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#500
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 15 Jun, 2016 06:38
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#501
by
baldusi
on 15 Jun, 2016 12:55
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Argentina is developing their own, but for initial testing we are sourcing RG-1 from Russia. I understand that India has also developed their own RG-1 version.
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#502
by
A_M_Swallow
on 17 Jun, 2016 03:54
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How about RocketLab joining the fashion of using methane?
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#503
by
jamesh9000
on 17 Jun, 2016 04:22
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CameronD, could you perhaps give a few more details of how far along things are? I ask because I've been following this pretty closely, (I'm a Kiwi, so I'm REALLY hoping this one succeeds), and news has been rather scarce. Peter Beck said a few months ago that the launch site would be finished by May, but I haven't heard anything since, (not surprising if they're not quite on schedule, new projects almost never are), although one news report said the launch site is finished, and they're now in a "commissioning" phase, whatever that means.
If you don't know anything else, that's fine, it just seems you know a bit more than the press does right now, and I'm impatient
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#504
by
CameronD
on 17 Jun, 2016 08:45
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CameronD, could you perhaps give a few more details of how far along things are? I ask because I've been following this pretty closely, (I'm a Kiwi, so I'm REALLY hoping this one succeeds), and news has been rather scarce. Peter Beck said a few months ago that the launch site would be finished by May, but I haven't heard anything since, (not surprising if they're not quite on schedule, new projects almost never are), although one news report said the launch site is finished, and they're now in a "commissioning" phase, whatever that means.
If you don't know anything else, that's fine, it just seems you know a bit more than the press does right now, and I'm impatient
Well.. I'm sure it's safe to say that ordinary folks on both sides of the Tasman are, like yourself, wishing them all the very best in their endeavours and hoping they succeed.
..but I've probably said too much already.
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#505
by
jamesh9000
on 08 Jul, 2016 22:26
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#506
by
CameronD
on 11 Jul, 2016 01:56
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It's pretty quiet around here right now, so here's a couple of small update I could find. Normally I probably wouldn't go to the effort of posting this, but hey its something right now
First up, here's a newer picture of the launch site and the progress they're making. It's still a month old, so they'll be further along than this, AND its only a small part of the picture, but hey it's something:
https://www.facebook.com/MahiaBoatingFishingClub/photos/a.371577199580860.84227.310142042391043/1070362969702276/?type=3&theater
All interesting info. It would have been nice to listen in at that meeting on June 18.. Does anyone here happen know anyone who was there?
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#507
by
Lar
on 11 Jul, 2016 02:28
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Well.. I'm sure it's safe to say that ordinary folks on both sides of the Tasman are, like yourself, wishing them all the very best in their endeavours and hoping they succeed.
Not just "on both sides of the Tasman" but world wide (well I guess technically everywhere is on one side of it or the other???)
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#508
by
LtWigglesworth
on 11 Jul, 2016 05:51
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#509
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 11 Jul, 2016 06:59
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Here are those images for posterity.
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#510
by
Mike Jones
on 12 Jul, 2016 19:35
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3 dedicated Electron launches for Planet Doves cubesats announced by Rocketlab today. Starting in 2017
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#511
by
Arcas
on 12 Jul, 2016 19:44
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Here are those images for posterity.
Rocking the vertical striped pantsuit
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#512
by
Kryten
on 12 Jul, 2016 19:52
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3 dedicated Electron launches for Planet Doves cubesats announced by Rocketlab today. Starting in 2017
Here's the release from RocketLab;
https://rocketlabusa.com/rocket-lab-and-planet-sign-launch-services-agreement/Planet and Rocket Lab have signed a Launch Services Agreement for at least three dedicated launches on Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle.
The agreement will see Electron used to expand and replenish Planet’s existing on-orbit fleet of Dove satellites. Planet will utilize the full capacity of Electron for each of the launches, which are scheduled to begin in 2017.
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#513
by
Mike Jones
on 12 Jul, 2016 20:00
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Large manifest secured by RL before their Maiden flight:
1 launch for NASA VCLS
3 for MoonExpress + 2 options
12 for Spire
3 for Planet
They are clearly the leading emerging microlauncher players
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#514
by
TrevorMonty
on 12 Jul, 2016 20:53
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#515
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 12 Jul, 2016 23:15
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Large manifest secured by RL before their Maiden flight:
1 launch for NASA VCLS
3 for MoonExpress + 2 options
12 for Spire
3 for Planet
They are clearly the leading emerging microlauncher players
Not to de-ride them, but the Planet Labs contract is the 1st one that I have a more secure feeling - the NASA one was given to everyone who have some sort of chance to fly, the MoonExpress one is (by its nature) quite volatile and Spire hasn't flown anything to space yet. Their list of customers was one of the things that I have big reservations (they once said that they have dozens of flights booked but declined to name them, and few has shown up in public either), and it's good to see this contract coming up.
I'm still skeptical that they can fly in 2016 though - perhaps next year will be their show time.
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#516
by
gongora
on 12 Jul, 2016 23:24
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Spire hasn't flown anything to space yet.
Spire has launched Lemurs several times now and supposedly has more going on the oft-delayed Sherpa.
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#517
by
CameronD
on 12 Jul, 2016 23:26
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Large manifest secured by RL before their Maiden flight:
1 launch for NASA VCLS
3 for MoonExpress + 2 options
12 for Spire
3 for Planet
They are clearly the leading emerging microlauncher players
Spire has also signed a contract for launching some of its satellites on Electron launches, although those will be manifested as secondary payloads.
What worries me about all this publicity is that RL have all these customers signed up but have yet to demonstrate even a single test flight of the rocket: could they end up a satellite-payload version of XCOR?
What if the first flight is a failure? The second? Third?? There are a zillion things that could go wrong. Do their customers all then run off to other providers with demonstrated runs on the board?? I do remember it took SpaceX three goes to get single successful launch and, although I hope they do, I'm not convinced people will put the same (or more) faith in the guys at Rocketlab.
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#518
by
Galactic Penguin SST
on 12 Jul, 2016 23:34
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Spire hasn't flown anything to space yet.
Spire has launched Lemurs several times now and supposedly has more going on the oft-delayed Sherpa.
Whoops you are correct - I only remembered the company's previous name. That puts them at 14 cubesats launched on 3 different rides starting from 2014.
What worries me about all this publicity is that RL have all these customers signed up but have yet to demonstrate even a single test flight of the rocket: could they end up a satellite-payload version of XCOR?
What if the first flight is a failure? The second? Third?? There are a zillion things that could go wrong. Do their customers all then run off to other providers with demonstrated runs on the board?? I do remember it took SpaceX three goes to get single successful launch and, although I hope they do, I'm not convinced people will put the same (or more) faith in the guys at Rocketlab.
Agreed, although they probably don't have a customer like DARPA did to SpaceX at that time. Perhaps the NASA one will be the first "operational" flight?
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#519
by
CameronD
on 13 Jul, 2016 01:54
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Agreed, although they probably don't have a customer like DARPA did to SpaceX at that time. Perhaps the NASA one will be the first "operational" flight?
No idea.. but I wouldn't think so. Losing some poor school's Cube-sat is one thing, but if their maiden VCLS launch failed or (maybe worse?) the payload wound up in the wrong orbit, it'd be all over the newsfeeds on both sides of the Pacific. They'd probly never win a launch for NASA again out of sheer embarrassment.
