Author Topic: Electron "IT'S BUSINESS TIME" - Lemur sats et al. - November 11, 2018  (Read 93082 times)

Offline harry2680

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Launch Article:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/06/rocketlab-operational-electron-launch-five-payload/

-----
Rocket-

    Electron "IT'S BUSINESS TIME"

Satellites-

    Lemur-2 82 (to be 72nd in orbit)
    Lemur-2 83  (to be 73rd in orbit)
    CICERO (?) (to be 6th in orbit)
    IRVINE 01
    NABEO (will stay on second stage to deploy chute)

Launch Date-

    NET July 2018 (As of 29/06/2018)

Articles-
   
    Current Feature:

    Rocket Lab announces new launch date, payloads for Its Business Time Electron flight

    Flight 1:

    Rocket Labs Electron conducts inaugural flight from New Zealand

    Flight 2:

    Rocket Lab successfully conducts second Electron launch

    Previous Features:

    Rocket Lab to capitalize on test flight success with first operational mission
   
    Rocket Lab manifests third flight, aims for expanded flight rate and launch sites
-----

 
There was originally a NOTAM from the 1st of March to the 28th, this has been extended in another NOTAM till the 25th of April.
« Last Edit: 11/11/2018 07:36 am by input~2 »

Offline Steven Pietrobon

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The NSF article says this launch is expected to carry Outernet Mission 1 and ISILaunch cubesats.
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline Skyrocket

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Apparently four SpaceBEE 1U cubesats were originally planned to be on this launch, but as they did not get a FCC licence in the aftermath of the non-licenced launch of their first four 1/4U SpaceBEE satellites, it is doubtful, that these will be on the third Electron launch.

https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/aerospace/satellites/fcc-accuses-stealthy-startup-of-launching-rogue-satellites

http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/spacebee-5.htm

Online jamesh9000

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According to this article, the launch should be some time in April, along with a couple of other tidbits of information:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/102179660/rocketlab-says-launch-preparations-not-affected-by-rogue-satellite-concern

Quote
Rocket Lab spokeswoman Morgan Bailey said the matter was between Swarm and the FCC, and had not caused any delay to preparations for Rocket Lab's next launch, which is tipped to take place in April.

Quote
Rocket Lab, founded by Kiwi Peter Beck, was still finalising the payload for what will be its first commercial launch but would not include any satellites on it that did not have the right regulatory approvals, Bailey said.

Rocket Lab had yet to confirm the launch window for its next flight, but the Electron would be transported to its launch site on the Māhia Peninsula in the next few weeks, she said.
« Last Edit: 03/12/2018 04:38 am by jamesh9000 »

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Quote
It's Business Time at Rocket Lab

Posted on 13 March 2018

Huntington Beach, California. March 13, 2018: US orbital launch provider Rocket Lab has today confirmed its next launch will be the companys first fully commercial flight. Two Lemur-2 cubesats for launch customer Spire Global will be on board the upcoming launch, with the full manifest to be confirmed in coming weeks.

The flights name was put to a vote on social media, with Its Business Time coming out as a clear fan favourite and a continuation of companys previous flight names, Its a Test and Still Testing. 

Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck says Its Business Time highlights Rocket Labs agile approach to responsive space. The launch has been manifested weeks out from launch, rather than the many months or years it can typically take under existing launch models.

We came at the challenge of opening access to space from a new perspective. Building to tail numbers and tailoring a vehicle to the payload is a rigid and slow way of getting satellites on orbit. As the satellite industry continues to innovate at a break-neck pace and the demand for orbital infrastructure grows, were there with a production line of Electron vehicles ready to go and a private launch site licensed for flight every 72 hours. Launch will no longer be the bottleneck that slows innovation in space, he says.   

We always set out to test a launch vehicle that was as close to production-ready as possible. To complete a test program so quickly and be flying commercial customers is a great feeling. Its business time, Mr Beck adds.

Rocket Labs third Electron vehicle will be shipped to Launch Complex 1 on New Zealands Māhia Peninsula in coming weeks, where final checkouts will be completed ahead of the Its Business Time launch.

This year Rocket Lab is increasing its launch cadence and scaling up production of the Electron launch vehicle to meet a growing manifest. The company aims to produce 100 Rutherford engines in 2018 from its three-acre headquarters and production facility in Huntington Beach, California. More than 30 engines have already been completed and are undergoing integration onto Electron vehicles.

Rocket Labs first test launch, Its a Test, was completed in May 2017, with the second test, Still Testing, taking place in January 2018. This flight successfully reached orbit, deployed commercial customer payloads for Planet and Spire Global and circularized an orbit using a previously unannounced kick stage.

For real-time updates in the lead up to Its Business Time, follow Rocket Lab on Twitter @RocketLab

http://www.rocketlabusa.com/news/updates/its-business-time-at-rocket-lab/
« Last Edit: 03/13/2018 11:09 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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So I decided my first tweet should share one of my favorite sights - a brand new #Electron being delivered to Launch Complex 1. #ItsBusinessTime is coming soon.

https://twitter.com/peter_j_beck/status/978074847614922752?s=21

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Getting ready for #ItsBusinessTime

https://twitter.com/peter_j_beck/status/978842658054524929 (photo attached)

Quote
Launch window to be confirmed soon!

https://twitter.com/rocketlab/status/978844128468439041

Offline deruch

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Quote
Getting ready for #ItsBusinessTime

https://twitter.com/peter_j_beck/status/978842658054524929 (photo attached)

Quote
Launch window to be confirmed soon!

https://twitter.com/rocketlab/status/978844128468439041

Oh, man.  Will someone on RocketLab's pad crew please put googly eyes on their clamp.
Shouldn't reality posts be in "Advanced concepts"?  --Nomadd

Offline Chris Bergin

Rocket Lab set Friday April 20, 2018 NZT for the first commercial mission with Electron. 14 day window of opportunity. Each day will have a four-hour launch window that will open from 12:30 p.m. NZDT (00:30 UTC).
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Offline Chris Bergin

Horrid formatting, but:

Rocket Lab to launch first commercial mission this month


Huntington Beach, California, 3 April 2018:

US orbital launch provider Rocket Lab has today confirmed it will open a 14-day launch window this month to conduct the company’s first fully commercial launch. The mission, named ‘It’s Business Time’, includes manifested payloads for launch customers Spire Global and GeoOptics Inc., built by Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems.

 

The 14-day ‘It’s Business Time’ launch window will open on Friday April 20, 2018 NZT. During this time a four-hour launch window will open daily from 12:30 p.m. NZDT (00:30 UTC). ‘It’s Business Time’ will launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. Licensed to launch every 72 hours, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 is the world’s only private orbital launch facility.

 

Rocket Lab is the only private, dedicated small launch provider globally that has deployed satellites to orbit. ‘It’s Business Time’ marks the fastest transition a private launch provider has made from test program to fully commercial flights. This mission follows just three months after Rocket Lab’s January 21, 2018 launch “Still Testing”, which successfully deployed an Earth-imaging satellite for Planet and circularized the orbit of two weather and AIS ship tracking satellites for Spire Global using Rocket Lab’s in-house designed and built kick stage.

 

“It’s Business Time represents the shift to responsive space. We always set out to create a vehicle and launch site that could offer the world’s most frequent launch capability and we’re achieving that in record time,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck.

 

“Rocket Lab is the only small launch provider that has reached orbit and delivered on promises to open access to space for small satellites. We can have payloads on orbit every 72 hours and our rapidly expanding manifest shows this is frequency is critical for the small satellite market,” he added.

 

Rocket Lab can achieve an unprecedented launch frequency thanks to a vertically integrated vehicle manufacturing process that enables Rocket Lab to roll an Electron vehicle off the production line every week. To meet a burgeoning 2018/19 launch manifest, Rocket Lab has rapidly scaled production of the Electron launch vehicle across its three-acre headquarters and production facility in Huntington Beach, California. The company will produce 100 3D printed Rutherford engines this year to support a monthly launch cadence by the end of 2018.

 

About Spire Global:

Spire is a data and analytics company that collects data for Earth from space, to help business and governments address previously insurmountable problems affecting everyone on the planet. Its constantly improving constellation of LEO satellites uses listening sensors to listen to the planet in real-time, gaining access to rich and untapped data sources totally off-limits to camera-based technology and inaccessible from the ground. To learn more, visit www.spire.com

 

About Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems:

For more about Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, visit www.tyvak.com
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Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Here's a better formatting of the press release.

Rocket Lab to launch first commercial mission this month

Huntington Beach, California, 3 April 2018:

US orbital launch provider Rocket Lab has today confirmed it will open a 14-day launch window this month to conduct the company's first fully commercial launch. The mission, named `It's Business Time, includes manifested payloads for launch customers Spire Global and GeoOptics Inc., built by Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems.

The 14-day `It's Business Time launch window will open on Friday April 20, 2018 NZT. During this time a four-hour launch window will open daily from 12:30 p.m. NZDT (00:30 UTC). `It's Business Time will launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. Licensed to launch every 72 hours, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 is the world's only private orbital launch facility.

Rocket Lab is the only private, dedicated small launch provider globally that has deployed satellites to orbit. `It's Business Time marks the fastest transition a private launch provider has made from test program to fully commercial flights. This mission follows just three months after Rocket Lab's January 21, 2018 launch `Still Testing, which successfully deployed an Earth-imaging satellite for Planet and circularized the orbit of two weather and AIS ship tracking satellites for Spire Global using Rocket Lab's in-house designed and built kick stage.

"It's Business Time represents the shift to responsive space. We always set out to create a vehicle and launch site that could offer the world's most frequent launch capability and we're achieving that in record time," said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck.

"Rocket Lab is the only small launch provider that has reached orbit and delivered on promises to open access to space for small satellites. We can have payloads on orbit every 72 hours and our rapidly expanding manifest shows this is frequency is critical for the small satellite market," he added.

Rocket Lab can achieve an unprecedented launch frequency thanks to a vertically integrated vehicle manufacturing process that enables Rocket Lab to roll an Electron vehicle off the production line every week. To meet a burgeoning 2018/19 launch manifest, Rocket Lab has rapidly scaled production of the Electron launch vehicle across its three-acre headquarters and production facility in Huntington Beach, California. The company will produce 100 3D printed Rutherford engines this year to support a monthly launch cadence by the end of 2018.

About Spire Global:

Spire is a data and analytics company that collects data for Earth from space, to help business and governments address previously insurmountable problems affecting everyone on the planet. Its constantly improving constellation of LEO satellites uses listening sensors to listen to the planet in real-time, gaining access to rich and untapped data sources totally off-limits to camera-based technology and inaccessible from the ground. To learn more, visit www.spire.com

About Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems:

For more about Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, visit www.tyvak.com
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline sanman

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Quote
Rocket Lab can achieve an unprecedented launch frequency thanks to a vertically integrated vehicle manufacturing process that enables Rocket Lab to roll an Electron vehicle off the production line every week. To meet a burgeoning 2018/19 launch manifest, Rocket Lab has rapidly scaled production of the Electron launch vehicle across its three-acre headquarters and production facility in Huntington Beach, California. The company will produce 100 3D printed Rutherford engines this year to support a monthly launch cadence by the end of 2018.


Gee, so can Rocket Lab catch up to the big boys like this? Do they have plans for bigger and better engines and launch vehicles down the road? Will that mainly be dependent upon the pace of evolution of Electron Beam Melting technology?

(I'm assuming that any evolutionary roadmap will be kept under wraps, and that at least in public they'll refrain from talking about anything beyond smallsat launches.

Offline orulz

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Rocket Lab, in their short history, has quite a track record for innovation (Electric pumps, thixotropic monopropellants), pushing the envelope (First to orbit with an all-carbon fiber rocket), and keeping things under wraps (Humanity Star and the Curie Engine/kick stage). They have already filed for a trademark for another type of engine called the "Einstein."  I'm completely certain that they have a "next step" planned which just hasn't been made public yet. And their success with Electron shows that they have the capability to pull it off.

Blue Origin has a well-publicized motto of "Gradually Ferocious".
SpaceX's should be "Mars or Bust!"
Rocket Lab's could be "Speak softly, and carry a big stick."

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Vehicle checks almost complete, Team is really getting good at this now!

https://twitter.com/peter_j_beck/status/981614120301719553

Offline harry2680

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Tweet with a nice photo:
Quote
Its Business Time on the pad. Wet dress in the coming days.

Offline bad_astra

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As a Flight of the Conchords Fan, I never thought I'd see something named after them sent into space.
"Two minutes in heaven is better than one minute in heaven" -FOTC "It's Business Time"
"Contact Light" -Buzz Aldrin

Offline QuantumG

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As a Flight of the Conchords Fan, I never thought I'd see something named after them sent into space.
"Two minutes in heaven is better than one minute in heaven" -FOTC "It's Business Time"

It's amazing how many people don't get the reference... even when you link them to the video.
Human spaceflight is basically just LARPing now.

Offline wardy89

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Apparently Rocket Labs had some issues today while fuelling the rocket for wet dress rehearsal.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12033191

Offline CameronD

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Apparently Rocket Labs had some issues today while fuelling the rocket for wet dress rehearsal.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12033191

Must have been a little more than "minor" to warrant calling the Fire Service to a site as remote as that.

Fuel spill perhaps?
With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine - however, this is not necessarily a good idea. It is hard to be sure where they are
going to land, and it could be dangerous sitting under them as they fly overhead.

Offline Phil Stooke

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I got the impression they were on site anyway, just in case.


 

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