Will Starchaser Industries launch their NOVA 4 rocketbooster this November?

[DiggyCoxwell]

   
I couldn't find any news update on the Starchaser Industries website,
but months ago I got hold of a monthly magazine issue of SPACEFLIGHT from BIS
which claims that Starchaser Industries intended to launch their full-size NOVA 4 rocket with capsule and escape tower from an isolated bay in England this November to basically test the escape-tower during full-power ascent of the
main booster.
Anyone know if it's going ahead this November?

[MKremer]

Unless they have some secret agreement with the UK gov't that surprisingly hasn't leaked yet, there would already be published reports about a space launch anywhere in the British Isles. That's mainly if they are doing secret flights the gov't won't allow them to publicize.

Otherwise, and more importantly, if this is a commercial concern, and they do have complete launch approval, they're total idiots if they haven't already publicized it as much as possible all over the place for the past several months.

I would bet that if you haven't heard or read anything already, nothing is happening.

[Ben the Space Brit]

Since 9/11 all actual Starchaser launches have been kept secret until the day of the launch.  I think that it is supposed to be some kind of security issue.  After all, the Starchaser-series boosters, especially the current Starchaser-4/NOVA could be modified to be a crude short-range ballistic missile; no one wants it known too much in advance where it will be when it is in a flyable condition.

Paranoid? Misdirected fear? Such is the national security midset of the UK.

[simonbp]

After all, the Starchaser-series boosters, especially the current Starchaser-4/NOVA could be modified to be a crude short-range ballistic missile

Ironically, it would be a better IRBM than the UK MoD ever developed (in that it's a responsive solid).

[DiggyCoxwell]

Since 9/11 all actual Starchaser launches have been kept secret until the day of the launch.  I think that it is supposed to be some kind of security issue.  After all, the Starchaser-series boosters, especially the current Starchaser-4/NOVA could be modified to be a crude short-range ballistic missile; no one wants it known too much in advance where it will be when it is in a flyable condition.

Paranoid? Misdirected fear? Such is the national security midset of the UK.

But they told British school-children last year that they would launch this November.
That's not being very forthright with potential investors if they
inform children but refuse to keep potential investors and volunteers
up-to-date.
I'm a potential investor and would be, if the company were a little more open about their planned launch manifest, and rocket and spacecraft 
development.
 Admittedly, Starchaser Industries is not fraudulent or deluded in its claims and plans as the X-Prize Da Vinci Project was, or the Encounter2001 project group as well...but a little more openness would help.

[Danderman]

I am unaware of Starchaser ever launching anything bigger than a model rocket.

[Ben the Space Brit]

I am unaware of Starchaser ever launching anything bigger than a model rocket.

You'd be almost right. 

However, their latest machine, the Starchaser-4 is about the size of the A4/V2.  It is, in fact, large enough that its payload, an instrument capsule called NOVA, can theoretically carry a single person if they had an extremely high tolerance for g-forces and a low regard for their own safety.  To my knowledge, there are two Starchaser-4s at this time; one has flown and the other has not.

A crewed version of the NOVA exists but I suspect is not yet legally flyable.  They are also working on a hybrid LAS engine and a liquid bipropellent engine, the Churchill.

Ultimately, Starchaser-4/NOVA is to be scaled up to the Starchaser-5/Thunderbird, which is a suborbital rocket originally designed for the X-Prize competition.

[Danderman]

You will note that I used the word "launch" in my post. I am aware of the many large mockups that Starchaser has exhibited over the years, but have seen no evidence of any launches of the larger vehicles.

[Ben the Space Brit]

You will note that I used the word "launch" in my post. I am aware of the many large mockups that Starchaser has exhibited over the years, but have seen no evidence of any launches of the larger vehicles.

The Starchaser-4 v1 flew about three or four years ago.

[Danderman]

You will note that I used the word "launch" in my post. I am aware of the many large mockups that Starchaser has exhibited over the years, but have seen no evidence of any launches of the larger vehicles.

The Starchaser-4 v1 flew about three or four years ago.

My understanding is that the Starchaser-4 that was launched was essentially a large model rocket equipped with 20 solid motors that flew to 5000 feet. Similar sized model rockets have been launched from the US, as well.

[ukrocketman]

You will note that I used the word "launch" in my post. I am aware of the many large mockups that Starchaser has exhibited over the years, but have seen no evidence of any launches of the larger vehicles.

The Starchaser-4 v1 flew about three or four years ago.

My understanding is that the Starchaser-4 that was launched was essentially a large model rocket equipped with 20 solid motors that flew to 5000 feet. Similar sized model rockets have been launched from the US, as well.

My understanding is, you are correct :-)

Similar sized model rockets have been launched from the UK too. Namely the Rocketmen's Top Gear Shuttle, and their Iris rocket.

[ukrocketman]

After all, the Starchaser-series boosters, especially the current Starchaser-4/NOVA could be modified to be a crude short-range ballistic missile

Ironically, it would be a better IRBM than the UK MoD ever developed (in that it's a responsive solid).

Actually not. It was, to the best of my knowledge, based on motors which I would hazard a guess were considerably less total impulse than say the English Electric Blue Water IRBM developed in the UK, but cancelled in 1962. I think the Blue Water used the Saluki solid rocket motor, which was test fired from the Aberporth firing range in West Wales.

There were also numerous professional solid rocket motors developed in the UK with considerably more total impulse, which could have fulfilled that role very well. They were test fired from Aberporth in West Wales, and Benbecula on South Uist in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, for decades.

[DiggyCoxwell]

   I'll personally contact Starchaser Industries
by long-distance telephone or fax.
I'll let you know the outcome and latest info.
       
   Mind you, one-third of November is already over and nothing
on the net.
   

[JJ..]

Here's a link to a quick video of a Nova launch,



I do remember when Steve Bennet said he would be sitting at the top of the next one ;-)


JJ..

[Downix]

From inside the capsule:
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8Yd5RyAT3Dk&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8Yd5RyAT3Dk&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

[DiggyCoxwell]

Here's a link to a quick video of a Nova launch,



I do remember when Steve Bennet said he would be sitting at the top of the next one ;-)


JJ..

Great video, thanks.
It offers some encouragement.

[savuporo]

Thats a huge Estes cluster ..

[Danderman]

Here's a link to a quick video of a Nova launch,

I do remember when Steve Bennet said he would be sitting at the top of the next one ;-)

Very similar to large model rocket launches. In particular, the body of the vehicle is effectively empty, except for the small engines at the bottom.
Very impressive for someone who doesn't know much about model rockets.

[Danderman]

Thats a huge Estes cluster ..

Not really Estes motors, as you may know, there are companies selling much larger motors, I have seen launches of large rockets using "M" class motors, and its a very impressive sight (this one flies a Q motor):

[edkyle99]

Thats a huge Estes cluster ..

That's no model rocket, and those aren't black powder hobby motors!

Starchaser's web site describes this as having 221 kNs total impulse, which well beyond the normal range of hobby motor classification.  It would be beyond "Q", into the "R" range.  Or, if we must think about it this way, it would be roughly the equivalent of 11,000 Estes "D" motors (though not all fired at once)!  This might be considered in the high power amateur rocket arena, but it appears that this team has more money to play with than most "amateurs".  The fact that this rocket was successfully launched *and* recovered shows a much better than average "amateur" effort.

The web page says the this rocket was a prototype to test systems that are planned to be used with a liquid engine powered rocket. 

 - Ed Kyle