Generation Orbit awarded NASA contract for launch of GOLauncher-2 for dedicated CubeSat launch
Generation Orbit Launch Services, Inc. has been selected to launch a group of three 3U CubeSats to a 425 km orbit under NASA’s Enabling eXploration and Technology (NEXT) contract. The flight is scheduled to take place in 2016.
http://www.generationorbit.com/blog/category/news/
Their video is good.
I hadn't even heard about them until now.
They have a nifty air launch system. Does anybody know what jet they're using?
Unfortunately the website does not give any details on the launcher.
Generation Orbit Launch Services, Inc. (GO) has been selected to launch a group of three 3U CubeSats to a 425 km orbit under NASA’s Enabling eXploration and Technology (NEXT) contract. Under this competitively awarded, $2.1M commercial procurement, NASA will become the inaugural customer for the company’s new GOLauncher 2 vehicle, currently in development.
Double price compared to
piggybacking existing service.
Unfortunately the website does not give any details on the launcher.
two-stage hybrid airlaunched from business-jet, that's about it.
Motors from
Space Propulsion Group inc.
Double price compared to piggybacking existing service.
But, do you get to chose your orbit, and not have to wait for a payload headed to a similar orbit? May be twice the price, but the promise is you will fly sooner to the orbit you desire.
When you factor in the administrative overhead and integration headaches, it might come out cheaper.
...Sounds like this will be the first hybrid satellite launch.
But, do you get to chose your orbit, and not have to wait for a payload headed to a similar orbit? May be twice the price, but the promise is you will fly sooner to the orbit you desire.
No you don't but there's plenty of opportunities between now and 2016 to actually get delivered to some (ISS most likely for 425km) orbit instead of waiting to see if promises get fulfilled. Pretty CGI newspace promise fulfillment rate has been a bit ... uh ... wanting.
AJ Piplica, the CEO of Generation Orbit, is a friend of mine. I'll be seeing him later this month at the NewSpace Business Plan Competition. Anyone want me to see if I can grab an interview?
~Jon
Generation Orbit Launch Services, Inc. (GO) has been selected to launch a group of three 3U CubeSats to a 425 km orbit under NASA’s Enabling eXploration and Technology (NEXT) contract. Under this competitively awarded, $2.1M commercial procurement, NASA will become the inaugural customer for the company’s new GOLauncher 2 vehicle, currently in development.
Double price compared to piggybacking existing service.
As someone whose company had been planning on bidding was telling me yesterday, the solicitation had a caveat of some sort that NASA could cancel the contract at any time, and require the contract winner to pay back half of what they had made on the contract to-date. Which means that the $2.1M for three 3U cubesats price was likely pricing in a lot of other uncertainty, and would not likely be their final list price.
The more interesting question is how much additional money they're going to need to raise to make it to a flight product, and if they can actually raise the money on the schedule needed to meet their development schedule. 2016 isn't too far out, and if they still need to raise a lot of money, they've got their work set out for them.
~Jon
But, do you get to chose your orbit, and not have to wait for a payload headed to a similar orbit? May be twice the price, but the promise is you will fly sooner to the orbit you desire.
No you don't but there's plenty of opportunities between now and 2016 to actually get delivered to some (ISS most likely for 425km) orbit instead of waiting to see if promises get fulfilled. Pretty CGI newspace promise fulfillment rate has been a bit ... uh ... wanting.
This industry is a tough nut to crack, but there really are a lot of drawbacks to secondary payloads. You rarely get to have any sort of propulsion on-board, you may actually need a specific orbit (most nanosats are starting to actually achieve specific missions not just fly and give students some experience building a nano-sputnik), you don't control the time, often you can get bumped if the primary gets jittery, etc. Having a service like this will be a very good thing if they can deliver.
Now, in the meantime, there are other solutions, but pooh-poohing new solutions like that isn't helpful.
~Jon
AJ Piplica, the CEO of Generation Orbit, is a friend of mine. I'll be seeing him later this month at the NewSpace Business Plan Competition. Anyone want me to see if I can grab an interview?
That would be great if you could get some more information, technical details / where they are now / funding (biggie, as you said).
And don't get me wrong, I'll jump up and down for joy if the small guy gets affordable dedicated LV. But so many efforts have fizzled so not going to jump yet.
Advertising "On time" before they have had 2 successful launches is just asking for trouble.
"I'm sure there's room next to old Clarence and his kick stage".
If anybody thinks they can do better as a secondary they're welcome to take that option.
An interview would be awesome Jon.
We want to know everything.
The plane, the launcher, who, where, when. Thanks
Bunch of info here, as well as rest of website:
http://www.generationorbit.com/publications/go_charts_nsrc2013.pdf For the suborbital version (2x payload of LEO version)
GO1 Rocket Vehicle:
LOX-Paraffin Hybrid
Length: 19.9 ft
Diameter: 17.4 inches
Weight: 1,300 lbm
Carrier Aircraft Platform: Gulfstream G-III
Agree an interview would be great.
