NASASpaceFlight.com Forum
Commercial and US Government Launch Vehicles => Commercial Space Flight General => Topic started by: Solo on 05/13/2014 03:28 am
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Phil Eaton of Armadillo Aerospace fame has announced a new aerospace company http://www.exosaero.com/
They have evidently purchased some or all of Armadillo Aerospace's equipment and facility and have an ambitious plan to build 4 suborbital rockets within the year, and begin development of a manned rocket during that time frame. Development of an orbital rocket is also planned. Keep your ears to the ground, this is going to be fun!
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Phil Eaton of Armadillo Aerospace fame has announced a new aerospace company http://www.exosaero.com/
They have evidently purchased some or all of Armadillo Aerospace's equipment and facility and have an ambitious plan to build 4 suborbital rockets within the year, and begin development of a manned rocket during that time frame. Development of an orbital rocket is also planned. Keep your ears to the ground, this is going to be fun!
I had heard that John had sold off the Armadillo Aerospace IP to one of the team members (maybe it was Phil). Here's to hoping he's both found the resources he needs, and can pull back together a team with the right skill balance. I wish them all the luck in the world. Hopefully I can make it down to Dallas one of these days to check out what they're up to.
~Jon
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Woot.
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Cool!
Lets hope they can get things going again!
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Sometimes good ideas are too good to die, lets hope this new company can make a go of it!
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I hope they ask and answer the question "How do we make money out of this?" before starting a project.
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I hope they ask and answer the question "How do we make money out of this?" before starting a project.
That may be the point of the manned launch. At the rate things are going, they might be able to catch up to VG...
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I hope they ask and answer the question "How do we make money out of this?" before starting a project.
That may be the point of the manned launch. At the rate things are going, they might be able to catch up to VG...
eh, I think that market is XCOR's.
I hope they build and fly some stuff - was saddened to see them going into hibernation, so I wish this new version (or atleast this new company with some of the same foundations) the best of luck. Hope NASA gets them do a few paid flights to test some ALHAT implementation or the like.
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Oooohhhh... will be following this one!
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Ribbon-cutting at Caddo Mills Airport for the launch of a new company called Exos Aerospace. Exos Aerospace is your expedited space delivery expert. By developing state-of-the-art reusable vehicles and efficient operations, and due to expeditious payload integration, Exos provides you with affordable, repeatable, and reliable commercial spaceflight with accelerated turnaround. If you need to fly “now,” rather than a year from now, and you need minutes of zero G time, and immediate access to your payload, Exos is your space flight solution.
Source:
https://www.klty.com/family_fun_calendar_details.php?id=48700 (https://www.klty.com/family_fun_calendar_details.php?id=48700)
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They now have up some team bios. A few are AA alumni, but several are new faces.
~Jon
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No LV unveil ? Not even a render ? Hope they have some tech to show or is this just a "soft" launch ?
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I hope they ask and answer the question "How do we make money out of this?" before starting a project.
That may be the point of the manned launch. At the rate things are going, they might be able to catch up to VG...
This gives Branson more choice when he realizes he needs to go out and buy something different. ;D
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No LV unveil ? Not even a render ? Hope they have some tech to show or is this just a "soft" launch ?
AA IP gives them the STIG which gives the advertized few minutes of zero G for small payloads. I hope they pursue that realistic avenue with full force and put any manned ambitions on the back burner.
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Some excerpts from their bios page (http://exosaero.com/team-bio):
David Mitchell MBA: Co-founder and President
Looks like he's a serial entrepreneur with ties to the oil and gas industry in west Texas (among other things).
"In 2014 David became a co-founder, and President of Exos Aerospace, Inc. He and his family will provide the funding and business management of the company."
Russ Blink (An Armadillo Aerospace Alumnus): Co-founder and Lead Design Engineer
Phil Eaton (also an Armadillo Alumnus): Co-founder and Operations Manager
~Jon
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Virgin made several mistakes. Branson came in and changed the company along with purchase by Grumman. They capitalized on their notoriety by putting the spaceship one right into the Smithsonian. They should have flown it a few more times to iron out any rough edges. Once satisfied the should have built two or three and started flying customers with that bird. A pilot and two passengers per flight starting immediately is miles better than not flying (pilot and copilot with 5 passengers) years later with not date in sight. They also should not have let Rutan go. His vision and eagerness were worth far more than any young engineer.
I am very excited for Exos. I was a long time supporter of Armadillo. Perhaps they should begin their business plan using Stig B and its precision recovery system to provide the quick integration, launch, and retrieval business plan they have stated to begin cash flow. After that is in place, begin full research on the manned plans. Good luck, we will be watching.
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Virgin made several mistakes. Branson came in and changed the company along with purchase by Grumman. They capitalized on their notoriety by putting the spaceship one right into the Smithsonian. They should have flown it a few more times to iron out any rough edges. Once satisfied the should have built two or three and started flying customers with that bird. A pilot and two passengers per flight starting immediately is miles better than not flying (pilot and copilot with 5 passengers) years later with not date in sight. They also should not have let Rutan go. His vision and eagerness were worth far more than any young engineer.
I am very excited for Exos. I was a long time supporter of Armadillo. Perhaps they should begin their business plan using Stig B and its precision recovery system to provide the quick integration, launch, and retrieval business plan they have stated to begin cash flow. After that is in place, begin full research on the manned plans. Good luck, we will be watching.
Spaceship One donation allowed the tax break-off that closed the whole business. Besides, no way FAA would have allowed customer on it since it was designed and licensed as a on-off design. SS1 was designed to win the prize within the budget and schedule limit. The next step would have always required a new ship. If they couldn't accept the laws of crewed launchers that propulsion is always the critical item, that their issue.
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There is another thread for VG/Scaled discussion folks.
From the Exos bio page: http://exosaero.com/team
David Mitchell, M.B.A. Co-Founder and President
David has also been in the ministry for more than thirty-five years.
...Dr. W. A. Criswell, said of him, "Mitchell, you are the best writer I have ever read."
... though he felt the de-funding of NASA by President Obama was saddening, it presented an opportunity for private commercial space flight.
ahem. a bit too much personal info there for my liking. Though I suppose if he's financing the project and proud of his personal path, he can say what he likes. And it's probably best that he sets the record straight from the get-go, instead of such info trickling out as rumours (like, "such and such a person told me that Mitchell blames Obama for NASA de-funding" and so on).
Still, I prefer it when spaceflight bios stick to science, engineering and business achievements. Call me an idealist.
Edit: oh, and I forgot to say: Go Exos Aerospace!! :)
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There is another thread for VG/Scaled discussion folks.
From the Exos bio page: http://exosaero.com/team
David Mitchell, M.B.A. Co-Founder and President
David has also been in the ministry for more than thirty-five years.
...Dr. W. A. Criswell, said of him, "Mitchell, you are the best writer I have ever read."
... though he felt the de-funding of NASA by President Obama was saddening, it presented an opportunity for private commercial space flight.
ahem. a bit too much personal info there for my liking. Though I suppose if he's financing the project and proud of his personal path, he can say what he likes. And it's probably best that he sets the record straight from the get-go, instead of such info trickling out as rumours (like, "such and such a person told me that Mitchell blames Obama for NASA de-funding" and so on).
Still, I prefer it when spaceflight bios stick to science, engineering and business achievements. Call me an idealist.
Edit: oh, and I forgot to say: Go Exos Aerospace!! :)
Especially since it is not factual. Obama never defunded NASA.
Still, Go Exos!
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There is another thread for VG/Scaled discussion folks.
From the Exos bio page: http://exosaero.com/team
David Mitchell, M.B.A. Co-Founder and President
David has also been in the ministry for more than thirty-five years.
...Dr. W. A. Criswell, said of him, "Mitchell, you are the best writer I have ever read."
... though he felt the de-funding of NASA by President Obama was saddening, it presented an opportunity for private commercial space flight.
ahem. a bit too much personal info there for my liking. Though I suppose if he's financing the project and proud of his personal path, he can say what he likes. And it's probably best that he sets the record straight from the get-go, instead of such info trickling out as rumours (like, "such and such a person told me that Mitchell blames Obama for NASA de-funding" and so on).
Still, I prefer it when spaceflight bios stick to science, engineering and business achievements. Call me an idealist.
Edit: oh, and I forgot to say: Go Exos Aerospace!! :)
Especially since it is not factual. Obama never defunded NASA.
Still, Go Exos!
I cringed a bit when I read that part (which is why I skipped it in my excerpt). I figure that as he engages with this industry, he'll saavy-up in a hurry.
~Jon
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Um. I read the bios, and, well, *surprised* wouldn't be a fair description.
Good luck to the ex-Armadillo folk, and their excellent experience and real understanding of hands-on development, which is utterly admirable. As for the Wall Street leverage types and the biblical scholars, I really don't think they've actually got much to bring to the party.
In the meantime, I think I'll send some money to Copenhagen Suborbitals, who seem like nice guys unburdened by Wall Street and the other thing, oh, you know, wossisname.
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the biblical scholars, I really don't think they've actually got much to bring to the party.
Welcome to Texas.
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and the other thing, oh, you know, wossisname.
Serious funding. A godsend even to most die-hard atheist rocket entrepeneur and something which christian oil tycoon can bring to the party.
Btw a person who used to manage pipe organ company might know a thing or two about tubular metal constructs too.
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Coming Back Soon (http://www.exosaero.com/)
Not sure when that happened.
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Coming Back Soon (http://www.exosaero.com/)
Not sure when that happened.
Space is Hard. ™
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So then this happened:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/95173281/spaceflight-fast-and-affordable-access-to-sub-orbi
Also the website is back.
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So I jinxed it :-\;
Serious funding.
The oil tycoon is still listed as president of the company. $125k should be pocket lint to him so why the kickstarter?
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The oil tycoon is still listed as president of the company. $125k should be pocket lint to him so why the kickstarter?
I expect poor Russ is getting a crash course in startup financing :(
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Kickstarters are a fantastic marketing tool. It's not just raw money.
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New Exos article in AvWeek,
http://spacenews.com/exos-seeks-to-revive-armadillo-rocket-technology/
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9 days left to go
http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/95173281/spaceflight-fast-and-affordable-access-to-sub-orbi/
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Kickstarters are a fantastic marketing tool. It's not just raw money.
Kickstarters are a fantastic marketing tool when they succeed. Not so much when they fail.
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Kickstarters are a fantastic marketing tool. It's not just raw money.
Kickstarters are a fantastic marketing tool when they succeed. Not so much when they fail.
Ouch, 4% of their goal with 9 days to go...
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If you take a closer look it becomes even worse; they have less than fifty backers, and over half of the money must have come from the top five. Presumably it's close friends/family with little outside support.
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They have evidently purchased some or all of Armadillo Aerospace's equipment and facility and have an ambitious plan to build 4 suborbital rockets within the year, and begin development of a manned rocket during that time frame.
A year old and already a track record of failing to meet their announced schedules. They'll fit right in.
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Kickstarter is all about promotion. I've seen virtually no promotion of this. They didn't even mention it at the Space Access conference.
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Time to pass the collection plate and start to pray. Just like with Inspiration Mars, Excalibur-Almaz, Mars One, and Golden Spike.
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Whilst I admit that kickstarter is an enticing way to earn yourself some free moolah, a kickstarter to, uh, kickstart an aerospace company is going to seem too oddly specific for the majority of people to donate. They don't have wonderful precedents, as mentioned above.
Edit: Even as a PR endeavour, advertisement of this nature already only if you've started to actively self-promote. Time to start selling yourself, make bold claims, surprise people. It doesn't matter if there's any substance in it - right now, your mission statement is to get people to acknowledge you exist, so you can start with the real work.
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Time to pass the collection plate and start to pray.
The CEO is a rich pastor, it should have helped with both without resorting to kickstart.
Best way for an aerospace startup to self-promote would be to actually launch something.
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The CEO is a rich pastor, it should have helped with both without resorting to kickstart.
Investment doesn't work that way.
Best way for an aerospace startup to self-promote would be to actually launch something.
Chicken and egg much? No, the problem here is simply that Russ doesn't appear to understand how Kickstarter works.
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The CEO is a rich pastor, it should have helped with both without resorting to kickstart.
Investment doesn't work that way.
Oh? The rich guy brings in the cash in return for board seat, title and nice big share of the company pie. Not so rich rocket scientists bring in the know-how and make the rocket happen. Thought this is how it happens.
Best way for an aerospace startup to self-promote would be to actually launch something.
Chicken and egg much?
It is if there's no history, current status is a website full of wishful thinking, plans to launch a battlestar next year and has no oil magnate on the board.
These guys already hatched an egg called the Stig in their previous hen house which is suitable for their intended initial business of suborbital micro-g experiment flights. If they already have Armadillo tooling and IP then hatch the Stig again, fix the landing and start selling service.
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I don't understand this kickstarter. Such things work great for consumer products (which have a tangible reward) or for high-minded concepts (i.e. Lunar Mission One), but this is neither. It's the kind of company that could make money from NASA suborbital contracts, but needs seed capital in order to bid for them. That's what venture capital is for. If their major investor doesn't understand this, they're doomed.
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The CEO is a rich pastor, it should have helped with both without resorting to kickstart.
Investment doesn't work that way.
Best way for an aerospace startup to self-promote would be to actually launch something.
Chicken and egg much? No, the problem here is simply that Russ doesn't appear to understand how Kickstarter works.
sadly, space kickstarters have a very large hill to climb.
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sadly, space kickstarters have a very large hill to climb.
How many space related kickstarters have actually succeeded? The two nutters trying to send mockup TARDIS into orbit using Interorbital as a launch provider and Arkyd comes to mind.
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Lunar Mission One (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lunarmissionone/lunar-mission-one-a-new-lunar-mission-for-everyone) succeeded.
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Oh? The rich guy brings in the cash in return for board seat, title and nice big share of the company pie. Not so rich rocket scientists bring in the know-how and make the rocket happen. Thought this is how it happens.
Sane people who own a company are reluctant to give up shares as it takes away their control. If you have an investor CEO it means you've already lost, and typically means he got it for cheap.
It is if there's no history, current status is a website full of wishful thinking, plans to launch a battlestar next year and has no oil magnate on the board.
These guys already hatched an egg called the Stig in their previous hen house which is suitable for their intended initial business of suborbital micro-g experiment flights. If they already have Armadillo tooling and IP then hatch the Stig again, fix the landing and start selling service.
They don't. I thought that was clear.
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What's clear? The SpaceNews article says they claim to have acquired Armadillo's "mission critical assets," whatever that means exactly, and jongoff said upthread he heard that one of the Exos team had acquired Armadillo's IP rights.
Although they first announced Exos Aerospace’s formation nearly a year ago, the new company did not formally acquire Armadillo’s “mission critical” assets until early this year, according to the company’s payload users guide.
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You said tooling. Most of it was sold off.
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Lunar Mission One (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lunarmissionone/lunar-mission-one-a-new-lunar-mission-for-everyone) succeeded.
Right, because they had very inspirational, innovative idea. EXOS is just trying to do what UP Aerospace is already doing.
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EXOS is just trying to do what UP Aerospace is already doing.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was of the impression that UP wasn't reusable. (i.e., your average Estes rocket is more reusable)
To answer my own question: https://flightopportunities.nasa.gov/platforms/suborbital/spaceloft-xl/ It's about as reusable as an Estes rocket, if everything goes right. (I think that's happened once.)
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sadly, space kickstarters have a very large hill to climb.
How many space related kickstarters have actually succeeded? The two nutters trying to send mockup TARDIS into orbit using Interorbital as a launch provider and Arkyd comes to mind.
At least two Cubesats - ArduSAT and KickSat IIRC.
Also, it was through a different crowdfunding platform (rockethub???) but there was that thing to re-contact ISEE-3 too.
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Late to the party. I watched for years as AA went through one crash after another.
Q-G's comment about no tooling explains why the new vehicle will have a slightly different size and lighter tanks. If you are starting over with the tooling, then you can apply the lessons learned from the STIGs.
I remember the GPS glitch. That would have been much of an issue if the chute would have recovered the rocket instead of the STIG-B making a crater.
Memory says that STIG-A with a similar chute came close to hitting the truck at the launch pad because the chute could maneuver that well.
Wonder if they'll pursue the 'Glass Ball' idea of up on a cluster of STIG's but parachute the victim...uh...customer and Ball back (hopefully) safe and sound.
Hope the do the same blogging as AA did.
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I thought these guys were gone
www.parabolicarc.com/2016/04/05/spaceport-america-exos-aerospace-sign-partnership/
http://exosaero.com/our-mission/
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John Quinn, Exos Aerospace: building two SARGE sounding rockets, targeted for launch in November. #NSRC2016
Quinn: planning six launches in 2017, plus additional “flight on demand” depending on interest. Flying from Spaceport America.
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http://exosaero.com/2016/06/13/222/
Just in case you hadn’t heard the good news – our rocket tube sections are officially onsite!
We are ecstatic. We thought we would share a few quick snaps of them, so you could join in on the excitement. These tubes are sufficient for building two rockets, when they’re coupled with tanks, etc.
It may not be much, but it's nice to see real hardware all the same.
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How has this not been posted yet ? Booking payloads now ..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xyDxOvSjug
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Looks like EXOS has been making progress. Their website has a few new updates listed in their blog: http://exosaero.com/blog/
They also have a new engine that they recently hotfired:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFODhnqfdlM
From the pictures in their blog (attached), it looks like the nozzle is 3D printed.
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https://twitter.com/exosaerosystech/status/816713321588133888
EXOS is excited to announce the completion of our final engine test prior to integration into new “SARGE” platform: http://buff.ly/2iqIztw
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Feature video on Fox 4 ( Flash video, sorry )
http://www.fox4news.com/news/238279410-story
Not much new, but "first payload funded by NASA, it will will fly in June from Spaceport America in White Sands"
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Tanks Have Arrived!
Our tanks are in the EXOS shop!
You may have heard that a tornado hit the Michoud facility. (We are so grateful that only minor injuries were reported, but you can read the rest of the update, here).
Our tanks are manufactured in the Michoud facility. The tornado delayed the tank completion and their delivery, but we are now moving on to the final assembly and final test!
We will need to recapture some time to make our projected April launch date, but we are still pressing on to see how close we can get to our projected date.
Of course, our safety process and risk mitigation activities will not be compromised to make the April date, but we are pushing within those limits!
http://exosaero.com/2017/03/13/tanks-have-arrived/ (http://exosaero.com/2017/03/13/tanks-have-arrived/)
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Tanks Have Arrived!
Our tanks are in the EXOS shop!
You may have heard that a tornado hit the Michoud facility. (We are so grateful that only minor injuries were reported, but you can read the rest of the update, here).
Our tanks are manufactured in the Michoud facility. The tornado delayed the tank completion and their delivery, but we are now moving on to the final assembly and final test!
We will need to recapture some time to make our projected April launch date, but we are still pressing on to see how close we can get to our projected date.
Of course, our safety process and risk mitigation activities will not be compromised to make the April date, but we are pushing within those limits!
http://exosaero.com/2017/03/13/tanks-have-arrived/ (http://exosaero.com/2017/03/13/tanks-have-arrived/)
I'm sorry, call me immature, but given the size of the tanks, they look like oversized kegs. Perhaps they can modify a tank for that purpose for their Christmas party?
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Hello guys,
Brett from EXOS here. I'll be here to answer any questions and if you need pictures I will get some for you. Don't hesitate to ask.
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Well since you showed up I will do the courteous thing and ask a few questions:-
1) Isn't the market quite crowded now? What will allow you to succeed vs. others?
2) Do your plans include orbital services?
3) Are you an all-aluminum shop, or is CFRP on the horizon?
4) What do you think the teenagers over at Relativity Space are up to?
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G'day Brett,
Thanks for letting us ask you questions. That is much appreciated. I see you have a suborbital launch planned for April. Can you tell us the name of the launch vehicle, what payloads are being carried and the current planned date for the launch? Thanks!
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Well since you showed up I will do the courteous thing and ask a few questions:-
1) Isn't the market quite crowded now? What will allow you to succeed vs. others?
Yes the market is crowded, but who is actually flying suborbital not just talking about it? Blue, Up, and NASA's BB. We feel that we will succeed because of our reusability. Our SARGE rocket is very durable.
2) Do your plans include orbital services?
Yes, but thats all I can comment on for now.
3) Are you an all-aluminum shop, or is CFRP on the horizon?
All aluminium (AvE reference)
4) What do you think the teenagers over at Relativity Space are up to?
I do not know, but I wish them the best
G'day Brett,
Thanks for letting us ask you questions. That is much appreciated. I see you have a suborbital launch planned for April. Can you tell us the name of the launch vehicle, what payloads are being carried and the current planned date for the launch? Thanks!
Yes, we are scheduled for April, however the FAA is pushing our launch license to May so the April timeframe will probably not happen.
The name of the launch vehicle is SARGE. It's an updated and upgraded Stig B. This mission will be called Pathfinder 0.
We are carrying various different payloads for universities that are CONUS and one in India. We also will have some FAA projects onboard as well. The next flight gets much more interesting.
SARGE is being put together as we speak. We are planning on doing a full tethered test in the coming weeks. Our engine has outperformed all expectations.
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1) Isn't the market quite crowded now? What will allow you to succeed vs. others?
Yes the market is crowded, but who is actually flying suborbital not just talking about it? Blue, Up, and NASA's BB. We feel that we will succeed because of our reusability. Our SARGE rocket is very durable.
Beautiful ! More flights, less grandiose announcements definitely needed from the industry.
This might be too early to ask, but what kind of turnaround time between experiment flights you might be able to aim for ?
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1) Isn't the market quite crowded now? What will allow you to succeed vs. others?
Yes the market is crowded, but who is actually flying suborbital not just talking about it? Blue, Up, and NASA's BB. We feel that we will succeed because of our reusability. Our SARGE rocket is very durable.
Beautiful ! More flights, less grandiose announcements definitely needed from the industry.
This might be too early to ask, but what kind of turnaround time between experiment flights you might be able to aim for ?
Well, ideally we would like to do two launches a week.
But for now, we have 6 launches planned for the remainder of 2017.
We are currently building 2 rockets. SARGE 1 and SARGE 2.
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Will you launch out of Spaceport America? Will you still use the Wamore parafoil system?
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Will you launch out of Spaceport America? Will you still use the Wamore parafoil system?
Yes and Yes.
We did some drop test with the recovery system and everything worked according to plan.
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Will you launch out of Spaceport America? Will you still use the Wamore parafoil system?
Yes and Yes.
We did some drop test with the recovery system and everything worked according to plan.
Are you sharing a pad with Up with mobile fueling stations? Or did you pour concrete for a brand new pad? To facilitate the projected 2 launches/week, do you have a hanger in Spaceport to support operations there?
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Will you launch out of Spaceport America? Will you still use the Wamore parafoil system?
Yes and Yes.
We did some drop test with the recovery system and everything worked according to plan.
Are you sharing a pad with Up with mobile fueling stations? Or did you pour concrete for a brand new pad? To facilitate the projected 2 launches/week, do you have a hanger in Spaceport to support operations there?
We have our own pad. Everything we need comes with us on our mobile launch control trailer.
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I'm so looking forward to this!
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I'm so looking forward to this!
As are we. There is a lot of hard work put into this rocket. We are ready to see it fly.
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Thanks very much for answering my questions Brett. Best of luck for your first launch of SARGE.
Can you give us some specs for SARGE? Like propellants used, propellant mass, dry mass, payload mass, thrust, Isp, maximum altitude, length and diameter?
Does SARGE stand for anything?
Will you be doing a webcast of the launch?
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Thanks very much for answering my questions Brett. Best of luck for your first launch of SARGE.
Can you give us some specs for SARGE? Like propellants used, propellant mass, dry mass, payload mass, thrust, Isp, maximum altitude, length and diameter?
Does SARGE stand for anything?
Will you be doing a webcast of the launch?
VEHICLE PURPOSE: R&D Flights followed by scientific payload flights under an FAA/AST Operator License
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SARGE (High Pressure Helium tank w/ Regulated to Blowdown Pressurization Transition)
DIMENSIONS MASS BUDGET
HEIGHT 36 FT DRY MASS 800 LBM
WIDTH 20 INS OD PAYLOAD & BALLAST 0 – 50 LBM
DEPTH (Tubular) 20 INS OD LOX (6.5-FT TANK) 970 LBM
PROPULSION FUEL (6.5-FT TANK) 670 LBM
MAX ULLAGE PERCENTAGE 5% EA. LOX & FUEL GLOW 2,440–2,490 LBM
PRESSURANT HELIUM REGULATED HP He VOLUME (WATER) 7.00** CU.FT.
INITIAL PRESSURE (TANK) 400 PSIG HELIUM INITIAL PRESSURE ~2,250 PSIG
INITIAL THRUST 5,420 LBF T/W INITIAL 2.22 : 1
FINAL PRESSURE (TANK) 400 PSIG MASS RATIO 2.93 : 1
FINAL THRUST 6,680 LBF T/W FINAL 7.85: 1
There will be live streaming available, just not sure on the details yet.
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We did just get our nose cone back from the manufacturer. It is in our ridiculously huge oven baking.
Its very exciting seeing each piece start to come together. We had a phone call with FAA AST today and it is looking like we will be getting our launch license for May 13.
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If you have a regulator already, what is gained by switching over to blowdown?
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If you have a regulator already, what is gained by switching over to blowdown?
It allows you to control tank pressures and keep them high at the start of the burn when you need the most thrust and chamber pressure, but then reduces the overall amount of helium you need, because later in the burn you don't necessarily need the same feed pressure. Masten used the same approach on Xombie and Xoie. In our case letting the pressure decay over the flight also made it so we didn't have to provide as much pressure drop via the valves, which meant the valves didn't have to operate in their most sensitive range. I think SARGE mostly cares about the first two--high thrust at start, and lower GHe tank mass than 100% regulated.
~Jon
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Thanks very much for those detailed specs Brett! As we're an international audience, here are the specs with their SI units. The specs say the LOX and fuel tanks are the same length. Is that correct?
Height 36 ft (10.97 m) Dry Mass 800 lbm (363 kg)
Width 20 in (508 mm) OD Payload & Ballast 0 – 50 lbm (22.7 kg)
Depth (Tubular) 20 (508 mm) INS OD LOX (6.5 ft (1.98 m) Tank) 970 lbm (440 kg)
Propulsion Fuel (6.5 ft (1.98 m) Tank) 670 lbm (304 kg)
Max Ullage Percentage 5% each. LOX & Fuel GLOW 2,440–2,490 lbm (1,107-1,129 kg)
Pressurant Helium Regulated HP He Volume (Water) 7.00** ftł (198 L)
Initital Pressure (Tank) 400 psig (2.76 MPa) Helium Initial Pressure ~2,250 psig (15.5 MPa)
Initital Thrust 5,420 lbf (24.1 kN) T/W Initial 2.22 : 1
Final Pressure (Tank) 400 psig (2.76 MPa) Mass Ratio 2.93 : 1
Final Thrust 6,680 lbf (29.7 kN) T/W Final 7.85: 1
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There is also this payload users guide:
http://exosaero.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/EXOS-PUG-Export-Cleared-Version-1.0.pdf
A bit dated ?
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There is also this payload users guide:
http://exosaero.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/EXOS-PUG-Export-Cleared-Version-1.0.pdf
A bit dated ?
Slightly outdated, but it is ITAR scrubbed so there isn't much detailed information in that copy.
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We did do a pressure test on our tanks yesterday. Everything went smoothly and as expected. We basically do a hydrostatic test with water. After we are done, we need to remove all the water from the inside, so we put it in the oven and cook it out.
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Nose cone is here back in the shop. We should have the tail fins in the coming days.
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We have tentatively scheduled our first hover test for April 28th.
Looking like we are getting our launch license for May 20th.
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We have tentatively scheduled our first hover test for April 28th.
Looking like we are getting our launch license for May 20th.
This bad boy is gonna hover ? Crane suspended or free flight VTVL style ?
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We have tentatively scheduled our first hover test for April 28th.
Looking like we are getting our launch license for May 20th.
This bad boy is gonna hover ? Crane suspended or free flight VTVL style ?
It's tethered down and held up via crane. Does a full flight. It's very cool to see.
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We took a pounding here at EXOS HQ last night. Big storm with straight line wins blew in around 3am. Got a little sporty but no major damage to report.
SARGE is coming together. Its awesome to see how much is accomplished each day.
If you want to see more pictures, we posted a bundle more to our IG page @exosaero and I tend to post a lot more to my personal IG page @txveno.
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Looking great, Brett! ..and thanks for posting pics of your progress. Looking forward to seeing flame coming out of that nozzle.
An interrelated question: Why the pro speaker box?? :)
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Looking great, Brett! ..and thanks for posting pics of your progress. Looking forward to seeing flame coming out of that nozzle.
An interrelated question: Why the pro speaker box?? :)
We built those wireless speakers for Texas Speed Syndicate that comes and races at the airport we are at a few times a year. We were getting them charged up and making sure they work for the upcoming TSS weekend.
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Hi, I assume EXOS is somewhat of a reincarnation of the old Armadillo. I am so pleased to see you guys back in action. Some questions: How does EXOS achieve attitude control. I recall the old Armadillo had Cannards that gave them problems during trans-sonic flow.
Are there any of the old Armadillo guys working at EXOS and did you inherit most of the old Armadillo equipment and their digs at the Caddis Mills Airport?
Thanks
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Hi, I assume EXOS is somewhat of a reincarnation of the old Armadillo. I am so pleased to see you guys back in action. Some questions: How does EXOS achieve attitude control. I recall the old Armadillo had Cannards that gave them problems during trans-sonic flow.
Are there any of the old Armadillo guys working at EXOS and did you inherit most of the old Armadillo equipment and their digs at the Caddis Mills Airport?
Thanks
For the most part, yes. There are a few original Armadillo guys who have since retired or are off doing other things, such as Carmack who is busy with Oculus Rift.
The Cannards are gone, they were removed on Stig-B. Altitude is controlled by calculating the ballistic trajectory at all times and the engine is stopped when the altitude will exceed 100 kilometers.
Exos purchased all assets from Armadillo as a formality. We are in the same facility as before.
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Thanks for the info Brett. With regard to rocket attitude control, I'm interested in how you keep the rocket flying straight if the engines are firing when you leave the atmosphere. Is the engine gimbaled or is the rocket in a slow spin such as to maintain straight flight under power.
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Thanks for the info Brett. With regard to rocket attitude control, I'm interested in how you keep the rocket flying straight if the engines are firing when you leave the atmosphere. Is the engine gimbaled or is the rocket in a slow spin such as to maintain straight flight under power.
We use a gimbal. It's a very sound and proven system in regards to our rockets. I will try to get some pictures of it tomorrow.
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Electric actuators on the gimbal?
Thanks for the updates, always good to see these things up close.
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Here is a youtube video using a new 360Fly for an engine test we did a few weeks back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdyWSmRuHRU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdyWSmRuHRU)
you can use your mouse to move the view around. It's 360 degrees.
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Been busy here at Exos HQ and neglected this forum.
We are in the final stage of assembling the rocket and will be conducting a tethered test in the coming weeks.
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Making good progress! I'm just curious: What were the plane models stuck up on the wall used for?
Here's a quote for the guy in the middle: "Okay.. so which way is up?!??" ;D
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Making good progress! I'm just curious: What were the plane models stuck up on the wall used for?
Here's a quote for the guy in the middle: "Okay.. so which way is up?!??" ;D
Interesting story about those. They guy we rent the building from owns the largest .mil drone collection in the world. He has been involved in the drone program in one form or fashion since the Korea war and to this day still services .mil drones from around the world.
Those hanging on the wall are target drones used to shot down with various munitions. Next door we actually have some significantly bigger ones. I will try to snap a picture of them tomorrow along with various other things we have in the hanger.
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... such as Carmack who is busy with Oculus Rift.
Mostly with lawsuits:
Very sad. :(
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Moar pics
http://exosaero.com/2017/07/28/sarge-update-73117/
Anything getting lit any time soon ?
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Moar pics
http://exosaero.com/2017/07/28/sarge-update-73117/
Anything getting lit any time soon ?
Looks way more professionally-built than others I could mention...
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EXOS posted a video to Youtube yesterday of a hold-down firing, using what looks to be a full-size SARGE engine and body. It's characterized as a "low-pressure test", with a full-power one soon to come, but even at this stage it looks bloody impressive. As some on this forum have said, others have made much more hype over much less achievement... https://youtube.com/watch?v=SrkCULVaxGo
They also made a blog post to accompany it, with a lot of great pictures before and after the test (if anyone else wants to attach them over here feel free, I'm on mobile and can't really do so): http://exosaero.com/2017/08/20/tie-test-1/
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EXOS posted a video to Youtube yesterday of a hold-down firing, using what looks to be a full-size SARGE engine and body. It's characterized as a "low-pressure test", with a full-power one soon to come, but even at this stage it looks bloody impressive. As some on this forum have said, others have made much more hype over much less achievement... https://youtube.com/watch?v=SrkCULVaxG
Gotta love how the test lasted ~30secs.. and then the minions spend the next minute-and-a-half putting out spot fires!! :) ;D
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Tie me rocketship down, sport,
tie me rocketship down
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrkCULVaxGo
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Misidentified this initially and was told that it is an EXOS stand and engine :)
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Tie me rocketship down, sport,
tie me rocketship down
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrkCULVaxGo
Super cool. I love this kind of test of rockets. Between a tethered hover test and a tie-down test, you can get pretty close to actual test flight without a big risk of losing your hardware if things go wrong. Relying more on engine gimbaling than control surfaces also helps address the risk of control inversion as you go through Mach 1.
Good luck!
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I'm curious what sort of valves/plumbing you are using for controlling propellant flow to the engine - do you have one pair of fuel/LOX valves that provide start-up flow followed by a seperate pair of main-stage valves, or is it a single pair that can be opened partially?
I am a member of a university group that is working towards something similar (if a bit smaller), and finding fast-acting valves with fine-grained throttle control has proven rather... difficult.
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At #NSRC2017, John Quinn of Exos Aerospace says company on track to get FAA launch license for its suborbital rocket by Feb 14, 2018; earliest launch would be following Saturday (Feb 17).
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/942833707987193856
Quinn: 51% complete with second private placement funding round, expect to close by Jan. 30. [Size of round not disclosed.] #NSRC2017
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/942833867861495808
Quinn: in discussions to move Exos to Ft. Worth from Caddo Mills (northeast of Dallas). Would make the trek to Spaceport America for future launches a little shorter. #NSRC2017
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/942835178925412352
Quinn: our new round at Exos Aerospace, like first round last year, is $1.5 million. #NSRC2017
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/942839963326074880
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Looks like a couple of the concrete highway dividers might be good to protect the truck!
I will so love to see them fly again. Armadillo was a favorite during the Xprize and Lunar Lander Xprize contests. Their launches at Spaceport America made it seem they were very close to having a working vehicle.
They blazed the trail with insurance and the FAA.
Good Luck!!
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EXOS posted a pair of videos today - the first is a piece on what SARGE does (low-cost suborbital research opportunities via reusable rocket) including a lot of STIG footage, reminiscent of similar videos from other space startup companies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mC3DWhx9Y8
The second video is more interesting: an actual tie-down test firing of their rocket (it's a 360-degree video, look down ;D ). Worth noting that the tie-down test in today's video is longer (almost 60 seconds) than their previously released test footage (about 26 seconds back in August of this year). Also, the August test was called "low pressure", with a "full power test coming soon". There is no indication that this test was necessarily conducted at a higher pressure, but I wouldn't be surprised if they had expanded the envelope on multiple fronts over the past 4 months.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qKgf9dZJsU
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EXOS now have an FAA launch licence
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EXOS now have an FAA launch licence
(ii) "Pre-fight ground operations"
Let's hope this doesn't mean Cantrell and Beck showing up to start a smallsat brawl. ;)
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EXOS now have an FAA launch licence
Just to be clear, it's a suborbital launch license.
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Exos Aerospace Prepares for First Suborbital Launch
By Jeff Foust, SpaceNews Writer | March 25, 2018 09:08am ET
WASHINGTON — With a key test completed and a launch license in hand, Exos Aerospace is preparing for the first flight of its reusable suborbital rocket in April.
https://www.space.com/40079-exos-aerospace-prepares-for-first-suborbital-launch.html
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LEUktyHgUY
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I was looking around for Exos on the internet and I came across this website:
https://www.theapeirongroup.com/
that mention Exos in their partners and space section (and also their education section is from Exos as well)
has anyone heard of this company before?
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Exos have quietly replaced the launch countdown on their website with this notice;
Launch has been postponed. A new date will be announced soon. Stay tuned.
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Exos Aerospace reschedules first suborbital launch
by Jeff Foust — August 13, 2018
GENOA, Nev. — Exos Aerospace, a Texas company developing a reusable suborbital rocket, now plans to carry out a first flight of its vehicle in late August as it sets its sights on a follow-on orbital vehicle.
In a statement, the company said it’s planning a launch of its Suborbital Autonomous Rocket with GuidancE, or SARGE, rocket Aug. 25 from Spaceport America in New Mexico.
https://spacenews.com/exos-aerospace-reschedules-first-suborbital-launch/
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@exosaerosystech
Happy Launch Day! You can watch LIVE, here! https://t.co/UZm5CqHcEE
Launch window will be from 9AM-1PM MST!
T Minus 3 hours!
12:54 PM - 25 Aug 2018
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VACND_jipAQ
Update streamed on YT about half an hour ago. They haven't finished setting up so looks like launch is a good while off.
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Two new videos since then - one heading to the pad, one of the rocket being loaded onto the rail. The T-0 quoted in their earlier video was 11am MST, 20 minutes from now, but according to Twitter they have a window until 1pm, 2 and a half hours from now. Latest video just says that launch time will depend on fueling and safety checks, so we'll see.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya4KbkWoCFU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn9ZU7pnMGk
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Livestream is up, T-15 minutes was quoted back at 10:57 MST, so we should be about 9 minutes from launch right now, but there are still one or two techs near the rocket (as well as the truck). Don't know if they'll bug out and then say go or what.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGM2H2T86pk
EDIT: Now at T-5, looking at 11:10 MST (18:10 UTC) for T-0.
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Launch very soon. Truck and crew just bugged out.
EDIT: Range Green.
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LAUNCH!
Sure looked wonky, those first 100 feet or so...
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Hearing reports of burnout. Now waiting for return via chute - I'm not expecting word on performance until after that.
Heard something about "Chamber Pressure almost 300psi". For anyone doing sims.
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Nose out... Drogue out... Main's open!
Dumping fuel...
EDIT: Added more pics, including separate nosecone return.
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Landed! Looked soft, just like STIG. Speaking of STIG, they say they chose a landing site about 200m from the launch site and control site, presumably after what happened with that one STIG test way back when.
They say another stream will be coming online once they get to the landing site. I may not be able to see it live, but I'll link it afterwards if possible.
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The rocket itself has been recovered, as shown in this video - there's also an interesting view of the aluminum struts that cushion the bottom of the rocket as it comes down.
EDIT: Added short video of them towing the rocket back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj9weKk2KYI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nsbYnH8uKU
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What an awesome day! 8)
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Congrats to all involved! Look forward to EXOS releasing details (especially what apogee was acheived, and actual launch time)
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Got the rocket unloaded at the shop today. Ill post some pictures soon. Had some damage, but it was minor and repairable.
We will be targeting another launch in 90-120 days.
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Really great to hear that the rocket is in good shape, Brett! Is the turnaround more driven by the work required on the rocket, or the window for a new attempt?
Also, what apogee was reached on this flight?
Thanks!
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https://spacenews.com/gps-glitch-kept-exos-aerospaces-first-launch-from-reaching-planned-altitude/
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From the article.
"In a mission report provided by the company a week and a half after the launch, Exos said that a GPS receiver on the rocket stopped providing data during the rocket’s ascent. That triggered an automatic shutdown of the rocket’s engine 38 seconds after liftoff, versus a planned duration of 62 to 65 seconds, said John Quinn, chief operating officer of Exos, Sept. 5."
...
"The cause of the GPS unit malfunction in the rocket is still being studied. The unit started providing data again later in the flight, and an inspection turned up no obvious damage to the unit, cabling or antennas."
I do know that commercial GPS receivers won't work above a certain speed, so that they can't be used in missiles. It would be a bit embarrassing if that was the case here!
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From the article.
"In a mission report provided by the company a week and a half after the launch, Exos said that a GPS receiver on the rocket stopped providing data during the rocket’s ascent. That triggered an automatic shutdown of the rocket’s engine 38 seconds after liftoff, versus a planned duration of 62 to 65 seconds, said John Quinn, chief operating officer of Exos, Sept. 5."
...
"The cause of the GPS unit malfunction in the rocket is still being studied. The unit started providing data again later in the flight, and an inspection turned up no obvious damage to the unit, cabling or antennas."
I do know that commercial GPS receivers won't work above a certain speed, so that they can't be used in missiles. It would be a bit embarrassing if that was the case here!
In some cases it's a combo of e-fuses in an otherwise consumer GNSS chip to lockout some functionality, and firmware. Space rated ones don't have the fuses blown at the factory. A possible case then becomes accidentally flashing a consumer firmware onto the chip or otherwise blowing the e-fuses after delivery...
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https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/10/exos-aerospaces-sarge-platform-reusable-small-satellite-launcher/ - by Michael Baylor
https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1051205757558026240
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Got the rocket unloaded at the shop today. Ill post some pictures soon. Had some damage, but it was minor and repairable.
We will be targeting another launch in 90-120 days.
I haven't followed your company as it looked like yet another expendable VTO TSTO smallsat vehicle.
But being Armadillo alumni and looking to do reusability at this scale puts you in a different league.
Your willingness to challenge "What everybody knows" about smallsat LV's limits on recoverability, and your hands on experience (on a budget), suggest you may know something most of your competitors do not.
Perhaps Sounding Rockets as a Service?
One thing I've never understood about people looking at reusability is their deep unwillingness to look at LOX cooling for combustion chambers, despite NASA's demonstrating safe 40 Klb LOX cooled operation (with deliberately damaged internal cooling channels) in the early 90's.
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https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/10/exos-aerospaces-sarge-platform-reusable-small-satellite-launcher/ - by Michael Baylor
Great article, lots of information and specificity on SARGE and what comes after (orbital by 2022, surprised that wasn't in the headline...) (edit: and, after a bit of a google, the 2022 date is for commercial operations, with orbital testing planned for 2020).
Someone gave them some bad advice, though. If you have a nice tagline, it should only ever be seen sitting just below your logo, and only ever said by the incredibly cool-sounding narrator you hire to deliver the last thing a customer hears in a video package ("EXOS. Space. Available."). Please don't type it out, mark-required capitalization and spacing intact, as part of an interview response.
That said, literally everything else I know about them is cool and exciting.
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They've just uploaded a pair of high-quality videos from (opposite sides of) the rocket - another benefit of recovering it!
Definitely got some roll going on late in the burn, though nothing a payload couldn't handle.
Great audio!
[EDIT: And a third one, of liftoff!]
[EDIT 2: One of the videos broke and got reuploaded.]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfcIG32sJYE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a0qKCLlACE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA_tsUOD1gA
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Livestream is up, T-15 minutes was quoted back at 10:57 MST, so we should be about 9 minutes from launch right now, but there are still one or two techs near the rocket (as well as the truck). Don't know if they'll bug out and then say go or what.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGM2H2T86pk
EDIT: Now at T-5, looking at 11:10 MST (18:10 UTC) for T-0.
That was a much more impressive launch than anything Vector has done.
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Perhaps Sounding Rockets as a Service?
Is that a sound business plan? 8)
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They've just uploaded a pair of high-quality videos from (opposite sides of) the rocket - another benefit of recovering it!
Definitely got some roll going on late in the burn, though nothing a payload couldn't handle.
Great audio!
<snipped video embeds>
I second the comment about the audio. Fantastic.
There's also great information in the video descriptions:
This was an excellent Pathfinder test flight that achieved approximately 100,000 feet. The recovery system worked properly on the way down, although we did experience a bit of a hard landing due to a system component failure. Nonetheless, anytime you can reuse a Suborbital Reusable launch Vehicle with spending only a few thousand dollars to have it flight ready again, you have had an amazing day! A few adjustments need to be made for the next flight to dial in all the parameters, but Exos is very pleased with a nominal flight with a new vehicle and, more notably, our first flight with modified NASA Morpheus software.
On this Pathfinder flight, we decided to “light load” Liquid Oxygen by about 200#. In order to do this We decided to put the launch stand on scales to weigh the LOX as we filled the tank.
Placing the scales under the launch stool prevented us from bolting the launch stool down to the concrete Launchpad. We expected the launch stool to be "rapidly displaced" on ignition. What we did not expect was for the stool to impact the launch rail with enough force to sever the lower launch lug from the vehicle.
The severing of the launch lug induced a torque on the body of the vehicle that was corrected by the vehicle guidance system within 1 second after liftoff. In the future: if scales are used for a test such as this, the launch stand will be mounted on standoffs that will allow scale use as well as to secure the launch stool from moving!
The vehicle reached an angle of approximately 13 degrees and corrected exactly as simulated in the case of a launch anomaly.
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On this Pathfinder flight, we decided to “light load” Liquid Oxygen by about 200#. In order to do this We decided to put the launch stand on scales to weigh the LOX as we filled the tank.
Placing the scales under the launch stool prevented us from bolting the launch stool down to the concrete Launchpad. We expected the launch stool to be "rapidly displaced" on ignition. What we did not expect was for the stool to impact the launch rail with enough force to sever the lower launch lug from the vehicle.
The severing of the launch lug induced a torque on the body of the vehicle that was corrected by the vehicle guidance system within 1 second after liftoff. In the future: if scales are used for a test such as this, the launch stand will be mounted on standoffs that will allow scale use as well as to secure the launch stool from moving!
The vehicle reached an angle of approximately 13 degrees and corrected exactly as simulated in the case of a launch anomaly.
Impressive response from the control system.
AS an aside modern weighing systems use a force balance or "nulling" technique. The sensor is laser cut out of a solid block of metal and can measure the weight of a grain silo. I estimated it could have weighed the exact mass of the complete Shuttle stack to the nearest Kg.
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Yeah, I find the ACS thrusters on the top of the rocket pretty impressive operating in near-vacuum. This (combined with their recovery capability) convinces me they're a cut above most of the rest. https://youtu.be/4a0qKCLlACE?t=58
Watch starting at ~1 minute, looking up near the Sun.
This is a rocket that is precisely guided even in vacuum. Add some production capability (scale) and staging, and they should definitely be capable of orbit.
The question is if they're able to get enough capital to build an orbit-class version of Stig with multiple stages. The plus side is that the recovery capability means they should need a lot less capital for manufacturing than some of the other smallsat launchers. No giant, multi-hundred-million-dollar manufacturing plant needed for decent flight rates.
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Here's some great footage of their first SARGE launch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHPeGH7t_QQ
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EXOS countdown clock shows their next launch is on 5 January 17:30 UTC.
https://exosaero.com/
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https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1088068237487673344
Heard that Exos Aerospace, whose sounding rocket launch from New Mexico has already been delayed once because of the partial government shutdown, is delaying it again, to early March, because of shutdown-related problems.
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https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1098367425991634944
Exos Aerospace says they’re targeting March 2 for the next launch of their SARGE reusable suborbital vehicle. (The launch was planned for early January but slipped because of the partial government shutdown.).
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Good to hear.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/BuRlEjPFUCA/
Looks like EXOS is looking at developing VTVL? It's most likely just developing of a small upperstage as they don't seem to have test stands for static fires.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/BuRlEjPFUCA/
Looks like EXOS is looking at developing VTVL? It's most likely just developing of a small upperstage as they don't seem to have test stands for static fires.
It's an old picture of Pixel.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/BuRlEjPFUCA/
Looks like EXOS is looking at developing VTVL? It's most likely just developing of a small upperstage as they don't seem to have test stands for static fires.
It's an old picture of Pixel.
Yep. Still, quite odd. Their social accounts have never posted/advertised something that was explicitly an Armadillo program before, why now? Given that they own Armadillo's IP, as well as the recent hype bubble surrounding CLPS and private-public lunar exploration, seems like it could be a very pointed hint...
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They won the Lunar Lander Xprize Level 1 and would have won Level 2 if the rules had not been changed (IMO). They should have extended the time to allow AA to try under the changed rules.
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SARGE - M1 (Mission 1):
Launch March 02 2019
https://exosaero.com/2019/02/23/launch-announcement-03-02-2019/
Webcast:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J-2ktuGM4A
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Time has changed. Webcast in 53 mins, 15 mins before schedule launch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf7UdfcBUaI
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EXOS now reporting to be at T-30 minutes, after a few delays, presumably to do with prop loading, which looks like it's still ongoing.
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Fuel loading complete, according to the net. Now commencing LOX fill.
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Commentator mentioning that SARGE and JAGUAR use modified Morpheus flight software through a SAA with NASA.
Emphasizing the benefit to schools of flying student payloads quickly and cheaply, mentions a thermodynamics payload from a high school on this launch, which cost $250 to build and $2500 to put on this rocket. Says their goal is to get a student payload from every state in the U.S. and fly them on one launch.
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T-5 minutes, pad crew retreating to launch positions.
In the Go/No Go now. Range is clear.
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T-15 seconds
Mentioning that they're SSH'ed into the vehicle right now... which is rather funny to a computer guy like me ;D
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LAUNCH!
Looked a little skewed off the pad, but it's going! Commentator mentions being transonic, now max-Q.
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MECO called, now waiting through coast.
EDIT: There was talk of the burn being 60 seconds, which sounds like a full duration, unlike last time. Bodes well!
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Nosecone and rocket separated, nosecone with the drogue (top) and rocket with the mains (bottom)!
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Rocket under the wing. Commentator mentions that they have the ability to manually guide it if needed, but the automatic guidance appears to be performing nominally.
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Video of launch:
https://twitter.com/nextspaceflight/status/1101902159623450624
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TOUCHDOWN! Only a few hundred meters from the launch site!
Question about refurbishment - after last time's hard landing (some (electrical) motors burned out), refurbishment costs were only about $5000.
And with that, the stream is over. Great flight, can't wait to hear the apogee!
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Recovery in work, payloads ready to be returned to customers, more details to come:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xHjbLIeqSo
Here's the link to the recording of the livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gRuXIGNn6s
(I did hear earlier that they're going to release another 360-degree video from this flight, in time, which should be interesting!)
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Did they mention apogee? I missed it if so.
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Rocket made it about 20km.
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Rocket made it about 20km.
Was that reasonably close to the target altitude?
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Rocket made it about 20km.
Was that reasonably close to the target altitude?
Unfortunately no. It was even less than the previous flight. I only spoke briefly with the guys this morning, so I don't have all the details yet as to why it isn't making altitude.
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Rocket made it about 20km.
Was that reasonably close to the target altitude?
Unfortunately no. It was even less than the previous flight. I only spoke briefly with the guys this morning, so I don't have all the details yet as to why it isn't making altitude.
Sorry to hear it. Glad SARGE is back in one piece, at least :) I'm sure that will be a huge help for figuring out what prevented it from reaching a nominal apogee.
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Next launch scheduled for June 30, 15:15 UTC
https://exosaero.com/
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https://youtu.be/MkcB6s65Gu8
-
That is saying live in 7 days on 29 June, 16:30 UTC.
-
Webcast has moved up one hour to 15:30 UTC, one hour before the window opens at 16:30 UTC. Window is open for 2.5 hours.
"Join us LIVE tomorrow for SARGE Launch 3 - Mission 2!
Our launch window is from 9:30-12, and we will be kicking off the live stream at 9:30 AM MST!"
https://www.facebook.com/exosaerosystech/posts/2468352313249789
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Webcast has started. Talking about payloads.
-
T-1 hour.
-
Looks like they are attaching the nose cone.
-
Nose cone is on.
-
T-45 minutes. Doing up the nose cone screws.
-
Sponsored by Oreo biscuits?
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Putting the vehicle on a movable cradle.
-
Tripod being moved away.
-
Tripod removed.
-
Moving the insulation.
-
Insulation in position.
-
T-30 minutes. Think they are getting ready to move the rocket. Playing some not so good funky music.
-
Performing ACS checks.
-
Truck moving away. Considering the rocket is still horizontal, it might be awhile before they launch.
-
Truck at the launch site I believe.
-
Truck stabilising arms extended.
-
View of the truck from where the rocket currently is.
-
Giving the rocket a good luck kiss!
-
Moving the vehicle to the pad. Ride'em cowboy!
-
At the pad.
-
Looks like the truck is going to lift the rocket onto the pad.
-
Attaching the hook to the vehicle.
Lifting the vehicle.
-
Rocket is off the ground.
-
Moving the rocket into position.
-
Audio is working now.
-
Rocket is on its base.
-
Closer view. There's a drone flying in the background.
-
Nice close up of the base of the vehicle.
-
Next operation is fuelling the rocket.
-
Photo opportunity at the pad.
-
The truck has lowered its boom and raised its arms.
-
Pointing the direction the vehicle will be heading.
-
Non-essential personnel have left the pad. Fuelling operations are commencing.
-
Answering questions.
Next vehicle is Jaguar orbital vehicle. 18 m tall. 1 m diameter. Reusable first stage. 100 kg payload. Expansion into Italy!
Establishing communications with vehicle.
National Charter Enterprise Program, starting in Italy and Europe. Partnership with Phoenix Aerospace for air launch of Jaguar.
Conops for Jaguar will be similar. Mobile launch. Working on 48 hour turnaround. 16 people now. Working towards 100 people.
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Audio recording check. Local time is 11:09 am.
-
Using a white bottle to perhaps capture overflow.
-
Controller is going through a check list.
-
Vehicle weight is 1137. Not sure if that is lb or kg.
Range is go.
-
Go for hazardous ops. Commencing fuel transfer. Transferring 95 gallons (360 L).
-
We have a countdown clock! At T-36 minutes and 19 seconds.
-
T-35 minutes.
-
T-30 minutes.
-
T-25 minutes. Fuel load complete. Vehicle weight is 1788. Starting LOX load.
Looks like the mass is in pounds. So mass in kg is 811 kg.
-
T-20 minutes. Can hear a venting sound in the background.
-
T-15 minutes. LOX load complete. Seeing a bit of venting.
-
Vehicle mass is 2693 lb (1222 kg).
-
T-10 minutes.
-
T-9 minutes. Removing insulation.
-
T-8 minutes. Crew moving away.
-
T-7 minutes. Truck moving away.
-
T-6 minutes. Crew have retreated,
-
Jumped to T-5 minutes.
-
T-4 minutes. Go for launch. Commencing pressurisation.
-
Jumped to T-2 minutes.
-
T-1 minute. Vehicle has control.
-
Holding at T-15 seconds.
-
Liftoff!
-
Cameraman lost the rocket.
-
Liftoff!
Went very sideways, out of IIP range, aborted burn!
-
Saying parachutes are out. Saying it doesn't look good.
-
Previous shot of the vehicle going in a spiral.
-
Vehicle is coming down! Dumping fuel.
-
T+6 minutes. Good recovery considering the way it was going!
-
Should be heading to the primary landing zone. There is also a secondary location and the vehicle is programmed to avoid buildings and other sites.
-
Venting has completed. Vehicle is right above them.
-
Nice closeup.
-
T+11 minutes.
-
Making a turn.
-
Drogue (attached to nosecone) has landed.
-
Touchdown!
-
Had a performance challenge on the gimbal.
-
Vehicle is safe to approach and they'll be going out to retrieve it.
End of webcast.
-
Launch video and recovery:
https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1145034562860453888
-
Bad luck to EXOS Aerospace that the launch was not successful, but congratulations on successfully recovery of the payload and rocket! I'm going to class this as a partial failure.
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Bad luck to EXOS Aerospace that the launch was not successful, but congratulations on successfully recovery of the payload and rocket! I'm going to class this as a partial failure.
Welcome to world of RLVs, failed launch followed by successful recovery.
-
From the announced values I get a dry mass of 511 kg, fuel mass of 300 kg, oxidiser mass of 410 kg, propellant mass of 710 kg and total mass of 1221 kg. The oxidiser to fuel ratio seems pretty low at 1.37 to 1. Dry mass to total mass is a high 42%.
-
this is disappointing. Haven't had time to talk to guys about what exactly went wrong, but from the youtube video... it doesn't look good.
-
I'm impressed with the recovery system, though. It was thought through well enough that they had a fuel dump, even.
I wish they'd get their launch rate up higher, though. Survivable failures like this are gold.
-
https://youtu.be/-cTNevdDCN4
-
Couple more
https://youtu.be/GlgN1bJWO48
https://youtu.be/2qYF-0SwM94
-
I'm impressed with the recovery system, though. It was thought through well enough that they had a fuel dump, even.
I wish they'd get their launch rate up higher, though. Survivable failures like this are gold.
Bumping this thread in light of RocketLab Electron using a very similar recovery system.
-
I'm impressed with the recovery system, though. It was thought through well enough that they had a fuel dump, even.
I wish they'd get their launch rate up higher, though. Survivable failures like this are gold.
Bumping this thread in light of RocketLab Electron using a very similar recovery system.
While there are superficial similarities, I'd expect the two systems to differ greatly in their details. Both appear to use a steered parafoil deployed from the top of the stage, but RL's will have to be integrated with its atmospheric entry system, while EXOS has to worry about landing speed and position.
Any similarities between the two systems are likely also shared with the old STIG-B, I believe.
-
I'm impressed with the recovery system, though. It was thought through well enough that they had a fuel dump, even.
I wish they'd get their launch rate up higher, though. Survivable failures like this are gold.
Bumping this thread in light of RocketLab Electron using a very similar recovery system.
While there are superficial similarities, I'd expect the two systems to differ greatly in their details. Both appear to use a steered parafoil deployed from the top of the stage, but RL's will have to be integrated with its atmospheric entry system, while EXOS has to worry about landing speed and position.
Any similarities between the two systems are likely also shared with the old STIG-B, I believe.
SARGE AFAIK is just a rebranded STIG-B.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7xR9TgiFsM
Published on 13 Aug 2019
SARGE Mission 3 Payloads
EXOS Aerospace Systems & Technologies
Spaceport America - Vertical Launch Area - June 29 2019
This launch was the third launch and successful recovery of the same SARGE-1 rocket. Only two other companies have accomplished this in history. Background info about some of the payloads on the 3rd Sarge flight, some behind-the-scenes footage on launch day, plus launch, in-flight, and landing scenes.
-
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1182060201303629824
Spaceport America CEO Dan Hicks says he expects Exos Aerospace to make another suborbital launch from the spaceport around Oct. 25. (Their last launch earlier this year suffered a malfunction shortly after liftoff, but the rocket was recovered.) #ISPCS2019
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A recap on the third SARGE-1 flight. No information provided on what caused the flight deviation.
https://exosaero.com/2019/08/14/sarge-flight-3-mission-2-recap/
"If you were able to watch the YouTube launch, live, then you saw the rocket lifted off beautifully (our best launch, actually) and then a few nanoseconds and a few thousand feet into the launch, an anomaly occurred and the rocket began to “swim” back and forth. It did this a couple of times, and then the guidance and directional systems corrected it, and the rocket flew to about 14,000 feet and successfully deployed the drogue and then the parachute, and flew back to the launch site for a safe and soft landing. All payloads and the rocket were recovered in good condition. The rocket will be ready to fly again in October. The Exos team has since met to discuss what caused the anomaly, and what we have learned from it."
-
They're now targeting 11am ET, October 26th for Flight 4.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78osEuHIFBI
-
ARTICLE: Exos ready for fourth launch of SARGE suborbital rocket -
- By Chris Gebhardt
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/10/exos-fourth-launch-sarge-suborbital-rocket/
https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1188056218629214208
-
window opens 1600 UTC / 12pm EDT / 1 JST
https://twitter.com/exosaerosystech/status/1188056123179327490
-
A while yet.
-
-
https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1188116223340486661
-
live stream goes LIVE in 15 minutes!
https://twitter.com/exosaerosystech/status/1188104614677114880
-
That just happened.
https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1188122413126635521
-
T-1hr
-
-
T-45
Rocket going up.
-
Launch Timer Reset
T-1:15hr
-
Apparently T-75 mins now, so slipped again.
-
Photo Op :)
-
T-1hr
-
T-45min
-
Alright, I got to get going. The slip past 12 got me in a time pickle as I have to be somewhere at 12:30.
Thanks for letting me be the update guy for once :D
You got it from here ChrisB! ;D
-
Starting LOX load.
-
LOX vent spitting, looks like LOX loading is complete.
-
T-5 minutes.
-
https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1188147207737876481
-
Yet another reminder that they're literally SSHing into the vehicle. Always tickles me.
-
"IIP is still okay, swinging around a little"
I'd call that an understatement, but hey, it's still going!
EDIT: Adding a shot of liftoff.
-
https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1188148814198255616
-
It's coming down in several pieces.
-
Team saying the rocket has impacted the ground at high speed.
One of the adjacent employees says complete LOV. Nosecone and payloads are intact as far as we know.
-
Oof.
https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1188149691235610625
-
Commentator says they're cutting the feed now, "this is rocket science", will try again.
Was some mention of possible need for fire control on the range, but we didn't see anything like that on the feed.
Nosecone was mentioned to still be in flight, so they may be getting the experiments back, if nothing else.
-
End of stream. Nosecone still in flight.
Multiple fluttering objects appeared to be pieces of the main chute?
Better luck next time, darn... they really can't seem to catch a break with their GNC.
-
Commentator says they're cutting the feed now, "this is rocket science", will try again.
Was some mention of possible need for fire control on the range, but we didn't see anything like that on the feed.
Nosecone was mentioned to still be in flight, so they may be getting the experiments back, if nothing else.
As I understand it, the payloads are in the upper portion of the airframe and not the nose cone.
-
Nosecone was mentioned to still be in flight, so they may be getting the experiments back, if nothing else.
As I understand it, the payloads are in the upper portion of the airframe and not the nose cone.
In retrospect, I believe you're right, suggesting a loss of payload.
I do find it interesting that in 4 launch attempts, they've had 0 full launch successes, but 3 recovery successes, with this being the first real recovery failure. It might speak to the robustness of their recovery approach, or perhaps the knowledge they inherited from Armadillo.
-
https://youtu.be/yNlhvX1f4Fo
-
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1197287325899853825
John Quinn of Exos says the company’s next SARGE suborbital vehicle is about 80% complete. Hoping for first flight by May, but could slip to June or July. #SpaceCom2019
-
just caught up on this thread!
fyi, current exos aerospace launch opportunities are scheduled here -
basically an ad (sort of) but packed with info to answer some questions! :) -
https://www.spaceexcess.com/Listing/Browse?Seller=sales%40exosaero.com
btw, i'm handling some of the social media for exos, and will try to stay in touch here
thx!
steve ryan, for exos
-
just caught up on this thread!
fyi, current exos aerospace launch opportunities are scheduled here -
basically an ad (sort of) but packed with info to answer some questions! :) -
https://www.spaceexcess.com/Listing/Browse?Seller=sales%40exosaero.com
btw, i'm handling some of the social media for exos, and will try to stay in touch here
thx!
steve ryan, for exos
Thanks Steve, best of luck to the team on SARGE. For posterity, the relevant bits from the above link (that I can find):
- Exos is offering a "wet lease" of a SARGE vehicle for $1,500,000.
- They're offering suborbital rides for 1KG/1U at $6,000 per.
- It looks like they're currently scheduling two launches - one in April 2020, one in July 2020.
- (based on the Foust tweet above, sounds like the former has slipped to NET May)
- Jaguar, their future reusable orbital LV is described as lofting 150Kg to 200-400km LEO at $25K/kg or $5M per launch.
- First launch looks to be planned for late 2022.
It also included the Payload User's Guide for SARGE, which is attached.
-
EXOS is coming down under! Their office in Lot 14 will be just a bus ride from where I live.
US space company to set up in Adelaide for space sector training
Max Blenkin
17 December 2019
US space company Exos Aerospace has opened an office in Adelaide to train Australian workers in high-tech space capabilities.
https://www.spaceconnectonline.com.au/careers/4001-us-space-company-to-set-up-in-adelaide-providing-high-tech-space-sector-training
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EXOS had a booth at the South Australian Space Forum yesterday. The problem with the third flight was due to not getting the complex guidance equations correct in their flight computer. This appeared to be fixed in the fourth flight which exhibited steady flight initially. However, an unexpected roll led to coning of the vehicle with aerodynamic forces causing the nose to collapse sideways due to a structural failure and an eventual angle of attack of 90%, resulting in loss of vehicle. They do have helium roll control thrusters, but were saving that for controlling the vehicle latter in the flight. They are now looking to implement LOX/ethanol hot gas roll control thrusters to fix the problem. Ignition is by off-the-shelf glow plugs used in diesel engines! They also said they will be setting up operations in Italy to develop an orbital launch vehicle. The next flight of SARGE is scheduled for June this year.
-
Dramatic Engine Test Dubbed Success Amidst Explosion
Caddo Mills, TX, May 19th, 2020—Set upon the Caddo Mills (Texas) Airport Testpad, Exos Aerospace’s new SARGE R2 rocket engine was ready for testing. The efficient eight-man Operations Team of Exos prepared to conduct a 55- second engine run test.
For 15 seconds, the perfect fiery exhaust gave a glimpse into the thrust that will fly the Exos’ SARGE R2 rocket.
But the impressive display of power was cut short by the failure of the LOX tank on the test stand, resulting in the near-instantaneous release of the liquid oxygen and ignition of the residual Ethanol in the supply lines between the tanks and the engine.
(https://i0.wp.com/exosaero.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Screenshot-2020-05-27_16-31-51.png)
Source: https://exosaero.com/2020/05/27/dramatic-engine-test-dubbed-success-amidst-explosion/?fbclid=IwAR2ciLT1pLPzfERw0Sb7qobsmpkgMJoJH7HuwGtWZFRjf8gGvp-A3sTI7Gs
-
Dramatic Engine Test Dubbed Success Amidst Explosion
Wow!.. Not sure what's more impressive - the successful engine test or it's termination. :)
-
https://youtu.be/bUF9njsybSc
-
I assuming that LOX could've failed at anytime ie when they were setting up.
-
Hey all,
Following that (above/below) fun pressure test video, we'll now be releasing several (6) more behind-the-scene videos over the next little while, starting with this one -
EXOS Aerospace - Engine Weld
https://youtu.be/Ol7Oa0I3ecA (https://youtu.be/Ol7Oa0I3ecA)
enjoy, and thx!
-Steve Ryan, for Exos
-
https://youtu.be/_Vn9WMFLV_E
-
https://youtu.be/Vg-kwxdzB6w
-
https://youtu.be/1rBbIQktpgI
-
EXOS Aerospace - Flight 2 Launch and Landing
This flight was on 2 March 2019.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IttEbG-2PBA
-
Exos will open up shop for production of their rocket components in Turin, Italy, after a couple of years of probing the Italian industry, and already initiating operation in the Southern region of Basilicata (where future final assembly and launches would take place from). They're expected to eventually settle next to the Thales Alenia Space / ALTEC site in the city, with 350 hires advertised over the next three years.
https://torino.repubblica.it/cronaca/2021/02/16/news/exos_sbarca_in_piemonte_previste_350_assunzioni_nei_prossimi_tre_anni-287845699/ (https://torino.repubblica.it/cronaca/2021/02/16/news/exos_sbarca_in_piemonte_previste_350_assunzioni_nei_prossimi_tre_anni-287845699/)
-
That's unusual. I wonder what's the backstory.
Exos will open up shop for production of their rocket components in Turin, Italy, after a couple of years of probing the Italian industry, and already initiating operation in the Southern region of Basilicata (where future final assembly and launches would take place from). They're expected to eventually settle next to the Thales Alenia Space / ALTEC site in the city, with 350 hires advertised over the next three years.
https://torino.repubblica.it/cronaca/2021/02/16/news/exos_sbarca_in_piemonte_previste_350_assunzioni_nei_prossimi_tre_anni-287845699/ (https://torino.repubblica.it/cronaca/2021/02/16/news/exos_sbarca_in_piemonte_previste_350_assunzioni_nei_prossimi_tre_anni-287845699/)
-
Just an update about Exos in Italy - (English article, no need to translate)
Space: Exos arrives in Piedmont, soon hundreds of jobs – Piedmont
(ANSA) – TURIN, 16 FEB
https://www.newsy-today.com/space-exos-arrives-in-piedmont-soon-hundreds-of-jobs-piedmont/
thx! Steve Ryan, for Exos
-
An additional update about Exos -
EXOS Aerospace Systems & Technologies, Inc. receives a AFWERX SBIR Phase II Award for a Hypersonic Reusable Launch Vehicle prototype based on their commercial vehicle.
"Greenville Texas, March 15, 2021 – EXOS Aerospace Systems and Technologies, Inc. a Texas aerospace company headquartered in Greenville, has been awarded an Air Force Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract. The project contracts for a prototype for a lightweight dual-use application of the companies’ existing commercial reusable sub-orbital sounding rocket (SARGE)..."
For more, see the Exos blog: https://exosaero.com/2021/04/04/afwerx-phase-ii-award/
thx! Steve Ryan, for Exos
-
https://youtu.be/ySxw4qSXoKE
The Exos Team builds a concrete deflector to protect the testing pad and crane truck. Wait a sec... is this rocket science? Yes, it is!
EXOS is a leading developer and operator of reusable space vehicles.
SPACEavailable... https://exosaero.com/
Interested in flying with us? Please fill out the form below and we'll get back to you ASAP!
https://exosaero.com/book-your-flight/
EXOS is committed to education - https://exosaero.com/education/
EXOS makes SPACEavailable because we help you - https://exosaero.com/benefits/
CONTACT US - https://exosaero.com/contact-us/
-
https://youtu.be/sYjK_wET6aA
-
Just a couple of recent press releases from Exos's blog (http://exosaero.com/blog/ (http://exosaero.com/blog/))
EXOS Plans Moving Headquarters to McKinney
"Space vehicle maker plans to move its headquarters to McKinney as it looks to hire hundreds"
https://exosaero.com/2021/08/29/exos-moves-headquarters-to-mckinney/ (https://exosaero.com/2021/08/29/exos-moves-headquarters-to-mckinney/)
bizjournals.com article
https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/inno/stories/news/2021/08/26/exos-aerospace-will-quinn.html (https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/inno/stories/news/2021/08/26/exos-aerospace-will-quinn.html)
0-G Launch and EXOS Aerospace Sign Air-Launch Services Agreement
"Exos Aerospace and 0-G Launch to pursue commercial air-launch"
https://exosaero.com/2021/09/07/0-g-launch-and-exos-aerospace-sign-air-launch-services-agreement/ (https://exosaero.com/2021/09/07/0-g-launch-and-exos-aerospace-sign-air-launch-services-agreement/)
einpresswire.com article (verbatim text)
https://www.einpresswire.com/article/550726011 (https://www.einpresswire.com/article/550726011)
thx! Steve Ryan, for Exos
-
Not really new info, but rather more of an overview of recent developments and a behind-the-scenes look at Exos in this TV news piece -
"Group of engineer friends turns rocketry passion into multimillion dollar aerospace company"
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-texas-el-paso/news/2021/10/14/-a-group-of-engineer-friends-turn-rocketry-passion-into-multi-million-dollar-aerospace-company?fbclid=IwAR0PP9VsKCNICMHMshpkP6NfwRBUSCo6gh3b8GpPETdduhEJ-CPO0cgQrrU (https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-texas-el-paso/news/2021/10/14/-a-group-of-engineer-friends-turn-rocketry-passion-into-multi-million-dollar-aerospace-company?fbclid=IwAR0PP9VsKCNICMHMshpkP6NfwRBUSCo6gh3b8GpPETdduhEJ-CPO0cgQrrU)
thx! Steve Ryan, for Exos
-
New videos from Exos imminent, from our archives showing some ground testing and rocket lab activities. Until then, catch up with these playlists on the Exos Youtube channel -
Exos Ground Testing -
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzvrpyuDeIzlrivSnq9ANBXWktHZrL0RS (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzvrpyuDeIzlrivSnq9ANBXWktHZrL0RS)
Back at the Rocket Lab... -
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzvrpyuDeIzmy3Hi7olmWaGCHaNPqXOnk (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzvrpyuDeIzmy3Hi7olmWaGCHaNPqXOnk)
-
SARGE's Nose Separation Test - 4K Camera (full speed)
https://youtu.be/I_-oAMUzshY (https://youtu.be/I_-oAMUzshY)
Hi-Speed (Slow-Mo) version to follow
-
Nose Separation Test - Hi Speed Cam (Slow-Mo)
https://youtu.be/8X4twammAPI (https://youtu.be/8X4twammAPI)
4K Camera (full speed) posted previously
-
"This is a SARGE hold down static fire test, as seen from our drone hovering nearby."
Just added to playlist "Exos Ground Testing"
Drone 1 60 sec test -
https://youtu.be/0V_XzhfPhVA (https://youtu.be/0V_XzhfPhVA)
-
"On August 25 2018, Exos Aerospace flew SARGE for the first time. Here is the full-flight, onboard, HD 360' VR view."
https://youtu.be/3D1jlmuDCOk (https://youtu.be/3D1jlmuDCOk)
-
New info from EXOS CEO John Quinn, talking about a hover test (more later), air launching to orbit, and a "hyper-sonic reusable launch vehicle" -
2022 | EXOS Aerospace
Edison Open Forum: Investing in Space
https://vimeo.com/702010830 (https://vimeo.com/702010830)
https://youtu.be/YUqyhevPrkc (https://youtu.be/YUqyhevPrkc)
https://www.edisongroup.com/edison-open-forum-space-2022/ (https://www.edisongroup.com/edison-open-forum-space-2022/)
thx! Steve Ryan, for Exos
-
https://youtu.be/Ezj4DIFVlHY
-
https://youtu.be/Ezj4DIFVlHY
Very good. I see it has a cold gas attitude control system for vacuum operations.
-
Yes, indeed, it's a new test, a nice one! - thanks for posting FutureSpaceTourist and Robotbeat :)
BLK3 Tether and Hover Test
-
Yes, indeed, it's a new test, a nice one! - thanks for posting FutureSpaceTourist and Robotbeat :)
BLK3 Tether and Hover Test
As some sites report:
Stig-C (TBN) is BLK-3 or Block-3
Stig-B (SARGE) was Block-2
Stig-A (Stiga) was Block-1
-
That's a bit too much effort to cross compare the old Armadillo naming convention to the Exos versions!
Armadillo long skinny rockets:
The Stig rocket was 12" in diameter and had insufficient fins and a 2800 pound thrust engine.
STIG A was 15" in diameter with a 5500 pound thrust engine and much better fins.
STIG B was a 20" diameter rocket with the 5500 pound thrust engine.
Exos Rockets:
SARGE is similar to STIG B, but the LOX and Fuel tanks are swapped to move the CG forward a bit. It also had completely different software and a significantly upgraded flight computer
SARGE BLK2 was never built, but it was going to be a LOX/LCH4 propellant combination in the original SARGE tanks.
SARGE BLK3 is 25" in diameter and all carbon fiber construction. It is significantly larger than Sarge, and even lighter by a good margin in dry mass. It also uses the same 5500 pound rocket engine using LOX/E190.
There are plans for a SARGE BLK4, details to be released later, but significantly higher performance.
AND Jaguar, our first Orbital Class vehicle, is also in the early design phase, more details later this year...
Hopefully that helps set the record straight! I will try to keep you updated as we move forward!
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Exos Aerospace Press Release - "EXOS Tests Hypersonic Vehicle, Plans Air-Launch to Orbit System, & Pioneers Reduced Development Costs & Timeframes" https://exosaero.com/2022/08/18/exos-tests-hypersonic-vehicle/
Press Release at EINPresswire.com - https://www.einpresswire.com/article/584220092/exos-tests-hypersonic-vehicle-plans-air-launch-to-orbit-system-pioneers-reduced-development-costs-timeframes
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New launch dates for Exos Aerospace's BLK3 Rapid Reusability demo.
The next suborbital launches in April 2023 are booking now via preciouspayload.com.
https://preciouspayload.com/launch-schedule/company/exos-aerospace-systems-and-technologies?fbclid=IwAR1-9M65gkr3LNTDR8SaHAjaFfvLxWnpX26kgQaolFnDmolVUZwxQQpDdT8 (https://preciouspayload.com/launch-schedule/company/exos-aerospace-systems-and-technologies?fbclid=IwAR1-9M65gkr3LNTDR8SaHAjaFfvLxWnpX26kgQaolFnDmolVUZwxQQpDdT8)
(http://blk3-stack-assembled-for-testin.jpeg)
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https://youtu.be/0XD_a5Q0m6s
Sept 13 2023:
"Exos Aerospace, a Greenville-based company, tested an engine for a rocket as they prepare for a launch in 2024." -NBCdfw.com
"a team from Purdue University was on hand for the rocket test Wednesday, performing a lunar lander thermal experiment as part of the test." -dallasinnovates.com
"“This is a reduced throttle run,” said John Quinn, co-founder and CEO of Exos Aerospace, according to NBC 5 DFW. “It’ll be 60% throttle on the first test and 70% on the second test" -dallasexpress.com
North Texas commercial spaceflight tests rocket engine (Article and video)
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/north-texas-commercial-spaceflight-tests-rocket-engine/3337786/