HTP/Kero stoichemetric equation is2.9766*H2O2 + CH1.9532 -> CO2 + 3.9532*H2OThis has an oxidiser to fuel mixture ratio (MR) of 7.24. For a staged combustion engine, I get optimal performance for a MR of 7.3. The Gamma engine had an MR of 8, presumably because extra HTP was used for the gas generator. So yes, HTP/Kero engines should run oxidiser rich, making for an ever clearer exhaust.
This has an oxidiser to fuel mixture ratio (MR) of 7.24. For a staged combustion engine, I get optimal performance for a MR of 7.3. The Gamma engine had an MR of 8, presumably because extra HTP was used for the gas generator. So yes, HTP/Kero engines should run oxidiser rich, making for an ever clearer exhaust.
Can you even do regenerative cooling with that little fuel? Surely the delta-T across the regenerative part would be high enough to cause some issues in the Kero by the time it gets up to the injector - perhaps they need to flow a heap of kero for that reason, not just the chamber/throat melting reason? Unless they use HTP for the regenerative cooling in which case I definitely can't think of anything
SECOND STAGE STATIC FIRE ENGINE TEST MOVES SKYRORA CLOSER TO UK LAUNCHEdinburgh, UK, 18th August 2022: Skyrora has successfully completed the static fire test of the second stage of its flagship Skyrora XL orbital rocket. Discover Space UK at Machrihanish Airbase hosted the biggest integrated stage test to be held in the UK since those of Black Arrow and Blue Streak in the 1970s. Achieving this latest milestone moves Skyrora one crucial step closer to entering commercial operations, with an inaugural orbital launch scheduled for 2023 from the SaxaVord Space Centre in northern Scotland. Skyrora COO Col (USAF, Ret) and former SpaceX VP, Lee Rosen, said:“The static fire test looks, sounds and feels a lot like a rocket launch, but without lifting off! This hugely successful test was a definitive demonstration of our mobility and flexibility. Our Skyrora team went from clean tarmac to a full static fire test in just 2.5 days, bringing all the necessary equipment from our factory in Cumbernauld and test site near Gorebridge”.The test involves hot firing the second stage engine to prove the vehicle’s operational capability for its intended payloads and ensure that its performance meets all the design requirements. It was successfully completed with all systems nominal throughout the 20-second burn, and the single 70kN liquid engine operated within design margins and achieved the expected thrust.Volodymyr Levykin, Founder and CEO of Skyrora, said:“With the UK striving to capture a 10 per cent share of the global space market by 2030, the successful Skyrora XL second stage static fire test is the latest milestone reached to put Skyrora on track to become a key part of the UK’s new space industry as the first British company to conduct vertical launch from UK soil. Skyrora now has purpose-built rocket manufacturing and testing facilities in the UK – as well as the largest 3D printer of its kind, which we are using to produce rocket engine components. We recognise the value that a strong domestic space industry will bring to the UK, and we will continue to spearhead these efforts to make the UK a player to be reckoned with globally.”The second stage was assembled at Skyrora’s recently-unveiled Cumbernauld manufacturing facility. Part of a three-stage launch vehicle, the second stage of Skyrora XL will start its engine at an altitude of approximately 62km before the third stage is fired at around 190km to achieve orbital velocity of 28,000 km/h. Skyrora previously tested the third stage of its XL launch vehicle in December 2020, setting the mark for the first integrated stage test by a commercial launch vehicle developer in the UK. The first stage of Skyrora XL is currently in construction, with hot fire tests due to take place in mid-2023.Discover Space UK at Machrihanish Airbase in Scotland proved an ideal test site given its geographical advantages and historical links. As a former military base, the site hosted a US Air Force detachment of strategic bombers during WW2, and was used by RAF and NATO air forces until 1997. The airstrip at Machrihanish was also a designated emergency landing site during NASA’s space shuttle era.The completion of the second stage static fire test marks a key milestone achievement for Skyrora under its Boost! co-funding agreement with the European Space Agency, supported by the UK Space Agency.Matt Archer, Director of Commercial Spaceflight at the UK Space Agency, said:“It’s exciting to see Skyrora complete these static fire engine tests, building on the successful opening of its new production facility in Cumbernauld. As we soar towards the UK’s first commercial space launches, these achievements showcase our rapidly growing capabilities, and the increasing range of expertise that can make the UK a highly attractive destination for launch activities in Europe. We’ll continue to support the development of new launch infrastructure and technology, and look forward to following the next steps of Skyrora’s journey to orbit.”Thilo Kranz, Commercial Space Transportation Programme Manager at the European Space Agency, said:“It has been excellent to witness the successful second stage test for the Skyrora XL launch vehicle. This test is also an important step towards ESA's objective of fostering new commercial European launch services to become available in the near future. Congratulations to the whole Skyrora team!”Andy Grey, Member of the Board at Discover Space UK, said:“Discover Space UK is delighted to host exciting companies such as Skyrora who are developing new capabilities within the UK’s emerging spaceflight industry, as part of UK ambitions to be a science and technology superpower. DSUK wants to see the future of science and industry coming to Machrihanish and benefiting from our fantastic infrastructure and landscape.”Watch a video of the full second stage static fire test here.
For a HTP/Kero engine, that is very sooty. The old Gamma engines from Black Arrow were much cleaner in that you could hardly see the exhaust! Maybe they are using a lot of kerosene film cooling for the nozzle.
Snopes article about Max Polyakov and funding sources of Skyrora, summary below from the Snopes website:
Quote from: darklotion on 10/08/2022 07:39 amSnopes article about Max Polyakov and funding sources of Skyrora, summary below from the Snopes website:Snopes has been bashing Polyakov for years now for morale reasons: Polyakov made some of his money from shady dating websites, which is Yuck and therefore Polyakov's space investments are yucky. This is a failed argument IMHO.
An unannounced @Skyrora_Ltd Skylark L launch on Oct 8 ended in failure with the rocket falling into the Norwegian Sea just 500 metres away from the launchpad.
On 8th October, 2022, the Skyrora team attempted to launch our suborbital Skylark L vehicle into space from the Langanes Peninsula in Iceland.The vehicle left the launch pad and experienced an anomaly, landing in the Norwegian Sea approximately 500 metres away from the launch site. No people or wildlife were harmed in any way, and recovery of the vehicle is currently ongoing. Multiple tracking systems, as well as boats and aeroplanes, have been employed to optimise the recovery process.Despite this anomaly, we achieved our primary mission objective to test all systems of Skylark L ahead of an orbital launch of our Skyrora XL vehicle. Skyrora is incredibly grateful to the Icelandic authorities for their support in ensuring safe and responsible launch operations. We are also beyond proud of our hardworking team, who overcame severe weather conditions and long nights to gain valuable experience in operations procedures, logistics coordination, and execution of the rapid setup and pack-down of our mobile launch complex. This monumental learning experience will help propel us forward in our mission to reach orbit from the UK in 2023, and we will continue to build further momentum through future milestones.
SKYRORA ATTEMPTS FIRST ROCKET LAUNCH TO SPACE WITH ICELANDIC MOBILE SPACEPORTSuborbital Skylark L launch attempt tests critical processes and components ahead of planned full orbital launch from UK in 2023Langanes, 08 October 2022 - Skyrora has attempted to launch its suborbital Skylark L rocket from a site in Langanes, Iceland into space, marking another milestone on its way to commercial viability and the first vertical orbital launch from UK soil in 2023.The vehicle left the launch pad and experienced an anomaly, landing in the Norwegian Sea approximately 500 metres away from the launch site. No people or wildlife were harmed in any way, and recovery of the vehicle is currently ongoing. Multiple tracking systems as well as boats and aeroplanes have been employed to optimise the recovery process.Overcoming severe storms and freezing temperatures, the launch attempt was made possible with the support and approval of stakeholders across the Icelandic government, which signifies the increased cooperation between the two countries, having previously executed the pathfinder launch of Skyrora’s Skylark Micro rocket from Iceland in Autumn 2019. Since then, the company has been in talks with the Icelandic Government to cement the safety and viability of launching Skylark L to ensure it could be completed without risk to people, wildlife, buildings, or the wider environment. Using Skyrora’s innovative and agile mobile spaceport solution, the launch attempt was completed within seven days of arriving on site. The entire launch operation was developed and executed in record time, with the packing of the launch complex - containerised to enable easy transportation and rapid deployment - and shipping of the vehicle and facilities taking less than a month. Due to the spaceport’s mobility, Skyrora was able to minimise the footprint of their launch operations on the surrounding landscape and wildlife habitats, leaving little to no trace of activity behind. Skylark L is Skyrora’s 11m suborbital rocket, capable of reaching 4x the speed of sound and an altitude of over 125 km. 70% of the technology tested in the Skylark L launch attempt will be applied to the systems of the Skyrora XL vehicle, providing a key incremental learning opportunity to increase technological readiness ahead of vertical orbital launch next year. Skylark L Rocket in IcelandLee Rosen, Chief Operations Officer at Skyrora, said:“With over three decades in the business, I can assure you that despite the best design, build, and test preparations, anomalies still unfortunately do happen. Skyrora’s launch attempt of Skylark L has provided the team with valuable experience in operations procedures, logistics coordination, and execution of the rapid setup and pack-down of our mobile launch complex, experience which will propel us forward monumentally in our mission to reach orbit. We are delighted to have had the support of the Icelandic Government and the local Þórshöfn community for this launch attempt. It is a true sign of the strengthened relationship at the heart of European space efforts.”Volodymyr Levykin, Founder and CEO of Skyrora, said:“Skyrora is continuously propelling itself towards UK launch. Our launch attempt in Iceland is a testament to building connections between nations, as well as the hard work of the Skyrora team, who worked against all odds to make the attempt happen, including harsh weather conditions and extremely low temperatures around which our equipment has never been tested. Those on site are currently completing pack-down through those challenging conditions, and we will be investigating the nature and cause of the anomaly further once that process is finished."“While this launch attempt did not go entirely as we expected, it has nevertheless been a valuable learning opportunity - and a huge victory for this new relationship between Iceland and the UK, as well as the European space sector more broadly. Based on what we have achieved here, we remain confident of achieving our objective of a full vertical orbital launch from UK soil in 2023.”Skyrora Launch WorkshopBjörn Sigurður Lárusson, Mayor of Langanesbyggd, said,“It was a privilege for Langanesbyggd community to be chosen as the place for the Skylark L launch and to host the Skyrora crew. We have been informed about the project every step of the way, and this cooperation between Skyrora and the community will act as a role model for future projects in our small community."“We sincerely hope that this project will lead to further development of the space sector in Iceland. The strong bond between the UK and Iceland goes centuries back. We Icelanders even call the 15th century “The English century.” This bond has now been brought to a new level through the Skylark L launch attempt from Iceland”. The launch attempt of Skylark L is Skyrora’s latest milestone bringing the company closer to reaching orbit next year, following on from their successful 2nd stage static fire test of their orbital rocket, Skyrora XL, in August at Machrihanish Airbase, the first test of its kind in the UK in over 50 years. Matt Archer, Director of Commercial Spaceflight at the UK Space Agency, said:“This suborbital launch attempt of a rocket developed in Scotland is another exciting step on Skyrora’s journey towards launching from the UK. Our strong international relationships with partners such as Iceland are vital for our own launch ambitions. By harnessing the opportunities provided by commercial spaceflight, we are creating highly skilled jobs and local opportunities across the country.”
Why do they keep saying launch ATTEMPT. It was a successful launch (vehicle flew up and left pad), the mission was a failure.
This BBC article has brief video of the liftoff. Vehicle veers off straight away:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-63239697
