ARCA

[WmThomas]

I like the characterization of ARCA's Eco-rocket plan as "marketing."

Very apt.

Why even test something that has no chance of becoming economically useful?

To show you are doing "something" and make a splash!

ARCA is full of humbug.

[TrevorMonty]

I like the characterization of ARCA's Eco-rocket plan as "marketing."

Very apt.

Why even test something that has no chance of becoming economically useful?

To show you are doing "something" and make a splash!

ARCA is full of humbug.

Still be nice to see a launch, even if it doesn't make it to space.

Sent from my SM-G570Y using Tapatalk

[daedalus1]

I like the characterization of ARCA's Eco-rocket plan as "marketing."

Very apt.

Why even test something that has no chance of becoming economically useful?

To show you are doing "something" and make a splash!

ARCA is full of humbug.

Still be nice to see a launch, even if it doesn't make it to space.

Sent from my SM-G570Y using Tapatalk

It ain't goin' anywhere near space, it's a scam.

[xyv]

I like the characterization of ARCA's Eco-rocket plan as "marketing."

Very apt.

Why even test something that has no chance of becoming economically useful?

To show you are doing "something" and make a splash!

ARCA is full of humbug.

Well...they already sort of made a splash...

[Jrcraft]

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=118635917281554&set=ecnf.100074054391728

The second stage EcoRocket equipped with water-based fuel-powered aerospike engine performed a functionality test on November 12 from the ARCA test base. More information about this successful test will be published on November 18, 2021.

Looks like Arca successfully tested the second stage of the Ecorocket on November 12.

[Jrcraft]

Cropped photo of Ecorocket stage 2 which seems to be in flight?

[daedalus1]

It looks like a fake image.

[Mandella]

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=118635917281554&set=ecnf.100074054391728

The second stage EcoRocket equipped with water-based fuel-powered aerospike engine performed a functionality test on November 12 from the ARCA test base. More information about this successful test will be published on November 18, 2021.

Looks like Arca successfully launched the second stage of the Ecorocket on November 12.

Interesting that basic information like "how high did it go?" "how long did it fire" is being withheld for days...

[Lars-J]

Even ARCA is just calling a “functionality test”, not a test launch. I suspect a lot of photoshop editing to remove wires and support structure from the image.

If they actually launched anything they would be shouting about it from the rooftops… so no.

[Almoturg]

Isn't it just mounted on a pole? Why else would there be these struts from the fins to a central point in the middle of the exhaust stream?

[Jrcraft]

Thats the attachment point for the ballast. That's what I suspect the white "tub" thing is on the bottom of the recent picture, it's full of water that simulates a sea launch. We know ballast is attached there to hold it upright because that's what was done when they "verticalized" it in the Black Sea. (maybe that was what was in the background of their latest video?) You can see dirt being kicked up at the very bottom of the launch? picture too.  The exhaust from the roll thrusters appears to show the rocket accelerating, which was not seen in the 2nd stage static fire. I'm curious to see what they show us on the 18th whether it was a launch or some static test.

[Mandella]

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=118635917281554&set=ecnf.100074054391728

The second stage EcoRocket equipped with water-based fuel-powered aerospike engine performed a functionality test on November 12 from the ARCA test base. More information about this successful test will be published on November 18, 2021.

Looks like Arca successfully launched the second stage of the Ecorocket on November 12.

Interesting that basic information like "how high did it go?" "how long did it fire" is being withheld for days...

Bah. I was reading too fast and missed the "functionality test" part.

So another "test fire" on cables dressed up to look like a launch at a quick glance?

I was going to say that loses them credibility, but can that number go negative?

[JCRM]

Isn't it just mounted on a pole? Why else would there be these struts from the fins to a central point in the middle of the exhaust stream?

There would be no need to have those struts to mount it on a pole.

I'd guess they were there as a result of "someone" thinking they would provide "stability" in flight.

[t43562]

Apparently their launch is rescheduled. This is a test of their second stage - at least something left the pad in an upwards direction.

It will be interesting to see how quickly people abandon their current postion of attack without reference to how wrong it was before taking up some new one.

[high road]

Apparently their launch is rescheduled. This is a test of their second stage - at least something left the pad in an upwards direction.

It will be interesting to see how quickly people abandon their current postion of attack without reference to how wrong it was before taking up some new one.

Interestingly, it goes up about half as much as I expect the entire rocket to go. #rocketequation

[daedalus1]

So the second stage has a thrust to weight ratio of 1+. How does the first stage fit to this 2nd stage. I would have thought that this type of test should be for 1st stage, what significant data can you get from doing this test with a 2nd stage that you can't get from a static fire.
If it has that much thrust it could never burn long enough to get to close to orbital velocity. I stick by my constant call that this is a scam.

[Mandella]

Apparently their launch is rescheduled. This is a test of their second stage - at least something left the pad in an upwards direction.

It will be interesting to see how quickly people abandon their current postion of attack without reference to how wrong it was before taking up some new one.

To make reference to being wrong, I will say in defense that they themselves referred to the event as a "functionality test." So kudos to ARCA for underplaying an actual launch of something.

But they did indeed send the second stage up a ways powered by steam, which I don't think any thought was impossible, but will it be enough to power a full stack lifting a payload, even a tiny one, into not just space but orbit? That's the part where the numbers don't seem to work out.

But I'm happy to see activity that's not just an "engine" running in a nest of cables.

[niwax]

Apparently their launch is rescheduled. This is a test of their second stage - at least something left the pad in an upwards direction.

It will be interesting to see how quickly people abandon their current postion of attack without reference to how wrong it was before taking up some new one.

To make reference to being wrong, I will say in defense that they themselves referred to the event as a "functionality test." So kudos to ARCA for underplaying an actual launch of something.

But they did indeed send the second stage up a ways powered by steam, which I don't think any thought was impossible, but will it be enough to power a full stack lifting a payload, even a tiny one, into not just space but orbit? That's the part where the numbers don't seem to work out.

But I'm happy to see activity that's not just an "engine" running in a nest of cables.

I thought the doubt about their three stage rocket was that they were short on delta v even before they confirmed isp on the water stages was even lower than expected?

[Lars-J]

To make reference to being wrong, I will say in defense that they themselves referred to the event as a "functionality test." So kudos to ARCA for underplaying an actual launch of something.

But they did indeed send the second stage up a ways powered by steam, which I don't think any thought was impossible, but will it be enough to power a full stack lifting a payload, even a tiny one, into not just space but orbit? That's the part where the numbers don't seem to work out.

But I'm happy to see activity that's not just an "engine" running in a nest of cables.

Agreed. I'll certainly give them props for launching a test article off the ground... it has been a very long time since they did anything like that. I do want to see them doing more of that.

But it doesn't change the fundamental questions about ARCA, specifically their technical and marketing fudginess.

[JCRM]

, what significant data can you get from doing this test with a 2nd stage that you can't get from a static fire.

As described in the video, dynamic stability and RCS performance.