Author Topic: Vector Launch (formerly Vector Space Systems)  (Read 402878 times)

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #380 on: 07/14/2017 10:34 pm »
A short test:

Quote
Vid of 1st stage engine test funded by @DARPA & @NASA_Marshall 1st use of spark igniter on 5k-lbf engine to improve performance & efficiency

https://twitter.com/vectorspacesys/status/885984844945084416

Offline Tomness

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #381 on: 07/15/2017 12:00 am »
Note the size of the feeds and the run tanks.

Still not full size full  duration burn?

Offline imprezive

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #382 on: 07/15/2017 08:08 am »
Note the size of the feeds and the run tanks.

That nozzle is some high quality carbon fiber construction though.

Offline ringsider

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #383 on: 07/15/2017 08:51 pm »
Still not full size full  duration burn?

Not unless you were only planning to lift about 100ft off the deck... oh...

Offline ringsider

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #384 on: 07/15/2017 09:05 pm »
That nozzle is some high quality carbon fiber construction though.

I am genuinely not sure if you are being sarcastic or not... Are you joking?

Offline imprezive

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #385 on: 07/15/2017 11:26 pm »
That nozzle is some high quality carbon fiber construction though.

I am genuinely not sure if you are being sarcastic or not... Are you joking?

C'mon look at it.

Offline savuporo

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #386 on: 07/16/2017 12:11 am »
That nozzle is some high quality carbon fiber construction though.

I am genuinely not sure if you are being sarcastic or not... Are you joking?

C'mon look at it.

This sniping gets a bit annoying. The least you could do to contribute to the thread is post what you are looking at and talking about

Orion - the first and only manned not-too-deep-space craft

Offline imprezive

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #387 on: 07/16/2017 06:38 am »
That nozzle is some high quality carbon fiber construction though.

I am genuinely not sure if you are being sarcastic or not... Are you joking?

C'mon look at it.

This sniping gets a bit annoying. The least you could do to contribute to the thread is post what you are looking at and talking about

I just zoomed in on one of the pics posted but yeah those are better shots.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #388 on: 07/23/2017 09:29 pm »
Quote
First hint of an upcoming low-altitude test launch by Vector from the site of a proposed Georgia spaceport.

Quote
T-minus 10 days... @CamdenSpaceport
https://twitter.com/vectorspacesys/status/889224527233896448

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/889229181439160320

Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #389 on: 07/24/2017 07:32 am »
So that would make it August 4 for the launch.
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #390 on: 07/25/2017 02:40 am »
Quote
Jim Cantrell‏
@jamesncantrell

Vector-R Block 0.002 shipped out from @vectorspacesys today for launch in 10 days from @CamdenSpaceport.  Stay tuned

https://twitter.com/jamesncantrell/status/889661857526464512
« Last Edit: 07/25/2017 02:41 am by tvg98 »

Offline Lars-J

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #391 on: 07/25/2017 03:03 am »
Block 0.002? This means that it will be another low altitude fixed engine flight, I presume?

Offline IanThePineapple

Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #392 on: 07/25/2017 03:07 am »
Block 0.002? This means that it will be another low altitude fixed engine flight, I presume?

Since it's not another block 0.001 it's probably slightly upgraded from the previous model. Pure speculation though.

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #393 on: 07/25/2017 04:59 am »
Block 0.002? This means that it will be another low altitude fixed engine flight, I presume?

Since it's not another block 0.001 it's probably slightly upgraded from the previous model. Pure speculation though.
Either that or they are going to do 999 test flights before they reach 1.0. ;)

Offline Lars-J

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #394 on: 07/25/2017 04:49 pm »
Block 0.002? This means that it will be another low altitude fixed engine flight, I presume?

Since it's not another block 0.001 it's probably slightly upgraded from the previous model. Pure speculation though.
Either that or they are going to do 999 test flights before they reach 1.0. ;)

It wouldn't surprise me at this point. Vector's fun-raising strategy is pretty novel, using every small launch as a fun-raising opportunity. Which may work fine for this upcoming launch... But eventually even the gullible investors will catch on if no real progress is demonstrated.

Offline Kryten

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #395 on: 07/25/2017 06:05 pm »
[in response to someone asking what's new on this flight]
Quote
Jim Cantrell
@jamesncantrell
New flight computers, code upgrades, AFTS, upgraded engines.  Same FAA license restricting altitude.  Customer payloads.  New launch site

Offline Bananas_on_Mars

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #396 on: 07/25/2017 06:32 pm »
Their workshop really doesn't look like i would think serious rocket manufacturing would look like...

In the picture above i see at least 3 different angle grinders within 3m of flight hardware, none of them with a guard on it.

And there's a cut-in-half bottle catching fluids dripping from the rocket, i guess.

Compared to what we see from RocketLab, it's night and day.

Offline ringsider

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #397 on: 07/25/2017 09:29 pm »
Their workshop really doesn't look like i would think serious rocket manufacturing would look like...

In the picture above i see at least 3 different angle grinders within 3m of flight hardware, none of them with a guard on it.

And there's a cut-in-half bottle catching fluids dripping from the rocket, i guess.

Compared to what we see from RocketLab, it's night and day.
It is really garage based - the garage is Jim Cantrell's race car garage as you can see in old photo where they had the laurels and photos lining the walls. I think there was even a race car in there at the beginning (under the polythene sheet on axle stands).



According to documents on the internet they are proposing a build-and-lease back deal to developers of their new world headquarters in Arizona, so I am sure they will spend some of that Sequoia money soon on better premises. And with Sequoia on board they have a fair shot at getting all the money they need down the line.

It is truly astonishing that this company hasn't been rumbled yet - the fact that Cantrell is an advisor to his two major announced customers York and Iceye should raise eyebrows at least - but they continue to raise money and capture mindshare.

I genuinely think that some amateur teams like Copenhagen Suborbitals have a much higher grade of technology but for some reason people treat these guys like they already built a Saturn V and personally escorted Armstrong to the surface of the moon...
« Last Edit: 07/28/2017 11:26 am by ringsider »

Offline Davidthefat

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #398 on: 07/25/2017 10:17 pm »
I genuinely think that some amateur teams like Copenhagen Suborbitals have a much higher grade of technology but for some reason people treat these guys like they already built a Saturn V and personally escorted Armstrong to the surface of the moon...


I think the name Cantrell carries it pretty far, given he's associated with SpaceX, and "also played key roles in the development of Skybox Imaging (now Terra Bella) and has had developmental roles in numerous venture funded space efforts including Rocket Lab, Planet, Black Sky and Spaceflight."

To an investor that's not an aerospace engineer through and through that's a big selling point. Given most of these VC's investments have been in software it seems.

Offline LooksFlyable

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Re: Vector Space Systems
« Reply #399 on: 07/25/2017 10:29 pm »
Their workshop really doesn't look like i would think serious rocket manufacturing would look like...

In the picture above i see at least 3 different angle grinders within 3m of flight hardware, none of them with a guard on it.

And there's a cut-in-half bottle catching fluids dripping from the rocket, i guess.

Compared to what we see from RocketLab, it's night and day.

Yeah, but RocketLab is apparently valued at $1 billion dollars already. They also likely got hefty deposits for launches long in advance which really helped them. I personally love the garage build rocket devs. They are more inspiring to me and I think to the average person too. The mindset that only billionaires can do it is toxic to space progress and innovations. We barely just broke down the barrier that only governments can do it, so I really want one of the little guys to make it, and set down a blueprint for others to follow, so that mentality that you have to be a billionaire to do it doesn't become the next imaginary roadblock that sets in.



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