http://akaerospace.com/news/commercial-rocket-launches-coming-kodiak-islandQuoteAd Astra, a Texas-based aerospace company specializing in advanced plasma rocket propulsion technology, is contracted to launch from PSCA in late January or early February, he said. He said Kodiak may see “robust activity” from the company moving forward.
Ad Astra, a Texas-based aerospace company specializing in advanced plasma rocket propulsion technology, is contracted to launch from PSCA in late January or early February, he said. He said Kodiak may see “robust activity” from the company moving forward.
EDITVentions works under the trade name Astra Space Inc.and won this contract last year:-http://government-contracts.insidegov.com/l/94290253/NND17AP14CDEVELOPMENT AND FLIGHT-TESTING OF A HIGH-PERFORMANCE ELECTRIC-PUMP FED LAUNCH VEHICLEThen thisMON-30 / MMHThen thisHIGH PERFORMANCE ELECTRIC PUMPS FOR ROCKET PROPULSION APPLICATIONS: THE PROJECT IS FOCUSED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CUSTOM PUMP AND ELECTRIC MOTOR CAPABLE OF PRESSURIZING PROPELLANTS FOR AN 8,000-10,000LBF LIQUID BIPROPELLANT ENGINE. AVAILABILITY OF SUCH HIGH-POWER PUMPS WILL NOT ONLY ALLOW FOR LOW PRESSURE STORAGE OF PROPELLANTS IN LIGHT WEIGHT TANKS FOR SMALL-SCALE LAUNCH VEHICLE STAGES, BUT ALSO PROVIDE ELECTRONIC SPEED CONTROL WITH FAST RESPONSE TIMES THAT MAY ENABLE DIFFERENTIAL THROTTLE CONTROL. THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT INCLUDES DESIGN, FABRICATION, ASSEMBLY AND TESTING OF A HIGH-POWER ELECTRIC PUMP CAPABLE OF PRESSURING PROPELLANTS TO APPROXIMATELY 600PSI FOR AN 8,000-10,000LBF THRUST ENGINE. So, somebody wants to take on Rocket Lab...
I thought 5klbs was about limit of electric pumps. 8-10klbs means RL could build engine twice as powerful as Rutherford. Probably already in development.
5Klbs limit is the rough line between reciprocating and turbine pump systems according to past research by Dr. White for LLNL. It is supposed to represent the lower limit for small turbine blade manufacturing, which is fairly difficult when you get that small as you need stupidly smooth surfaces on the blades. How the pump shaft is driven is a different problem, that electric motors solve neatly at small scales.Though is that an assumption based on traditional vaned centrifugal pumps?Dr. White felt a reciprocating system was the next viable choice (sometimes with a separate drive gas), but I never really had a sense of what kind of reciprocating pump. Some kind of OPOC or linear piston? Some sort of wankel, or perhaps the reverse of that, the LiquidPiston design?). Inline 4 cylinder, V or perhaps a radial?What about unconventional rotary systems?
Quote from: Asteroza on 01/15/2018 10:16 pm5Klbs limit is the rough line between reciprocating and turbine pump systems according to past research by Dr. White for LLNL. It is supposed to represent the lower limit for small turbine blade manufacturing, which is fairly difficult when you get that small as you need stupidly smooth surfaces on the blades. How the pump shaft is driven is a different problem, that electric motors solve neatly at small scales.Though is that an assumption based on traditional vaned centrifugal pumps?Dr. White felt a reciprocating system was the next viable choice (sometimes with a separate drive gas), but I never really had a sense of what kind of reciprocating pump. Some kind of OPOC or linear piston? Some sort of wankel, or perhaps the reverse of that, the LiquidPiston design?). Inline 4 cylinder, V or perhaps a radial?What about unconventional rotary systems?Additive manufacturing and other advances have changed the limits slightly.
As motors and batteries get better, cross over point between electric and standard turbo pumps will move higher. With LOX available for cooling use of superconductor motors should be possible. I don't know if they exist or how expensive.
https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2912485&GUID=EA222BDA-54DC-4B5E-B01C-8B7D7458C364&FullText=1Found the lease documents mentioned in the article; it confirms Astra is the company formerly known as Ventions. I've attached the presentation given as it contains most of the interesting stuff, the rest is legal boilerplate.
Interesting bunch of contracts, couple about a LOX/RP1 microlauncher possibly using differential throttling rather than gimballing, presumably electropumps have better/faster throttle control than traditional turbopumps? 750psi chamber pressure (never seen a chamber pressure for electropumps before) and a storeable propellant space tug/sample return engine.
TO-DATE, THE REALIZATION OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID BIPROPELLANT ROCKET ENGINES FOR ASCENT VEHICLE AND SAMPLE RETURN APPLICATIONS HAS LARGELY BEEN HINDERED BY THE INABILITY TO OBTAIN "ON-BOARD" PRESSURIZATION THROUGH A LIGHT-WEIGHT AND LOW-COMPLEXITY PUMP. VENTIONS SEEKS TO FULFILL THIS CRITICAL NEED BY OFFERING LOW-RISK, ELECTRIC-MOTOR DRIVEN PUMPS FOR A MON-30 / MMH LIQUID BIPROPELLANT ENGINE IN THE MARS ASCENT VEHICLE FOR SIGNIFICANT PERFORMANCE, MASS AND PACKAGING ADVANTAGES OVER PRESSURE-FED OR SOLID / HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEMS.
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Have 2-10 years of industry experience with pressurized systems, with an understanding of factors of safety and operational safety at 6000+ psi
Unfortunately 3D printing surface finishes are still an issue, and doing 5 axis milling to do finishing work at small scale is still a pain.
