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#620
by
Davidthefat
on 24 Sep, 2016 16:19
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#621
by
TrevorMonty
on 24 Sep, 2016 18:09
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I do wonder how they are going get on launching over December January holiday period. Mahia is popular holiday destination with lot of boaties and fishermen. Keeping downrange clear of boats maybe a mission especially as lot of boats won't have radios turned on if they have one.
Picking a windy day would be their best bet. Anything over 20knots should keep most boats off the water.
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#622
by
NaN
on 24 Sep, 2016 21:49
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I do wonder how they are going get on launching over December January holiday period. Mahia is popular holiday destination with lot of boaties and fishermen. Keeping downrange clear of boats maybe a mission especially as lot of boats won't have radios turned on if they have one.
Picking a windy day would be their best bet. Anything over 20knots should keep most boats off the water.
That is the first time I've ever heard that in the context of a rocket launch!
Range safety won't even be practiced in how to track and deter boats. Whether they keep that time-frame or not, multiple delays for this and other reasons will not be surprising.
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#623
by
ringsider
on 25 Sep, 2016 19:56
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I think what this means is that they are energy density limited by this solution. Unless battery tech improves to increase the density from the same number (ie., mass) of batteries, they can't energize larger pumps to feed fuel to much larger engines without a quite serious mass penalty. This probably means they need to move to old school turbopumps if the vehicle is to evolve.
That's been the consistent opinion -- electric pumps only work out for small engines because it's difficult and expensive to design really small gas turbines for conventional turbopumps. It might not be any more difficult or expensive than designing a large turbine, but if the cost doesn't scale down with engine size it becomes a problem. Even in this application the batteries are on the edge of being worth it -- weight of the PT6A turboshaft engine is given as 122kg and there is a version of that which has output over 1MW. Of course you need a generator too. If it only needs to run 3 minutes, SFC is given as 0.408 kg/kW*hr which amounts to about 20kg of fuel. It would need to be made to work on RP-1+GOX. Of course it's likely batteries are at least one order of magnitude cheaper than this, possibly two (comparing using a PT6+generator vs a big pile of batteries).
On this topic, why would they hire a guy with a turbomachinery background into Propulsion? Is something changing?
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#624
by
Robotbeat
on 25 Sep, 2016 20:13
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A turbine pump is still turbomachinery even if it's electrically driven.
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#625
by
baldusi
on 25 Sep, 2016 20:38
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A turbine pump is still turbomachinery even if it's electrically driven.
This is something I find sort of inconsistent. Are axial and centrifugal pumps considered turbomachinery?
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#626
by
Davidthefat
on 25 Sep, 2016 22:40
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A turbine pump is still turbomachinery even if it's electrically driven.
This is something I find sort of inconsistent. Are axial and centrifugal pumps considered turbomachinery?
Anything that transfers energy between a rotor and a fluid. Pumps transfer energy from a rotor to the fluid. While turbines do the opposite.
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#627
by
Robotbeat
on 26 Sep, 2016 00:51
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A turbine pump is still turbomachinery even if it's electrically driven.
This is something I find sort of inconsistent. Are axial and centrifugal pumps considered turbomachinery?
How is it inconsistent?
To reiterate the person above me, the standard understanding of "turbomachinery" includes both turbines AND pumps:
"Turbomachinery, in mechanical engineering, describes machines that transfer energy between a rotor and a fluid, including both turbines and compressors."
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#628
by
CameronD
on 26 Sep, 2016 03:01
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A turbine pump is still turbomachinery even if it's electrically driven.
This is something I find sort of inconsistent. Are axial and centrifugal pumps considered turbomachinery?
How is it inconsistent?
To reiterate the person above me, the standard understanding of "turbomachinery" includes both turbines AND pumps:
"Turbomachinery, in mechanical engineering, describes machines that transfer energy between a rotor and a fluid, including both turbines and compressors."
Besides, "turbomachinery" sounds so much cooler on a CV than "pump"...
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#629
by
Kryten
on 27 Sep, 2016 09:06
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https://rocketlabusa.com/rocket-lab-launch-complex-1-ready-for-launches/Rocket Lab is pleased to announce the completion of the world’s first private orbital launch complex, Launch Complex 1.
Located on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula, Launch Complex 1 is set to enable the highest frequency of space launches in history. The facility will be the primary site for launches of Rocket Lab’s Electron vehicle, designed to lift a 150 kg payload to a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit.
New Zealand’s remote island location and low volume of marine and air traffic create ideal conditions for frequent launch opportunities. In addition, launches from the site can access a uniquely wide range of orbital inclinations – from 39 degrees through sun-synchronous.
Facilities at Launch Complex 1 include a vehicle processing hangar where the vehicle will be prepared for launch as well as a 50 tonne launch platform. The platform will tilt forward to lift the rocket to a vertical position prior to launch.
Satellites launched from the complex will be used to provide services including optimized crop monitoring, improved weather reporting, internet from space, natural disaster prediction, up-to-date maritime data and search and rescue services.
Rocket Lab has completed major milestones this year with the qualification of the 3D printed Rutherford engine, qualification of the second stage of the Electron rocket and the development of major infrastructure including remote tracking, test facilities and the launch site. The company is currently working through the qualification of the first stage of the Electron rocket and will look to begin the test flight phase once qualification and launch licencing are complete.
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#630
by
MATTBLAK
on 27 Sep, 2016 09:24
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#631
by
Prober
on 01 Oct, 2016 16:31
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#632
by
Dante80
on 02 Oct, 2016 02:39
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That is a stunning place to be. Almost edging Tanegashima for the most beautiful launch site location in the planet..
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#633
by
ringsider
on 02 Oct, 2016 16:32
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#634
by
CameronD
on 02 Oct, 2016 22:14
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#635
by
CameronD
on 02 Oct, 2016 22:14
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Yet another sunny day in the North Island... and it's nice to see nothing, NOTHING, affects Peter's hairdo!
It's also nice to see they're still on track for a test launch by the end of the year.
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#636
by
Lars-J
on 03 Oct, 2016 06:36
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I do wonder how many days of good weather (low winds) per year you can expect at such a scenic location, though.
But I'm impressed by the progress so far.
(And Peter, get a hair cut!)
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#637
by
orulz
on 20 Oct, 2016 15:10
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#638
by
TrevorMonty
on 20 Oct, 2016 16:10
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Looks like a road trip to Mahia before Christmas is called for. Hope it is weekend launch as I'm short on leave.
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#639
by
TrevorMonty
on 26 Oct, 2016 18:00
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