SpinLaunch: General Company and Development Updates and Discussions

[Robotbeat]

LOL, just noticed the tags.

[Nomadd]

 100 posts. Not bad for the latest Monty Python school of rocketry thread.

[ringsider]

A couple of snippets:

FACTORY

In approx Oct 2018 Spinlaunch applied to take a 10 year lease on 82,000 sq ft of space in Alameda, near Astra (assume it was successful):



Interesting to compare the large size of the factory space to Astra next door (ignoring the test stand tunnels)



Some details in the council meeting on electric centrifuges etc.:

BACKGROUND

SpinLaunch is a spaceflight technology development company working on catapult technology to move payloads to space.  The company was founded in 2015, by CEO Jonathan Yaney.  The company has been working on an electric-powered kinetic energy launch system that starts by whipping the spaceflight vehicle around on a centrifuge, then catapults it spaceward at hypersonic speeds.  As of February 2018, the company was operating as a stealth startup, and was working to raise $30 million in funding to support Research and Development (R&D) operations.  Recently, SpinLaunch announced reaching its investment goal by an investment syndicate including Airbus Ventures, GV (formerly Google Ventures) and Kleiner Perkins.

DISCUSSION

SpinLaunch is interested in moving its Sunnyvale operations to Alameda Point, which will serve as the headquarters and research and operations center.  Building 530 (Exhibit 1) will serve as the hub for the centrifuge and testing.  The ability to provide a research and operations hub is key to SpinLaunch’s expansion and innovation.  The CEO says that “applying the initial performance boost from a terrestrial-based launch platform enables SpinLaunch to lower the cost of space launching by orders of magnitude and launch many times per day.”

The recent funding will be used to scale-up the team and technology and bring Building 530 up to code for R&D.  The proposed lease (Exhibit 2) allows for rent paid during months 1-14 to be subject to rent abatement to cover expenses related to bringing the building up to code for receipt of a Certificate of Occupancy.  The allowable credits will be detailed in a Tenant Work Letter, which is an exhibit to the lease.

Building 530 is located in the Site B Enterprise District.  The lease does not hinder development opportunities in the area and could serve as an attractant for a developer.  The lease does not include a purchase option, so a developer could do a large parcel sale which includes the SpinLaunch lease.  The City also could sell the parcels around SpinLaunch and choose to do a purchase/development transaction directly with SpinLaunch.

SpinLaunch also will have a license for approximately 300 linear feet of Pier 3 and will pay $35 per linear foot.  The negotiated pier rate is the highest at Alameda Point and will establish a new market rate, which was previously $25 per linear foot.

The rent schedule for the lease is:

Rent/Month         Annual Rent         Rent Credit Applied

Year 1
$     45,238.00   $  542,856.00      $   542,856.00
Year 2
$     43,595.14   $  523,141.68      $     87,190.28
Year 3
$     47,992.99   $  575,915.88
Year 4
$     49,432.78   $  593,193.36
Year 5
$     50,915.77   $  610,989.24
Year 6
$     52,443.24   $  629,318.88
Year 7
$     54,016.54   $  648,198.48
Year 8
$     55,637.03   $  667,644.36
Year 9
$     57,306.14   $  687,673.68
Year 10
$     59,025.30   $  708,303.96
Total
$6,187,235.52                              $   630,046.28

https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3694772&GUID=0D8C27B1-2464-480D-817E-13470D793775&FullText=1

ENGINE

Also this sponsorship of a student in 2017 implies a rocket engine using Jet-A and LOX.

Meyer,  Scott  E;  mechanical  engineering,  from  Spinlaunch  Inc,  $9,979, “SpinLaunch LOX/Jet-A Rocket Engine Testing.”

https://www.purdue.edu/research/awards/docs/awards/pdf/Jun2017Awards.pdf

EMPLOYEES

SpinLaunch, a space rocket business, is in final talks with the City of Alameda to lease an 82,000-square-foot warehouse and office building at Alameda Point. Backed by Airbus, SpinLaunch, which is based in Sunnyvale, was competing for Building 530 at 120 W. Oriskany Way against water cooled data center company Nautilus Data Technologies, Inc., who is no longer in the running for the lease. Founded in 2015, SpinLaunch intends to develop a cheaper and more environmentally benign way of launching rockets into space, which it claims to do by spinning rockets at high speeds with electricity instead of traditional fuel. It has plans to launch for the first time in 2022. A recent presentation to the city cited 100 prospective employees in Alameda by 2019, including engineering, aerospace and construction positions.

http://media.alamedamp.com/assets/PUB/2018/09/18-0917-6A%20GMR.pdf

SLIDES

The slides the presented to the city: https://imgur.com/a/KWeyIdj

Most interesting slides:

1) this one shows rocket engines on composite tanks and projectile tips in the factory:



Zooming in we see rocket engines, composite tanks, structures:



2) this one shows the size of the projectile - 28ft - and the company positioning as the greenest launch system:

[eeergo]

1) this one shows rocket engines on composite tanks and projectile tips in the factory:
Zooming in we see rocket engines, composite tanks, structures:

That's... CGI.

[ringsider]

1) this one shows rocket engines on composite tanks and projectile tips in the factory:
Zooming in we see rocket engines, composite tanks, structures:

That's... CGI.

Duh. Obviously it's CGI.

But it's their CGI, from their sldies, showing their intent.

[edzieba]

SpinLaunch is interested in moving its Sunnyvale operations to Alameda Point, which will serve as the headquarters and research and operations center.  Building 530 (Exhibit 1) will serve as the hub for the centrifuge and testing.  The ability to provide a research and operations hub is key to SpinLaunch’s expansion and innovation.

When a company intending to build a giant centrifuge discusses wanting to build a 'hub', they need to be really specific about exactly what meaning of 'hub' they are using.

[ParabolicSnark]

But it's their CGI, from their sldies, showing their intent.

Corroborated by their slide indicating a desire of 15 composite engineers.

[Axel]

I'm having trouble seeing how putting on a ship or barge would be viable unless it's a Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.  Where else are they going to get the large amount of power this would take?

[...]

No, I think the coupled dynamics of the wave motion and the gyro is the much bigger challenge than the power required.

This is getting a little crazy, but I wonder if you could stack two such sling launchers, one on top of the other, counterrotating to deal with some of the gryoscopic dynamics...

~Jon

I may be a little late here. But anyway: wasn't the idea to spin a flexible tether? Mounting two on top of each other may help for rigid spinning systems, but for flexible ones I don't see any advantage. On the other hand, a flexible system can tolerate moderate movement of the barge as long as the vacuum chamber is big enough so tether and payload do not hit the wall. The gyro-stabilizing effect may actually be an advantage here?

My guess is that the big disadvantage of sea launch is that you have to lauch at sea level in dense air.

[jstrotha0975]

Secretive Startup SpinLaunch Gets 1st Launch Contract for US Military.

https://www.space.com/spinlaunch-first-launch-contract.html?fbclid=IwAR1hk_Hy7efrwqN9N7VDCbBcReyk_oCzg3Vq7TDq1vo1iXCrNNjkUP9SyU0

[Asteroza]

Secretive Startup SpinLaunch Gets 1st Launch Contract for US Military.

https://www.space.com/spinlaunch-first-launch-contract.html?fbclid=IwAR1hk_Hy7efrwqN9N7VDCbBcReyk_oCzg3Vq7TDq1vo1iXCrNNjkUP9SyU0

The illustrated device suggest a single arm conventional centrifuge with fixed end grapple for the rocket. Are they not gonna do the spiral ramp centrifuge after all?

[jongoff]

Secretive Startup SpinLaunch Gets 1st Launch Contract for US Military.

https://www.space.com/spinlaunch-first-launch-contract.html?fbclid=IwAR1hk_Hy7efrwqN9N7VDCbBcReyk_oCzg3Vq7TDq1vo1iXCrNNjkUP9SyU0

The illustrated device suggest a single arm conventional centrifuge with fixed end grapple for the rocket. Are they not gonna do the spiral ramp centrifuge after all?

They were never talking about a spiral ramp centrifuge...

[vaporcobra]

https://twitter.com/spaceport_nm/status/1084900275163287552

"f"s in chat for every single window within 5-10 km

[Mardlamock]

https://twitter.com/spaceport_nm/status/1084900275163287552

"f"s in chat for every single window within 5-10 km

F

[jstrotha0975]

Just out of curiosity, could a Spinlaunch type of system work on the moon? It would obviously have to be scaled down due to lower gravity and atmosphere, also power might be a problem.

[Craftyatom]

Just out of curiosity, could a Spinlaunch type of system work on the moon? It would obviously have to be scaled down due to lower gravity and atmosphere, also power might be a problem.

Yes, a rotating system like this on the moon could work, afaik.  My first guess is that it'd be cheaper and more flexible than a linear electromagnetic launch system, too, with the downside that stresses would be higher for an equivalent velocity.  Power requirements can be banked over time in batteries/capacitors/flywheels and released when needed, allowing solar power to do the job (though nuclear would be preferable).

But all of that requires significant mass on the Moon, as well as the need to launch significant mass from the lunar surface, neither of which are currently on the table (though the future is promising).  I have a feeling there's a thread in the "Advanced Concepts" section on all of this, but I wouldn't know.  In the meantime, let's hope Spinlaunch doesn't ruin the image of such a concept.

[whitelancer64]

Just out of curiosity, could a Spinlaunch type of system work on the moon? It would obviously have to be scaled down due to lower gravity and atmosphere, also power might be a problem.

It would be much more practical to yeet something at hypersonic velocity if you don't have to deal with an atmosphere. Mach 5 at sea level is about 1.7 km/s, which is approximately the velocity needed to get to LLO (Low Lunar Orbit).

[libra]

Mandatory song for that company, the thread, the name...

[jongoff]

Just out of curiosity, could a Spinlaunch type of system work on the moon? It would obviously have to be scaled down due to lower gravity and atmosphere, also power might be a problem.

The tip speeds they've already demonstrated would be more than enough to get to lunar orbital velocity, and IIRC, the max speeds they're shooting for are near or past lunar escape velocity. A sling tether like this would be a great way to do lunar launch: you only need a tiny dV for circularization to be provided via propellant, power can be input gradually over several hours so solar works fine, it can scale down pretty gracefully -- a 1ton to orbit system could land on a single Xeus-class lander. Personally it's my favorite propellantless launch system for the moon. Anyone serious about lunar ISRU should be considering something like this as part of their architecture.

~Jon

[john smith 19]

It would be much more practical to yeet something at hypersonic velocity if you don't have to deal with an atmosphere. Mach 5 at sea level is about 1.7 km/s, which is approximately the velocity needed to get to LLO (Low Lunar Orbit).

True.

The problem then become the interface hardware between your vacuum area (chamber, tunnel, whatever) and the outside world.  How many ports? How big? How fast acting (both opening and closing as good vacuum is hard to generate in large volume and you'd like to retain it if possible)?

[meekGee]

Just out of curiosity, could a Spinlaunch type of system work on the moon? It would obviously have to be scaled down due to lower gravity and atmosphere, also power might be a problem.

The tip speeds they've already demonstrated would be more than enough to get to lunar orbital velocity, and IIRC, the max speeds they're shooting for are near or past lunar escape velocity. A sling tether like this would be a great way to do lunar launch: you only need a tiny dV for circularization to be provided via propellant, power can be input gradually over several hours so solar works fine, it can scale down pretty gracefully -- a 1ton to orbit system could land on a single Xeus-class lander. Personally it's my favorite propellantless launch system for the moon. Anyone serious about lunar ISRU should be considering something like this as part of their architecture.

~Jon

So lunar ISRU for non-local use.   I agree it's an ideal system for that, but that's a pretty far off and narrow use case, which assumes that that business exists.

There's a parallel here to Bigelow, developing a hotel before affordable transportation exists.

I'm having a difficult time seeing this work on Earth meanwhile.