SpaceX
Welcome to Edition 6.18 of the Rocket Report! In this newsletter we have a double dose of news from China, where there are two separate efforts to duplicate SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. On the American side of the pond we also have two stories about United Launch Alliance and its effort to get Vulcan flying, and the cost of the rocket’s delays.
As always, we welcome reader submissions, and if you don’t want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar.
Chinese company tests vertical landing. A Chinese commercial rocket company has successfully launched and safely landed a test article on its path to developing a reusable launch vehicle, Space News reports. Beijing-based Interstellar Glory Space Technology Ltd., also known as iSpace, launched the Hyperbola-2Y single-stage hopper on Thursday. The methane-liquid oxygen reusable test vehicle rose to a height of 178 meters during its 51-second flight.
Hopping like a grasshopper … After this ascent, the hopper performed a powered descent and soft landing, supported by four landing legs. The 3.35-meter-diameter, 17-meter-long test stage is powered by a variable thrust Focus-1 engine. The vertical takeoff, vertical landing test marks progress toward a reusable medium-lift rocket that could debut in 2025. It is also the latest marker in Chinese efforts to emulate the success of SpaceX and its Falcon 9 rocket. (More on that below). It’s worth noting that SpaceX performed similar tests with its “Grasshopper” vehicle about a decade ago. Blue Origin is the only other company to land rockets that have flown to space. (submitted by Ken the Bin and EllPeaTea)
Isar will make its debut launch from Norway. During the opening ceremony for the Andøya Spaceport in Norway, Isar Aerospace said the debut launch of its Spectrum rocket would take place from there. When the spaceport on an island north of the Norwegian mainland is completed, it will have several launch pads. Isar Aerospace will have exclusive access to the first launch site, which was built to Isar’s specifications, including a launch pad, payload integration facilities, and a mission control center.
Now building Spectrum … “Together with Andøya Spaceport, our team has created an excellent piece of engineering, the first orbital launch site in continental Europe which will bring this access to space to Norway, and back to Europe,” said Daniel Metzler, CEO and co-founder of Isar. “For Isar Aerospace, this step equals entering the final stages of our path to first flight.” The company says it is currently in the production phase of all parts of the rocket, including the flight engines. Recently, the Aquila engine completed a 260-second hot fire test. The rocket stages will then have to undergo acceptance testing, a series of tests that will verify that the systems meet all necessary requirements for flight. (submitted by Ken the Bin)
Phantom Space signs satellite deal. A company called Tropical Weather Analytics says it has agreed to a “strategic partnership” with Phantom Space to design, manufacture, launch, and operate its Hurricane Hunter Satellite Constellation. Weather Analytics says its 12U CubeSats will “provide unprecedented 3D spatial resolution and revisit rate (five times per day) on a global scale.” As a meteorologist, I can certainly say that such coverage of developing and active hurricanes would be a boon to forecasting.
But will this happen? … “Our team is committed to leveraging our extensive experience to develop and launch a reliable and advanced satellite constellation,” said Jim Cantrell, CEO of Phantom Space. “This partnership exemplifies our mission to provide innovative solutions that address pressing global challenges.” The news release makes other interesting statements, including Phantom’s vision of mass manufacturing and launching hundreds of rockets. I guess we’ll find out. (submitted by Ken the Bin)
Minuteman III test terminated due to anomaly. The flight of a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile was terminated over the Pacific Ocean early on Wednesday morning due to an “anomaly,” the Air Force said. The launch originated from Vandenberg Space Force Base, and the unarmed missile’s flight ended safely.
All test data is good data … “An anomaly is any unexpected event during the test,” the Air Force said in a statement. “Since anomalies may arise from many factors relating to the operational platform itself, or the test equipment, careful analysis is needed to identify the cause.” Several organizations will investigate the failure, which should help ensure the reliability of the Minuteman fleet.
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