calls for launching a payload to orbit with very short notice, perhaps only 24 hr.

The NGA warning by itself indicates a launch will occur between 10:30am and 5:42pm PDT any day this week, from Oct 25-Oct 28. Now this was already a busy week, with a SpaceX/Starlink launch expected on Oct 27, and a ULA launch on Nov 1. How could there be a third Vandenberg launch within the same week? If my speculation is correct, the launch would be performed by Firefly from SLC-2. Unfortunately, I can't be there to watch for it.

Comments?

Submarines are known to be in the area because of patrols keeping visitors out of the trajectory corridor (per a recorded Navy intercept posted on IG et al). Trident-II testing is expected this quarter. Cruise and other missiles can also be tested in these zones as well

Rik ISS-fan · « **Reply #2164 on:** 10/28/2022 07:04 pm »

Quote from: Fmedici on 10/27/2022 05:32 pm

Quote from: [email protected] on 10/27/2022 05:09 pm
Two suborbital rockets launched from the Outer Hebrides (UK.)

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6990610620903489536/

They claim to have launched a couple of Kingfisher rockets, but I can't find info about them anywhere in their website

T-minus Engineering is developing multiple small solid suborbital rockets. A website is marketing, TME has a client base when their rockets function well. So they don't need marketing, they need their rockets to become operational.
TME is in testing phase for the Small T-minus dart. It is a relacement for the Viper III and/or Super Loki dart. It launches from a helixcoil launch rail.
I think Kingfisher is the TME Dart XL. If this is the case, it uses the same motor as the Baracuda rocket.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Performance-comparison-of-the-various-TME-rocket-motors-all-parameters-are-at-sea-level_tbl1_361602785

Steven Pietrobon · « **Reply #2165 on:** 10/29/2022 04:12 am »

This image of the launch on 26 October was posted by WFF. This looks like a Terrier Improved Malemute (TIM).

https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/wallops/2022/nasa-wallops-supports-department-of-defense-rocket-launches

Steven Pietrobon · « **Reply #2166 on:** 10/29/2022 04:18 am »

These rockets were launched as part of the High Operational Tempo for Hypersonics (H4H) program.

https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/3200870/department-of-defense-continues-to-advance-hypersonic-capabilities/

Fmedici · « **Reply #2167 on:** 11/05/2022 07:17 am »

REXUS 27 mission to be launched from Esrange today at 09:07 UTC:

Steven Pietrobon · « **Reply #2168 on:** 11/05/2022 11:38 pm »

Quote from: Fmedici on 11/05/2022 07:17 am

REXUS 27 mission to be launched from Esrange today at 09:07 UTC:

Launch occurred as scheduled.

russianhalo117 · « **Reply #2169 on:** 11/07/2022 03:14 am »

REXUS-28 HCD:

Steven Pietrobon · « **Reply #2170 on:** 11/08/2022 05:01 am »

Rexus 28 launched.

"The hot countdown for #REXUS 28 started this morning at 03:00🕒. It was close with the launcher settings⚙but in the end we had a good launch opportunity and REXUS 28 took off at 07:43."

https://twitter.com/REXUSBEXUS/status/1589653906295951362

catdlr · « **Reply #2171 on:** 11/10/2022 07:21 am »

Kip Daugirdas

56 Miles (90 km) Above Earth - Successful Amateur Rocket Launch

Quote

Two-stage amateur rocket flight to 293,488 ft (55.6 mi/89.5 km). This rocket is called MESOS (short for mesosphere) because it is designed to fly there. The mesosphere is the third layer of Earth's atmosphere situated between 31 and 53 miles (50-85 km) above the surface. The amazing part about this rocket is it reached this altitude on less than 41,000 N-s of total impulse (full O-class high-power rocket motor)! Capable of carrying the equivalent of a 16 oz can of beer/energy drink as a payload, this rocket flew two GoPro Hero 9s with modified rectilinear lenses. Both stages are recovered via parachutes and are reusable. This video covers the development and launch of this record-breaking rocket. I hope you enjoy it!

russianhalo117 · « **Reply #2172 on:** 11/17/2022 02:20 pm »

Livestream fot VIKRAM-S launch of PRARAMBH mission:

russianhalo117 · « **Reply #2173 on:** 11/18/2022 05:09 am »

Quote from: russianhalo117 on 11/17/2022 02:20 pm

Livestream fot VIKRAM-S launch of PRARAMBH mission:

Vikram-S flight declared successful (payloads will be known after recovery). 89.5 km apogee and 121km range. India by a law defines space starting at 89.0km mean sea level.

Jrcraft · « **Reply #2174 on:** 11/18/2022 05:14 am »

Quote from: russianhalo117 on 11/18/2022 05:09 am

Quote from: russianhalo117 on 11/17/2022 02:20 pm
Livestream fot VIKRAM-S launch of PRARAMBH mission:

Vikram-S flight declared successful (payloads will be known after recovery). 89.5 km apogee and 121km range. India by a law defines space starting at 89.0km mean sea level.

Glad it made it to space, but it appeared that there was a major anomaly onboard. The motor section tore itself off of the rocket over the course of quite some seconds. Definitely not a clean sep if sep was even intended at all.

eeergo · « **Reply #2175 on:** 11/18/2022 10:43 am »

https://twitter.com/andrewfacini/status/1593458146068021248

Star One · « **Reply #2176 on:** 11/18/2022 10:56 am »

VIKRAM-S launch:

Steven Pietrobon · « **Reply #2177 on:** 11/19/2022 05:06 am »

Quote from: russianhalo117 on 11/18/2022 05:09 am

Vikram-S flight declared successful (payloads will be known after recovery). 89.5 km apogee and 121km range. India by a law defines space starting at 89.0km mean sea level.

The planned peak altitude was 89.5 km, but the actual peak was 88.8 km. In the screen grab below, the first line is measured data and changes with time, while the second line is fixed and presumably is the expected performance.

russianhalo117 · « **Reply #2178 on:** 11/20/2022 05:08 pm »

Livestream for NASA ACES II Launch Campaign:

Day 1 (Scrubbed for science conditions):

Day 2 (Scrubbed for science conditions):

Day 3 (Scrubbed for science conditions):

Day 4 (Scrubbed for science conditions):

Day 5 (launch 1 occurred at 17:20:00 UTC and launch 2 at 17:21:40 UTC):

Fmedici · « **Reply #2179 on:** 11/21/2022 08:12 pm »

Next from Esrange: SubOrbital Express-3/MASER-15 mission on a VSB-30 rocket, first launch window opening on 23 November at 07:00 UTC

https://twitter.com/SSCspace/status/1594726945924993024