minotaur-4, 20/04/2010 HTV

[интересующийся]

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1003/17minotaur/

Minotaur 4 rocket's third stage ready for testing
BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: March 17, 2010

 
Engineers will test a redesigned part of the Minotaur 4 rocket's third stage later this month to ensure it eliminates unintended thrust from the motor, potentially clearing the way for a foursome of military launches this spring and summer, an Air Force spokesperson said.
 
Teams from ATK, Orbital Sciences Corp., Northrop Grumman Corp., and the Air Force Space Development and Test Wing developed a diffuser for the third stage of the four-stage rocket.

Taken from retired Peacekeeper missile stockpiles, the SR120 third stage is considered government-furnished equipment. The Minotaur 4 is propelled into space by three Peacekeeper stages, then an Orion 38 fourth stage motor inserts payloads into orbit.

The first flight of the new rocket was delayed from last year after analyses indicated the gas generator device that powers the third stage steering system would produce unintended thrust after the motor burns out.

Officials were concerned cold gas attitude control thrusters would attempt to compensate for the unintended thrust.

"It was possible before the diffuser fix mentioned above was implemented that this moment would eventually cause the depletion of this cold gas during long coast periods, possibly causing loss of control," an Air Force Space Development and Test Wing spokesperson said.

The diffuser will be installed on all Minotaur 4 third stages to reduce the gas generator's unintended thrust to acceptable levels well within the control abilities of the cold gas thrusters, according to the Air Force.

A Peacekeeper SR120 motor outfitted with the diffuser will be ignited during a ground test March 31.

"This static fire will provide additional confidence that the implemented diffuser solution is functioning as designed," the Air Force said in a statement.

If the test goes well, a suborbital three-stage Minotaur 4 rocket will launch a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency high-speed glider around April 20. The Hypersonic Technology Vehicle, or HTV, will be boosted to a precise point in space from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., then follow a series of programmed range and cross-range maneuvers before impacting near Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

The third stage diffuser will fly on the HTV mission as a demonstration, although the suborbital flight does not require the new system.

Three satellite launches are scheduled as soon as this summer, beginning with a multi-payload mission for the Air Force Space Test Program no earlier than May 28. Launching from Kodiak Island, Alaska, the Minotaur 4 rocket will shoot a cache of military, NASA and university satellites into orbit.

The 2,200-pound Space Based Space Surveillance satellite is also on the Minotaur manifest. The $800 million mission, also called SBSS Block 10, features an optical telescope to track objects circling in geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles above Earth.

SBSS could launch as soon as July, pending the results of ground and flight tests of the third stage gas generator diffuser, the Air Force said. A specific target launch could be determined in the next two weeks.

The SBSS launch has been pushed back about three years, partially due to rocket issues. In a March 10 statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, a Government Accountability Office manager stated SBSS program officials and contractors are studying the feasibility of launching the payload on a larger Delta 2 rocket.

The Air Force spokesperson said the Minotaur 4 vehicle remains baselined to launch SBSS.

Alaska will be the starting point for another Minotaur 4 flight around August, when the solid-fueled rocket will launch the military's experimental TacSat 4 satellite. TacSat 4 will test new tactical reconnaissance and surveillance sensors.

At least eight Minotaur 4 rockets are slated to launch orbital and suborbital missions over the next few years.

[KBOB]

http://www.rol.ru/news/misc/spacenews/06/02/02_001.htm

Летные испытания[/size]
 Уже в сентябре 2007 года аппарат Falcon Hypersonic Test Vehicle-1 (HTV-1) должен будет совершить первый полет, в ходе которого ему предстоит развить скорость 19 Мах с выходом за пределы земной атмосферы и входом в нее в диапазоне высот около 30-50 км над поверхностью Земли. Весь полет займет менее часа, аппарат по завершении испытаний будет затоплен в Тихом океане.
 Вторые летные испытания планируется провести в 2008-2009 гг. Аппарат HTV-2 усовершенствованной конструкции будет обладать повышенной управляемостью, а также более высоким отношением риска к летным характеристикам. Скорость полета также составит 22 Маха, полет продолжительностью свыше одного часа завершится затоплением аппарата в Тихом океане.
 Третий, завершающий полет аппарата HTV-3, запланированный на 2009 год, будет существенно отличаться от остальных. Во-первых, максимальная скорость полета составит 10 Мах. Во-вторых, аппарат стартует с базы Уоллоп в штате Виржиния и после завершения полета над Атлантическим океаном не погибнет. Аппарат будет спасен, что позволит протестировать свойства защитных покрытий, допускающих многократное использование. Первый многоразовый гиперзвуковой аппарат будет также обладать более высокими аэродинамическими характеристиками.

Счас какой летит?

Falcon: концепция применения[/size]
 Как сообщает Military.com, программа Falcon (Force Application and Launch from CONus) ставит целью обеспечение возможности нанесения удара по любой точке земного шара с установленных на территории США пусковых комплексов с задержкой, не превышающей 2 часов. В настоящее время этот параметр составляет 12 часов. Информация о самом аппарате пока что скудна - данных о его предполагаемой размерности, в частности, не приводится. Конструкция аппарата разрабатывалась в Ливерморской лаборатории.

фсе понятно


баян
https://www.llnl.gov/str/Carter.html

[Sharicoff]

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123200332

Air Force space officials prepare to launch first Minotaur IV


4/16/2010 - LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) -- The first launch of the Minotaur IV Space Launch Vehicle is scheduled to occur April 20 at noon PDT from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

The Minotaur IV is the newest variant in the Minotaur family of rockets built by Orbital Sciences Corporation. It is a four-stage solid rocket vehicle consisting of three decommissioned Peacekeeper missile stages and a fourth commercially built stage developed by OSC. For this maiden lift-off, the rocket will be in a "lite" configuration consisting of only the first three stages and no fourth stage due to mission requirements.

The payload for this first launch is the Hypersonic Technology Vehicle, or HTV, built by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency scientists. The Falcon HTV-2 program is an innovative research and development joint venture of DARPA and the Air Force to develop and demonstrate hypersonic technologies that will help achieve a prompt global-reach capability.

The Minotaur family of launch vehicles are provided via the Orbital/Suborbital Program 2 and managed by the Space Development and Test Wing's Launch Test Squadron located at Kirtland AFB, N.M.

Scientists at the Space Development and Test Wing develop and provide operationally responsive space capabilities that expand warfighter access to national space assets that enhance mission command and control, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

The Air Force Space Command's Space and Missile Systems Center, located at Los Angeles AFB is the Air Force's center of acquisition excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems and includes six wings and three groups responsible for GPS, military satellite communications, defense meteorological satellites, space launch and range systems, satellite control network, space based infrared systems, intercontinental ballistic missile systems and space situational awareness capabilities.

[Sharicoff]

"noon PDT" это как я понимаю 19:00 UTC? Так?

[Salo]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html

April 21/22     Atlas 5  •  OTV
Launch window: 2244-0107 GMT on 21st-22nd (6:44 p.m.-9:07 p.m. EDT on 21st)
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket (AV-012) will launch the U.S. military's X-37B, a prototype space plane also called the Orbital Test Vehicle. The rocket will fly in the 501 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, no solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from April 19 and 20 due to range conflict. [April 15]

[Sharicoff]

Кхм. А причем здесь пуск с Канаверала? Это же совсем другая птичка.

[hecata]

http://www.rol.ru/news/misc/spacenews/06/02/02_001.htm

Летные испытания[/size]
 Уже в сентябре 2007 года аппарат Falcon Hypersonic Test Vehicle-1 (HTV-1) должен будет совершить первый полет, в ходе которого ему предстоит развить скорость 19 Мах с выходом за пределы земной атмосферы и входом в нее в диапазоне высот около 30-50 км над поверхностью Земли. Весь полет займет менее часа, аппарат по завершении испытаний будет затоплен в Тихом океане.
 Вторые летные испытания планируется провести в 2008-2009 гг. Аппарат HTV-2 усовершенствованной конструкции будет обладать повышенной управляемостью, а также более высоким отношением риска к летным характеристикам. Скорость полета также составит 22 Маха, полет продолжительностью свыше одного часа завершится затоплением аппарата в Тихом океане.
 Третий, завершающий полет аппарата HTV-3, запланированный на 2009 год, будет существенно отличаться от остальных. Во-первых, максимальная скорость полета составит 10 Мах. Во-вторых, аппарат стартует с базы Уоллоп в штате Виржиния и после завершения полета над Атлантическим океаном не погибнет. Аппарат будет спасен, что позволит протестировать свойства защитных покрытий, допускающих многократное использование. Первый многоразовый гиперзвуковой аппарат будет также обладать более высокими аэродинамическими характеристиками.

Счас какой летит?

Программа закрыта, но можно считать что это HTV-2 минус некоторые фичи.

[интересующийся]

http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/release.asp?prid=727

Orbital Set to Launch First Minotaur IV Rocket for U.S. Air Force This Week
-- Suborbital Launch of Peacekeeper-Based Rocket to Support DARPAs HTV-2 Hypersonic Research Mission --
(Dulles, VA 19 April 2010) -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB), one of the world's leading space technology companies, today announced that it is prepared to launch the first of its  Minotaur IV rockets in support of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Hypersonic Technology Vehicle-2 (HTV-2) program.  The Minotaur IV launch vehicle is based on decommissioned Peacekeeper rocket motors that Orbital integrates and upgrades with modern avionics and other subsystems to produce a cost-effective booster based on flight-proven hardware.  Subject to final preparations and favorable weather conditions, the mission will originate from Space Launch Complex-8 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA, with its first available launch window from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (PST) tomorrow, April 20, 2010.  

For the HTV-2 mission, Orbital will fly a three-stage Minotaur IV "Lite" version of the rocket to carry out the suborbital flight trajectory.  The Minotaur IV will propel the HTV-2 air vehicle into the upper atmosphere, where it will be released.  The HTV-2 will then descend at hypersonic speed into the Pacific Ocean near Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.    

The Minotaur IV rocket is the newest in the Minotaur family of launchers that Orbital produces for the U.S. Air Force under the Orbital/Suborbital Program-2 contract.  The first orbital mission of the Minotaur IV will take place later this year when it launches the Air Force's Space Base Space Surveillance (SBSS) satellite.  

"The first flight of the Minotaur IV rocket ushers in an all-new capability for the Air Force and other U.S. Government customers at a time when reliable, cost-effective missions are at a premium," said Mr. Ron Grabe, Orbital's Executive Vice President and General Manager of its Launch Systems Group.  "Building on the outstanding record of the 16 previous flights of the Minotaur family, all of which have been successful, we are excited to begin flying the Minotaur IV rocket for our Air Force customer."

The debut of Minotaur IV begins a series of launch vehicle system introductions that will highlight Orbital's position as the most active current developer of new rocket systems in the world.  Beginning with Minotaur IV, Orbital is scheduled to complete the development and carry out the first flights of five new space and strategic launch systems in the next two and a half years.  
The four other launch vehicles are the Launch Abort System for NASA's Orion program, the two-stage interceptor booster for the Missile Defense Agency's Ground-based Midcourse Defense system, the Taurus II medium-class space launch vehicle for NASA and other customers, and the Air Force's Minotaur V rocket that is scheduled to launch NASA's LADEE lunar mission in 2012.

Mr. Grabe also stated, "With the introduction of several new space launch vehicles in the next couple of years, combined with our heritage Pegasus, Taurus and Minotaur vehicles, Orbital will offer its defense and intelligence, civil government and commercial satellite customers the world's most complete and proven line of launchers for small- and medium-class satellites weighing up to 12,000 lbs."        

About the HTV-2 Mission

DARPA's HTV-2 program objective is to create new technological options that enable capabilities that urgently address threats to U.S. national security.  The program is developing and testing an unmanned, rocket-launched, maneuverable, hypersonic air vehicle that glides through the Earth's atmosphere, at speeds of Mach 20 and above.  The key technical challenges of the HTV-2 program are the design of an innovative high lift-to-drag aerodynamic shape, advanced lightweight but tough thermal protection structures, materials and fabrication technologies, autonomous hypersonic navigation guidance and control systems, and an autonomous flight safety system.

About Minotaur IV

The Minotaur IV space launch vehicle leverages the flight-proven heritage of Orbital's Minotaur I, Pegasus and Taurus space launch vehicles to provide a reliable, capable and cost-effective space launcher. Minotaur IV utilizes three government-furnished solid rocket motors from decommissioned Peacekeeper ICBMs and a commercial solid rocket upper stage. Minotaur IV builds on a long heritage of launch systems with over 50 flights of each core stage and is capable of launching payloads up to 3,800 lbs. (1,730 kgs.) to low Earth orbit.
 

[flateric]

как же без картинок-то обойтись

[Старый]

Супостат демонстрирует маневрирующую боеголовку?

[flateric]

ну это как бы с самого начала подразумевалось
только она не совсем боеголовка

[Брабонт]

flateric, спасибо. А можно добыть в сети сей пресс-кит целиком?

[Sharicoff]

Интересно - а почему они ее сразу на Кваджалейн не запускают? Зачем такой хитрый маневр но курсу после отработки маршевых ступеней?

[flateric]

flateric, спасибо. А можно добыть в сети сей пресс-кит целиком?

пресс-кита как такового в природе нет
это надергано из презентаций DARPA и AIAAшных бумаг
чуть позже попробую выложить

[flateric]

кто бы мог подумать, что можно обнаружить в бумаге с названием

"TTO Overview to Women in Defense"
http://wid.ndia.org/pdf/David_Neyland%20_Briefing.pdf

ну и вторая
The DARPA/AF Falcon Program: The Hypersonic Technology Vehicle #2 (HTV-2) Flight Demonstration Phase
http://files.mail.ru/3XXB89

[Брабонт]

http://www.vandenberg.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123200637

4/20/2010 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.  -- The launch of a Minotaur IV spacelift booster is delayed due to forecasted weather.

The rocket was set to launch from Space Launch Complex-8 on south base Tuesday, April 20, 2010. The launch has been rescheduled with a time frame of noon-6 p.m. Wednesday, April 21, 2010.

[Брабонт]

23:20 Рейс задержан, проблемы с ракетой.

02:50 Дали добро, десятиминутная готовность.

03:03 Подтверждён пуск!

03:05 Есть отделение нагрузки.

[Брабонт]

First Minotaur IV Lite launches from Vandenberg

4/22/2010 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.  -- Team Vandenberg launched the first Minotaur IV Lite launch vehicle at 4 p.m. April 22 from Space Launch Complex-8 here.

The rocket launched the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2.

The 30th Space Wing commander, Col. David Buck, was the launch decision authority.

The Minotaur family of launch vehicles are provided via the Orbital/Suborbital Program 2 and managed by the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Space Development and Test Wing's Launch Test Squadron located at Kirtland AFB, N.M.

[Liss]

Таким образом, гиперзвуковая игрушка улетела за 52 минуты до шаттла X-37B. Однако 22 апреля -- праздник американской военой космонавтики.

[Космос-3794]

Праздник не удался:

A new Minotaur launch vehicle derived from retired missile parts successfully blasted off from the California coast Thursday, but officials lost contact with a hypersonic glider testbed for a U.S. military quick-response global strike system.
The craft, called the Hypersonic Test Vehicle 2a, apparently did not complete all of its planned maneuvers to demonstrate new hypersonic flight systems.
"Preliminary review of technical data indicates the Minotaur Lite launch system successfully delivered the Falcon HTV 2 glide vehicle to the desired separation conditions," the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency said in a statement. "The launch vehicle executed first of its kind energy management maneuvers, clamshell payload fairing release and HTV 2 deployment."
The HTV 2a payload launched Thursday separated from the Minotaur high in the upper atmosphere at a velocity more than 20 times the speed of sound.
But tracking assets lost contact with the triangle-shaped craft 9 minutes after liftoff. "An engineering team is reviewing available data to understand this event," DARPA said in a written statement.
After its release from the Minotaur third stage, the craft was designed to try out its aerodynamic control system and conduct sweeping turns to bleed off excess energy and demonstrate its cross-range capabilities.
The DARPA press release did not specify whether any of the test maneuvers were completed before controllers lost communications with the craft.
The HTV was built by Lockheed Martin Corp.
A second test vehicle was scheduled for launch in early 2011 on a similar flight, according to a DARPA spokesperson.
But that schedule was announced before Thursday's mishap.

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1004/23minotaur/index.html