Author Topic: Countdown to new smallsat launchers (Read 419752 times)

savuporo · « **Reply #60 on:** 11/30/2015 06:10 pm »

Updated table with ALASA cancelled, RocketLabs delayed.

Rik ISS-fan · « **Reply #61 on:** 12/09/2015 12:41 pm »

One update and a new one from the European side of the pond.
First the update:
PLD Space updated their website and plan. The sounding rocket (Arion1) has become a single stage with a first planned launch in 2018. The orbital rocket has increased in size and capability, it's first launch in planned for 2021.

Than the new one: Horizon Space Technologies Ltd. with it's Black Arrow 2. A two stage LOxLCH4(methane) launch system capable of launching 500kg to 200km LEO; 200kg 600km SSO. The first stage will be powered by a 360kN; 81k.lbf gas-generator (turbopump) engine, the upper-stage will be powered by a 45kN;(10k.lbf) pressure fed engine. First launch is planned for around 2018.
Seradata also reported about Black Arrow 2

I also found a presentation about Nammo NorthStar, given by Kolbjorn Blix Dahle at 4S symposium 2014.
Form the presentation I figured they are about a year behind schedule, with the first Nucleus launch planned for 2016 instead of 2015. The 24th slide I found most interesting, they had a intermediate plan of launching a Aurora (4-core) or Nucleus with a Corona on top op a IAE S-50 VLM stage. This could be launched form ~2017, now more likely 2018. The Borealis Aurora Corona (1th,2th,3th) in Norway referred by Corona Aurora Borealis or NorthStar LV (NSLV) was planed to be launched form ~2020.
edit: the proceedings can be downloaded here. The presentation can be found in:
1.Programme_1.4S Symposium_Presentations_2.Tuesday_16_40 Dahle.

TrevorMonty · « **Reply #62 on:** 12/09/2015 01:51 pm »

Great post Rik.

First I've heard of Arrow 2, another LV to follow. Looks like it will be going head to head with Firefly on performance and price. Just like Firefly long term plan is reusability.

savuporo · « **Reply #63 on:** 12/09/2015 02:54 pm »

Geat post indeed, first i heard about the Horizon SAS. It is not however, the first time i heard the name of Ross Tierney, because DIRECT

kraisee · « **Reply #64 on:** 12/09/2015 03:41 pm »

And there's us, trying to stay under the radar until we announced the BLACK ARROW 2 project in the New Year! LOL

Ross.

Kryten · « **Reply #65 on:** 12/11/2015 07:35 am »

Another new private small launcher company, this time in China.

dror · « **Reply #66 on:** 12/11/2015 07:08 pm »

Congrats on Arrow 2 and good luck! Note this week Arrow 3 was launched:

savuporo · « **Reply #67 on:** 12/11/2015 09:40 pm »

Quote from: Kryten on 12/11/2015 07:35 am

Another new private small launcher company, this time in China.

Is there a report or news piece somewhere whats this about ? Just a website, so far

rocx · « **Reply #68 on:** 12/11/2015 10:25 pm »

With this sudden wave of new launchers, it seems as if Earth is headed for a Krypton-style catastrophe and some groups know about it and rush into getting away...

savuporo · « **Reply #69 on:** 12/11/2015 10:43 pm »

Quote from: rocx on 12/11/2015 10:25 pm

With this sudden wave of new launchers, it seems as if Earth is headed for a Krypton-style catastrophe and some groups know about it and rush into getting away...

Definitely. This should have been a hint : clearly an optimized two-stage chlorine trifluoride booster

Lars-J · « **Reply #70 on:** 12/11/2015 11:05 pm »

Quote from: rocx on 12/11/2015 10:25 pm

With this sudden wave of new launchers, it seems as if Earth is headed for a Krypton-style catastrophe and some groups know about it and rush into getting away...

If so they need to step up their game. Very few of these smallsat launchers actually succeed.

Rik ISS-fan · « **Reply #71 on:** 12/12/2015 01:23 pm »

I looked at the first post ad noticed the iae/dlr VLM is discribed as the outdated version from befor 2012. The old version used the S43;S40; S44 and S33 solid rocket stages, the first two have metal cases and the last two are (carbon?) composit casings. In 2012 a new version new was proposed, the VLM Nova. The VLM-Nova uses two carbon-composit S50 stages with 12mT of propallent, and the S44 as third stage. This third stage would later be replaced by a liquid upper-stage with 5kN trust. It would have the capability of launching 150kg to leo, the first payload will be the shefix III experiment from DLR (Germany).
DLR (MoRaBa) also has plans to use the S50 as sounding rocket (called VS-X also with optionally a S44 s upperstage). The mosed used sounding rocket in europe is currently the VSB-30 (S31+S30 metal solids), MaRaBa imports these stages from Brazil.
Next to the VLM, IAE (Brazil) has developed the VLS rocket. Unfortunately a VLS exploded during launch preparations, killing 21 engineers, back in ~2003. The rocket has not jet launched after this failure. Last november a VS-40 (S40+S44) sounding rocket should have launched the SARA reentry vehicle from brazil, but the S40 stage exploded just after ignition, luckily no body got injured. But another setback for the VLS.
The VLS is formed by four S43 boosters, a center S43, a S40 and a S44 stage, it is capable to launch 250kg to 700km leo. Two other versions have been proposed, the VLS Alpha where the S40 and S44 are replaced by a liquid stage with 75kN trust, capable to launch 500kg to leo. And the VLS Beta composed of a P50 solid stage (avio contributes to this stage) a Z23 (zefiro) or L300 (4x75kN) second stage and the L75 as third stage. The beta is capable of 800kg to 800km leo. Time will tell if any of these rockets will become oparational.

kato · « **Reply #72 on:** 12/12/2015 05:01 pm »

Quote from: Rik ISS-fan on 12/12/2015 01:23 pm

It would have the capability of launching 150kg to leo, the first payload will be the shefix III experiment from DLR (Germany).

Second payload. The first VLM test flight has been postponed to November 2018 (see here), and S50 won't be qualified before 2017. SHEFEX III will launch (suborbital) on the second VLM flight sometime after that.

savuporo · « **Reply #73 on:** 12/12/2015 05:10 pm »

Quote from: kato on 12/12/2015 05:01 pm

Quote from: Rik ISS-fan on 12/12/2015 01:23 pm
It would have the capability of launching 150kg to leo, the first payload will be the shefix III experiment from DLR (Germany).
Second payload. The first VLM test flight has been postponed to November 2018 (see here), and S50 won't be qualified before 2017. SHEFEX III will launch (suborbital) on the second VLM flight sometime after that.

So when is the very actual currently planned first test launch of any of these configurations ? Sometime in 2017 ? I went through the thread here and could not figure it out : http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=25591.60

john smith 19 · « **Reply #74 on:** 12/12/2015 05:31 pm »

As usual with these concepts it comes down to this.

It is thought smallsats would like a)An LV that launches on their schedule and to their orbit, rather than that of a primary customer and b) There is a big enough market to support both the development budget for the vehicle and it's mfg facilities and its range

Obviously the more of these that can be done by existing facilities the better

I'll note 2 things.

The last one of these that has had any sort of success was the Orbital Pegasus.

It was all solid and had DARPA as an anchor customer.

Time will tell which, if any of these launch.

I wish them all luck but doubt many will get to first launch.

Steven Pietrobon · « **Reply #75 on:** 12/15/2015 12:35 am »

Aviation Week article on Small Launchers

http://aviationweek.com/space/will-new-small-launch-vehicles-expand-smallsat-market

Here are the launch years given for a variety of vehicles:

RocketLab Electron: 2016
Virgin Galactic LauncherOne: 2017
CubeCab Cab-3A: 2018
Generation Orbit GO-1 (suborbital): 2017
Generation Orbit GO-2 (orbital): ?
UP Aerospace Spyder: Mid 2018

Kryten · « **Reply #76 on:** 12/15/2015 11:50 am »

Another company, this time in Britain. Aim to produce VTVL reusable peroxide/kerosene sounding rocket called Devon 1, then add an upper stage to produce the Devon 2 small orbital vehicle. Devon 2 is currently to have a 4kg payload and fly before the end of 2017. They're currently working on an expendable Devon 0 demonstrator, with a single 1kn engine; Devon 1 is to use five of the same engine.

savuporo · « **Reply #77 on:** 12/15/2015 07:29 pm »

Quote from: Kryten on 12/15/2015 11:50 am

Another company, this time in Britain. Aim to produce VTVL reusable peroxide/kerosene sounding rocket called Devon 1, then add an upper stage to produce the Devon 2 small orbital vehicle. Devon 2 is currently to have a 4kg payload and fly before the end of 2017. They're currently working on an expendable Devon 0 demonstrator, with a single 1kn engine; Devon 1 is to use five of the same engine.

Has been in the table here for a while

Thanks for the avweek article, will ad UP Aerospace. Pretty credible as they are flying sounding rockets all the time, but rail launched four stage solid doesnt sound too exciting.

TrevorMonty · « **Reply #78 on:** 12/15/2015 08:51 pm »

Quote from: Kryten on 12/15/2015 11:50 am

Another company, this time in Britain. Aim to produce VTVL reusable peroxide/kerosene sounding rocket called Devon 1, then add an upper stage to produce the Devon 2 small orbital vehicle. Devon 2 is currently to have a 4kg payload and fly before the end of 2017. They're currently working on an expendable Devon 0 demonstrator, with a single 1kn engine; Devon 1 is to use five of the same engine.

Good update Kryten. Another small or should that be Micro LV to follow. They even plan to make booster reusable.

Not to sure about their promo photos, a few electronic boards connected by bread board is not very inspiring.

QuantumG · « **Reply #79 on:** 12/15/2015 09:54 pm »

Another thing that tends to happen in boom-bust cycles is that the assets of the failed companies get bought up. For example, SpaceX does their testing in McGregor, Texas primarily because it was a former Beal Aerospace rocket testing site. So, even the inevitable failures of some of these startups could make for interesting happenings.