Firefly Alpha, Firefly Beta и проч. изделия Firefly Space Systems

Автор Тангаж, 12.02.2015 14:18:49

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tnt22


tnt22

ЦитироватьFirefly Aerospace‏Подлинная учетная запись @Firefly_Space 1 ч. назад

Firefly commences integrated stage testing for the Alpha launch vehicle. The development tanks and fluid systems were installed on Briggs Test Stand 2. Integrated Lightning engine testing continues on Test Stand 1. Fully integrated hot fire tests of Alpha stage 2 coming soon.


tnt22

ЦитироватьFirefly Lightning Engine Hotfire

Firefly Aerospace

Опубликовано: 17 сент. 2018 г.

Alpha second stage "Lightning" engine development test demonstrating steady state operation of pump-fed tap-off cycle engine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJou3a7NNiUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJou3a7NNiU (0:16)

tnt22

ЦитироватьFirefly Aerospace‏Подлинная учетная запись @Firefly_Space 24 мин. назад

A great view of Firefly Aerospace Test Stand 2, our 100-foot vertical stand. Our Stage 2 development tanks recently completed multiple successful propellant loading and unloading tests. Next up: installing Lightning engine for integrated hotfire test.
#MakingSpaceForEveryone


tnt22

ЦитироватьJeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust 6:56 - 27 нояб. 2018 г.

Les Kovacs, Firefly: while we have paper designs for a larger launch vehicle, Beta, our focus is on getting our Alpha vehicle flying by December 2019.


7:01 - 27 нояб. 2018 г.

Kovacs: we're developing an orbit transfer vehicle, using solar electric propulsion, to transport satellites to higher orbits. Could enable ~600 kg to GEO, with several months transfer time.

tnt22

Цитировать2018 Qual Testing

Firefly Aerospace

Опубликовано: 23 дек. 2018 г.

Commencing stage qualification testing was one of Firefly's primary goals for 2018. Mission accomplished! This video shows a recent test of the integrated Alpha second stage, which includes flight-configuration propulsion, structures and tankage, pressurization and propellant management systems, and avionics. The stage operates autonomously, controlled by Firefly-developed flight software. These tests also demonstrate full activation of Firefly's large-scale vertical test stand, "TS2", at Firefly's Briggs, TX test facility.

In 2019 Firefly will continue qualification testing of both the first and second stages of Alpha and begin flight acceptance testing in May, supporting our goal of December 2019 first launch from VAFB. We are very proud of the Firefly team's 2018 accomplishments and also applaud the significant progress of the entire newspace small launcher community. We wish everyone Happy Holidays and great success in your 2019 endeavors!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_8owxoJxXAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_8owxoJxXA (1:09)

ZOOR

Я зуб даю за то что в первом пуске Ангары с Восточного полетит ГВМ Пингвина. © Старый
Если болит сердце за народные деньги - можно пойти в депутаты. © Neru - Старому


tnt22

ЦитироватьFirefly Aerospace‏Подлинная учетная запись @Firefly_Space 45 мин. назад

The Firefly Structures team continues to develop our component qualification test capabilities at our Briggs, TX site. This photo shows burst testing of a composite overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV) at cryogenic temperature (-300 F), proving our design margins for Alpha COPV's.


tnt22

ЦитироватьFirefly Aerospace‏Подлинная учетная запись @Firefly_Space 5 мар.

As the Alpha upper stage continues Qualification testing on the vertical stage test stand (TS-2), Firefly's horizontal test stand (TS-1) has been retrofitted with the first stage thrust structure to begin Reaver single and multi-engine testing. #Reavers! #MakingSpaceForEveryone


tnt22

ЦитироватьFirefly Aerospace‏Подлинная учетная запись @Firefly_Space 19 ч. назад

The Firefly test team recently executed a 180 second test of our integrated Lightning engine. The extreme heat generated some "Popcrete" near the end of the test...and melted another camera. #MakingSpaceForEveryone

Video (0:22)

tnt22

ЦитироватьFirefly Aerospace‏Подлинная учетная запись @Firefly_Space 14 мин. назад

Yesterday Firefly achieved a major milestone toward flight qualification of the second stage, supporting Firefly's goal of Alpha first launch in 2019. A 300 second hotfire test of the complete upper stage was accomplished on the company's vertical stage test stand. (1/4)






15 мин. назад

The length of the test successfully demonstrates the capability of the integrated system (flight avionics, structures, and propulsion systems) to operate for the duration of a flight mission (i.e., a mission duty cycle). (2/4)


16 мин. назад

The stage was heavily instrumented to provide valuable data for mechanical vibration environments which will be experienced by components (e.g., avionics, fluid system components) during flight. Preliminary analysis of data indicate that environments are consistent with (3/4)


16 мин. назад

analytical models and below qualification thresholds of sensitive components. All systems performed nominally during the test, and post-test inspection revealed no observable degradation of the stage systems. (4/4)

tnt22

ЦитироватьFirefly Alpha Second Stage 300 Second Qualification Testing (Full Duration, Side View)

Firefly Aerospace

Опубликовано: 13 мая 2019 г.

Firefly has achieved a major milestone toward flight qualification of the Alpha second stage, supporting Firefly's goal of Alpha first launch in 2019. A 300 second hotfire test of the complete upper stage was accomplished on the company's vertical stage test stand. The length of the test successfully demonstrates the capability of the integrated system (flight avionics, structures, and propulsion systems) to operate for the duration of a flight mission (i.e., a mission duty cycle). The stage was heavily instrumented to provide valuable data for mechanical vibration environments which will be experienced by components (e.g., avionics, fluid system components) during flight. Preliminary analysis of data indicate that environments are consistent with analytical models and below qualification thresholds of sensitive components. All systems performed nominally during the test, and post-test inspection revealed no observable degradation of the stage systems.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmhsMBKjMwchttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmhsMBKjMwc (5:07)

tnt22


tnt22

https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/06/18/firefly-offering-free-launch-for-research-and-educational-payloads/
ЦитироватьFirefly offering free launch for research and educational payloads
June 18, 2019Stephen Clark


Firefly Aerospace conducted a 300-second qualification firing of the Alpha rocket's complete second stage in April at the company's test site in Central Texas. Credit: Firefly Aerospace

Firefly Aerospace is asking academic institutions, startup companies and the public to submit ideas for payloads to launch, free of charge, on the inaugural orbital flight of the company's Alpha rocket next year from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The Texas-based launch company said the initiative to host academic and educational payloads on the first Alpha launch will promote education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math disciplines.

"We're calling the flight opportunity the Dedicated Research and Education Accelerator Mission, or DREAM payload," said Tom Markusic, CEO of Firefly. "We encourage educational institutions, startup space enterprises, or any other institution that has big space dreams to visit Firefly.com and tell us about your DREAM space payload."

Groups interested in Firefly's offer can read the company's terms in this document.

Officials did not say how much mass and volume will be allotted to the educational payloads.

Firefly said the DREAM payloads will ride into orbit with an unspecified commercial payload. The identity of the primary payload for the inaugural flight of Firefly's Alpha launcher has not been disclosed.

The two-stage Alpha rocket being developed by Firefly is designed to loft up to 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms) into a low-altitude orbit. The Alpha is one of many privately-developed small satellite launchers new to the market, and the kerosene-fueled rocket will initially launch from Space Launch Complex 2-West at Vandenberg, a military base around 140 miles (225 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles.

Rocket Lab's Electron, which is already operational, Virgin Orbit's air-dropped LauncherOne, and Vector Launch's Vector-R rocket are among Firefly's competitors in the dedicated small satellite launch market.


Artist's concept of Firefly's Alpha launch vehicle. Credit: Firefly

"'Making Space for Everyone' has been an essential part of Firefly's vision and dream since the day we began," Markusic said in a statement. "I'm proud to announce today that we're following through on that commitment by opening a competition, to literally everyone, for the use of the excess capacity of our first Alpha launch."

"All ideas are welcome – from a child's drawing, to a university science experiment, to a startup company CubeSat – so we encourage everyone to propose their idea for a DREAM payload to Firefly for consideration," Markusic said.

Firefly intended to take over the SLC-2W launch pad at the end of last year. The last Delta 2 rocket launch from SLC-2W occurred last September.

But delays in the handover of the pad from United Launch Alliance to Firefly have kept ground crews from outfitting the ground infrastructure for the Alpha rocket.

Les Kovacs, Firefly's vice president of business development, said at an industry conference earlier this month that the first Alpha launch is scheduled for no earlier than the first quarter of 2020.

"We've been working tirelessly for the past few years to develop Alpha, a game-changing small satellite launch vehicle," Markusic said. "And finally our first launch is within sight."

Both stages of the 95-foot-tall (29-meter) Alpha rocket will burn a mixture of kerosene and liquid oxygen. Four Reaver engines on the first stage will generate more than 165,000 pounds of thrust at maximum power, and a Lightning engine on the second stage will produce more than 15,000 pounds of thrust.

In March, Firefly began hotfire testing of the integrated turbopump-fed first stage Reaver engine at a test site in Briggs, Texas. Engineers conducted a 300-second qualification firing of a full Alpha second stage — with a Lightning engine — at the Briggs test site in April.

Firefly Aerospace was previously named Firefly Space Systems before entering bankruptcy. The renamed company emerged from bankruptcy proceedings in 2017 under new ownership.

Noosphere Ventures, a Menlo Park, California-based firm led by managing partner Max Polyakov, now funds Firefly's rocket development program. Markusic told Spaceflight Now earlier this year that Firefly is fully funded, with Noosphere's backing, through the initial launches of the company's Alpha rocket.

Firefly's other projects beyond the Alpha launcher include the Beta rocket, which will be made up of three Alpha first stage cores combined together to haul heavier payloads into orbit. Firefly also has ambitions for a robotic lunar lander, a space tug powered by electric thrusters, and a reusable spaceplane.

Firefly announced in February that its second launch site would be located at the disused Complex 20 launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

tnt22

Цитировать Firefly Aerospace‏ Подлинная учетная запись @Firefly_Space 6 ч. назад
The Firefly structures team rocks! Our payload deck, payload fairing, and fairing separation system are all built in-house. Here's a sneak peak of the first fairing separation test. Some very cool sep test video coming soon! Photo courtesy Edwards Media.


tnt22

Цитировать David Spencer‏ @spencer_purdue 21 ч. назад

Vestigo Aerospace, @LifeAtPurdue, and @PolySat are developing a dragsail to provide deorbit capability for the @Firefly_Space Alpha upper stage.

Looking forward to launch in Q1 2020.
Цитировать Firefly Aerospace‏ Подлинная учетная запись @Firefly_Space 9 сент.

The Alpha 1st stage RP tank is proofed and ready for action! At 24 ft tall, it holds 4,500 gallons of RP-1 (rocket fuel). Now back to assembly to be integrated into the Alpha 1st stage qual unit. Looking forward to launching the largest all carbon composite vehicle in the world!


tnt22

Цитировать Firefly Aerospace‏ Подлинная учетная запись @Firefly_Space 32 мин. назад

The calm before the storm. We are stepping into the first multi-engine Reaver tests this week. Each Reaver engine generates over 41,000 lbf of thrust. We're starting with two engines and the integration team already has the next two ready to fill out the Reaver Quad!


tnt22

Цитировать Firefly Aerospace Подлинная учетная запись @Firefly_Space 5 ч. назад

Alpha first stage four-engine Reaver cluster is on the test stand.  This is a key milestone for our team, which has been making rapid strides to get Alpha to the launch pad! #Firefly #Reavers!


tnt22

Цитировать Firefly Aerospace‏ Подлинная учетная запись @Firefly_Space 14 ч назад

Firefly has released the latest version of our Alpha Payload User's Guide. Let's work together to deliver your payload to orbit! https://zcu.io/bbKb



Alpha_PUG_20190830.pdf - 43.1 MB, 45 стр, 2019-09-06 07:03:46 UTC