Author Topic: XCOR and the Lynx rocket (Read 620917 times)

MattMason · « **Reply #820 on:** 03/16/2015 04:56 pm »

XCOR has a new CEO.

http://www.astrowatch.net/2015/03/xcor-announces-jay-gibson-as-new-ceo.html

Robotbeat · « **Reply #821 on:** 03/16/2015 11:36 pm »

Jeff Greason was apparently looking for a CEO to replace himself for quite a while. Jeff is going to be chairman, so still will be critical for strategic decisions, but I think he's looking to take on a more technical role.

TrevorMonty · « **Reply #822 on:** 04/13/2015 06:22 pm »

XCOR have a tweet showing picture of a fullsize model of a 25klb engine. My guess is the RL10 replacement which ULA will announce today.

Zond · « **Reply #823 on:** 05/02/2015 05:43 pm »

Quote

Greason, on when Lynx prototype will fly: the wings don’t arrive until fall, and it won’t fly before the wings arrive.

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/594546350588497923
At this rate they'll be lucky if the Lynx flies in 2016.

Lars-J · « **Reply #824 on:** 05/03/2015 12:16 am »

Quote from: Zond on 05/02/2015 05:43 pm

Quote
Greason, on when Lynx prototype will fly: the wings don’t arrive until fall, and it won’t fly before the wings arrive.
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/594546350588497923
At this rate they'll be lucky if the Lynx flies in 2016.

Yikes. Yes, so much for the imminent reveal of the completed Lynx. (This is the impression spread by many people who have connection at XCOR - some on this forum)

docmordrid · « **Reply #825 on:** 05/03/2015 02:05 am »

Quote from: Zond on 05/02/2015 05:43 pm

Quote
Greason, on when Lynx prototype will fly: the wings don’t arrive until fall, and it won’t fly before the wings arrive.
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/594546350588497923
At this rate they'll be lucky if the Lynx flies in 2016.

In this same Q&A Greason stated he prefers horizontally integrated companies to vertical. A strange comment given the apparent long delays getting Lynx's wings.

Moe Grills · « **Reply #826 on:** 05/06/2015 10:03 pm »

Quote from: docmordrid on 05/03/2015 02:05 am

Quote from: Zond on 05/02/2015 05:43 pm
Quote
Greason, on when Lynx prototype will fly: the wings don’t arrive until fall, and it won’t fly before the wings arrive.
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/594546350588497923
At this rate they'll be lucky if the Lynx flies in 2016.

In this same Q&A Greason stated he prefers horizontally integrated companies to vertical. A strange comment given the apparent long delays getting Lynx's wings.

I've read this book before, haven't I? It was about Virgin Galactic and all of their delays and setbacks.
Welcome to the rocket-ship development and testing delay syndrome, Mr. Greason. You have company.
Well, at least Blue Origin has hardware that has flown, and it almost made the Karman Line too.

QuantumG · « **Reply #827 on:** 05/06/2015 11:07 pm »

Quote from: Moe Grills on 05/06/2015 10:03 pm

I've read this book before, haven't I? It was about Virgin Galactic and all of their delays and setbacks.
Welcome to the rocket-ship development and testing delay syndrome, Mr. Greason. You have company.
Well, at least Blue Origin has hardware that has flown, and it almost made the Karman Line too.

It really is worth pointing out at this point that you don't have either. Show some respect for the people who are actually doing.

Paul Adams · « **Reply #828 on:** 05/06/2015 11:22 pm »

Of all the rides that will (hopefully) be available, I will chose Lynx. Not because of the price, but rather sitting in the co-pilots seat. Being weightless and floating around a cabin has its attractions, but getting a 'pilots' view all the way up and back is what interests me.

QuantumG · « **Reply #829 on:** 05/06/2015 11:27 pm »

Quote from: Paul Adams on 05/06/2015 11:22 pm

Of all the rides that will (hopefully) be available, I will chose Lynx. Not because of the price, but rather sitting in the co-pilots seat. Being weightless has it's and floating around a cabin has its attractions, but getting a 'pilots' view all the way up and back is what interests me.

I can't remember if it was at a conference or in a private conversation that I head (so I apologize if it was in a private conversation to whoever it was that told me) but I understand XCOR are not opposed to the possibility of actually training up pilots to fly the Lynx themselves. I don't think any other provider will be offering that possibility any time soon

meekGee · « **Reply #830 on:** 05/07/2015 05:53 am »

Quote from: Moe Grills on 05/06/2015 10:03 pm

Quote from: docmordrid on 05/03/2015 02:05 am
Quote from: Zond on 05/02/2015 05:43 pm
Quote
Greason, on when Lynx prototype will fly: the wings don’t arrive until fall, and it won’t fly before the wings arrive.
https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/594546350588497923
At this rate they'll be lucky if the Lynx flies in 2016.

In this same Q&A Greason stated he prefers horizontally integrated companies to vertical. A strange comment given the apparent long delays getting Lynx's wings.

I've read this book before, haven't I? It was about Virgin Galactic and all of their delays and setbacks.
Welcome to the rocket-ship development and testing delay syndrome, Mr. Greason. You have company.
Well, at least Blue Origin has hardware that has flown, and it almost made the Karman Line too.

In comparison to VG, XCOR has a much better concept for a vehicle and engine, and is working with a much smaller budget.

Between the two, they are by far the more impressive and have my vote.

BO is a different breed altogether. The suborbital business is almost an afterthought - it is a step on the way to full orbital HSF technology. I wouldn't put BO in the same category as XCOR and VG.

Robotbeat · « **Reply #831 on:** 05/07/2015 10:09 pm »

"BO is a different breed altogether. The suborbital business is almost an afterthought - it is a step on the way to full orbital HSF technology. I wouldn't put BO in the same category as XCOR and VG."
I'm not sure I agree. XCOR is more interested in the orbital market than you might think, they bought their current space in Texas keeping in mind that it'd be big enough for the orbital vehicle. They are just as interested in orbital flights, and their engine technology is also being considered for ULA's vehicle just like Blue Origin's is.

I would say it's a spectrum. All 3 are interested in suborbital market and intend to make a significant amount of money in that market, but all 3 want to go full orbital at some point. Virgin is less focused on orbital (except for microlaunch) than the other two, and Blue Origin is arguably closer to full orbital than the other two (certainly through its ULA partnership), but all 3 are definitely shooting for it.

(Interestingly for XCOR, their full orbital system is supposed to be fully reusable from the get-go. I really hope they get more funding.)

meekGee · « **Reply #832 on:** 05/08/2015 12:07 am »

Quote from: Robotbeat on 05/07/2015 10:09 pm

"BO is a different breed altogether. The suborbital business is almost an afterthought - it is a step on the way to full orbital HSF technology. I wouldn't put BO in the same category as XCOR and VG."
I'm not sure I agree. XCOR is more interested in the orbital market than you might think, they bought their current space in Texas keeping in mind that it'd be big enough for the orbital vehicle. They are just as interested in orbital flights, and their engine technology is also being considered for ULA's vehicle just like Blue Origin's is.

I would say it's a spectrum. All 3 are interested in suborbital market and intend to make a significant amount of money in that market, but all 3 want to go full orbital at some point. Virgin is less focused on orbital (except for microlaunch) than the other two, and Blue Origin is arguably closer to full orbital than the other two (certainly through its ULA partnership), but all 3 are definitely shooting for it.

(Interestingly for XCOR, their full orbital system is supposed to be fully reusable from the get-go. I really hope they get more funding.)

VG and XCOR can talk about orbital... But it's either a microsat launcher off of the suborbital platform (and that's not orbital HSF, and is really just a "jobs program" for the suborbital platform), or a brand new vehicle that has nothing to do with the suborbital one.

You don't really think you can scale LYNX or SS2 to carry enough fuel for an orbital launch, right?

BO is aiming to build a bone-fide orbital launch system. The current system is just a stepping stone. It is a rocket and a capsule, and THAT you can scale to orbital technology, especially as we know that they're working on an BE-4.

BO is just slower than SpaceX. XCOR and VG are not even on the same road.

QuantumG · « **Reply #833 on:** 05/08/2015 11:38 am »

XCOR's crewed orbital vehicle is basically Lynx on top of a winged first stage. (The difference being, basically, details.) It's the original ideas for the shuttle, but done right.

Rocket Science · « **Reply #834 on:** 05/08/2015 11:48 am »

Quote from: QuantumG on 05/06/2015 11:27 pm

Quote from: Paul Adams on 05/06/2015 11:22 pm
Of all the rides that will (hopefully) be available, I will chose Lynx. Not because of the price, but rather sitting in the co-pilots seat. Being weightless has it's and floating around a cabin has its attractions, but getting a 'pilots' view all the way up and back is what interests me.

I can't remember if it was at a conference or in a private conversation that I head (so I apologize if it was in a private conversation to whoever it was that told me) but I understand XCOR are not opposed to the possibility of actually training up pilots to fly the Lynx themselves. I don't think any other provider will be offering that possibility any time soon

That would be a great entry in my pilot's log book... Sign me up!

abaddon · « **Reply #835 on:** 05/08/2015 02:10 pm »

Quote from: QuantumG on 05/08/2015 11:38 am

It's the original ideas for the shuttle, but done right.

On paper.

http://tinyurl.com/n34ejpm

Gliderflyer · « **Reply #836 on:** 05/08/2015 04:03 pm »

Lynx construction update: http://xcor.com/press/2015/15-05-08_XCOR_aerospace_announces_strakes_bonded_to_Lynx_mark_I.html

Lars-J · « **Reply #837 on:** 05/08/2015 04:23 pm »

Quote from: Gliderflyer on 05/08/2015 04:03 pm

Lynx construction update: http://xcor.com/press/2015/15-05-08_XCOR_aerospace_announces_strakes_bonded_to_Lynx_mark_I.html

So... not much progress? Those strakes were already on site back in August 2014 (perhaps even earlier). And now, 9 months later, a press release about them being bonded to the fuselage?

First image: Aug 11, 2014

Second image: April 22, 2015

matthewkantar · « **Reply #838 on:** 05/08/2015 04:45 pm »

Quote from: Lars-J on 05/08/2015 04:23 pm

So... not much progress? Those strakes were already on site back in August 2014 (perhaps even earlier). And now, 9 months later, a press release about them being bonded to the fuselage?

Glue takes time to set dude. *smiley*

Matthew

meekGee · « **Reply #839 on:** 05/08/2015 05:38 pm »

Quote from: QuantumG on 05/08/2015 11:38 am

XCOR's crewed orbital vehicle is basically Lynx on top of a winged first stage. (The difference being, basically, details.) It's the original ideas for the shuttle, but done right.

I have a problem with this.

Lynx is a suborbital airplane, and can do 1 km/sec? 2?
... and cannot return from anywhere near orbital velocity,
... and I doubt it can even stay in vacuum for more than a few minutes.

So the winged first stage you describe has to do the bulk of the launch work (6-7 km/sec), and then put Lynx in an environment it cannot survive in.

But a winged stage that does 6-7 km/sec looks like STS - it's all fuel tank. You know how the rocket equation works - you're basically where Shuttle is after the SRBs burn off.

---

So maybe the winged first stage only takes it to 2-3 km/sec, and then a super-lynx does the rest - but then super-lynx becomes the shuttle.

---

Your best bet is building something that's like a mini-dream-chaser, and putting it on top of a rocket - but then there's zero commonality with Lynx.

That's what I mean by "not on the same road". XCOR could build a winged-reentry orbital vehicle, and then an orbital launch system (or go buy one) - but the current Lynx effort doesn't really help them get there.