Electron - ракета компании Rocket Lab

[Дмитрий В.]

Василий Ратников пишет:
Место не удачное ? Ракета слишком легкая ? Пока тесты перестраховка ?
по ветру и первую переносили много раз.

Нестрашный "страшный ветер".

[Чебурашка]

А сегодня летим?

[tnt22]

Чебурашка пишет:
А сегодня летим?

Не летим...

Rocket Lab‏Подлинная учетная запись @RocketLab 14 мин назад

Today's launch attempt has been scrubbed following the identification of a power fault during ground checkouts. Team will work the issue tomorrow before a new target launch time is determined in coming days.

[tnt22]

Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow 29 мин назад

Rocket Lab delays launch from New Zealand to no earlier than Saturday (Sunday in New Zealand) to resolve power fault https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/12/10/electron-still-testing-mission-status-center/ ...

[tnt22]

12/15/2017 06:06

Sunday, Dec. 17, in New Zealand is the last launch date available in Rocket Lab's current 10-day launch period. The company says the pre-approved period could be extended into next week to allow more launch opportunities.

The original 10-day period, which opened Dec. 8, was granted by regulatory authorities overseeing the flight.

[tnt22]

Rocket Lab‏Подлинная учетная запись @RocketLab 2 ч назад

#StillTesting launch attempt is now targeted for early 2018. Yesterday's power fault has been resolved, but with only one day remaining in the launch window we've decided to preserve crew rest and come back for an attempt in the new year.

[tnt22]

http://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-postpones-electron-launch-to-early-2018/

Rocket Lab postpones Electron launch to early 2018
by Jeff Foust — December 16, 2017


The engines on the first stage of the Electron rocket briefly ignited before an abort two seconds from liftoff Dec. 11 triggered a shutdown. Credit: Rocket Lab webcast

WASHINGTON — Stymied by poor weather and technical glitches, including one that aborted a launch just two seconds before liftoff, Rocket Lab said Dec. 16 it will delay its next Electron launch attempt until early 2018.

Спойлер

In a statement, the company said it had corrected the latest problem to postpone the launch, a power fault that scrubbed a launch attempt Dec. 14 (U.S. time) from the company's launch site on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula.

However, it said, "with only one day remaining in the launch window Rocket Lab has made the decision to delay an attempt until the new year." The company's original 10-day launch window was scheduled to end Dec. 16, U.S. time, although the company said earlier in the week it had considered working with local authorities to extending that window by several days.

Rocket Lab said in its statement that the decision not to extend the window was made "in order to preserve crew rest," and that a new launch window will be announced early next year.

The company was initially forced to delay several launch attempts when winds exceeded conservative limits set by Rocket Lab for this launch. Conditions improved to permit a launch attempt on the evening of Dec. 11. The countdown was aborted two seconds before liftoff, though, when computer systems detected a problem with the rocket. Rocket Lab later said liquid oxygen temperatures in one of the rocket's nine first-stage engines was higher that allowed, which it blamed on the warm afternoon temperatures at the launch site.

The company rescheduled the launch for Dec. 13, but scrubbed it due to high upper level winds. A Dec. 14 launch attempt was then scrubbed because of a power fault with an unspecific element of the vehicle discovered during ground checkouts.

When it does take place, this will be the second launch for the Electron, a small launch vehicle capable of placing up to 150 kilograms into a sun-synchronous orbit. The first Electron launch in May failed to reach orbit, which the company later said was due to a telemetry problem that triggered range safety systems about four minutes after liftoff, and not a problem with the rocket itself.

This launch, dubbed "Still Testing" by Rocket Lab, does carry satellite payloads in addition to test instrumentation: two Lemur-2 cubesats from Spire, a company that operates a constellation of ship-tracking and weather satellites; and one Dove cubesat from Planet, which has a constellation of Earth imaging satellites.

Rocket Lab originally planned a campaign of three test flights before entering commercial service, but the company said that if this second launch is successful, it will likely proceed directly into commercial missions.

[свернуть]

[tnt22]

http://spaceflight101.com/rocket-lab-abandons-still-testing-launch-campaign-until-early-2018/

Rocket Lab Abandons "Still Testing" Launch Campaign Until Early 2018
December 18, 2017


Photo: Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab is ending its "Still Testing" launch campaign for 2017, moving the second test flight of the company's Electron launch vehicle into early 2018 after encountering weather and technical delays over the course of a week of attempts.

Спойлер

"Still Testing" has the objective of demonstrating the last push to orbit after the first Electron test flight in May managed to reach space but fell short of orbit after taking off from New Zealand.

"It's a Test" left the launch pad on May 25, carrying a dummy payload and a plethora of sensors to collect an extensive data set on how the all-composite rocket and all its components fare in the actual mission environment. Although Electron did not manage to achieve orbit when targeting an orbital injection, the flight was classed a success since all critical events including first stage flight, stage separation, second stage ignition and payload fairing jettison could be demonstrated.



Photo: Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab went through the data collected during the test flight with a fine-tooth comb to identify what caused the flight to end prematurely and evaluate any possible weak points on the vehicle or flight design that may need improvement to achieve the final push into orbit. It was determined that the test flight had to be terminated due to no fault of the rocket itself but a very basic misconfiguration of a piece of communications equipment on the ground that caused the signal from the climbing rocket to be lost earlier than planned, prompting Range Safety to terminate the flight.

Analysis was complete by early August and the second Electron rocket traveled from the company's manufacturing base near Auckland to the Mahia launch site in the first half November. Assembly of the two stage rocket and integration of the CubeSat Deployers set the stack up for final acceptance tests before Electron moved to the launch pad for a Wet Dress Rehearsal on November 30 in preparation for a launch period of December 8 through 18 with daily launch windows stretching from 1:30 to 5:30 UTC (2:30-6:30p.m. local time).

Due to unfavorable upper level winds, Rocket Lab pushed the mission to a launch target of Monday, December 11, but that attempt was halted due to weather conditions and orbital traffic in the form of the International Space Station that left only six minutes of usable window time. Engineers re-grouped and pressed into a 24-hour recycle as winds aloft finally shaped up to meet the tight requirements set for Electron's test flight program with future operational missions capable of dealing with a greater range of conditions.

Electron stood fully fueled with 11.4 metric tons of Liquid Oxygen and Rocket Propellant 1 when teams initiated the 12-minute terminal countdown sequence, aiming for a 3:50 UTC liftoff on December 12. The vehicle was handed control of the countdown at T-2 minutes and commanded its nine electric-pump-fed Rutherford engines to fire up at T-2 seconds. Flames erupted from the base of the rocket for a fraction of a second before Electron's computers commanded an abort and shut down the first stage. Launch Controllers at the Mahia launch site and Rocket Lab's Auckland control facility verified Electron was safe before proceeding with data reviews of the anomaly.


Photo: Rocket Lab

Data reviews showed the shutdown was triggered due to rising Liquid Oxygen temperatures caused by the rocket's LOX chilldown bleed schedule that turned out to be insufficient for the warm temperatures seen for the launch attempt. Implementation of a procedural fix was straightforward through adjustment of LOX valve cycles to increase the bleed. With the fix in place, Rocket Lab proceeded for an attempt on the 13th but winds aloft once again came in the way of getting Electron off the pad.

An attempt on Friday saw teams proceed into vehicle activation and checkouts despite dicey upper level winds in the hopes of finding a window to safely send Electron on its way but efforts ended when a power system fault was discovered during ground checkouts. It was decided to troubleshoot the issue the following day which led to the successful resolution of the power system problem; however, Rocket Lab also made the decision to end attempts for 2017 and move the rocket back into the hangar for an attempt in early 2018.

Factors that played into the decision were crew rest considerations and the fact that only one day remained in the ten-day window that had been reserved for the mission with local authorities controlling the maritime and aeronautical safety zones around Mahia Peninsula. No new launch period has been reserved for the mission.


Photo: Rocket Lab

"Still Testing" has the primary objective of demonstrating Electron can reach orbit and the flight is also carrying three pathfinder satellites – two Lemur ship-tracking & atmospheric profiling satellites operated by Spire Global and a lone Dove from San Francisco-based Planet as both companies took the opportunity of launching inexpensive CubeSats on Electron to validate pre-launch integration and launch procedures for future launches since both are expected to become customers for regular Electron missions.

Electron is sized for the growing-small satellite market, capable of launching satellites of up to 150 Kilograms in single-payload deliveries and lifting clusters of CubeSats. Rocket Lab plans to charge $4.9 million per Electron flight, significantly less than any other launch services provider currently in operation.

>> Electron Launch Vehicle Overview


Photo: Rocket Lab

Electron, sometimes called the 'first battery-powered' rocket, is the first orbital launch vehicle to rely on electric-pump-fed engines, 3D printing for all major engine components and an all-carbon-composite structure – creating a 21st century launch vehicle.

Standing 17 meters tall, Electron measures 1.2 meters in diameter and weighs in at 12,550 Kilograms when fully loaded with Liquid Oxygen oxidizer and Kerosene fuel – a common and well-understood propellant combination. One of Rocket Lab's flagship developments is the Rutherford engine, the first electric pump-fed engine to reach the launch pad, substituting complex turbomachinery driven by high-pressure combustion gases with a pair of brushless electric motors that drive the engine's fuel and oxidizer pumps.

[свернуть]

[tnt22]

Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust 42 мин. назад

Garrett Skrobot, NASA: our Venture Class Launch Services contract with Rocket Lab is schedule for no earlier than March 2018. Will launch 14 cubesats. #TRBAM

[Pirat5]

Мда. вот и выяснилось, что как минимум декабрь - нелётный сезон по ветрам.

[Salo]

Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight
Chris B - NSF Ретвитнул(а) Rocket Lab
*Engine Assembly Complete*
"Not quite. You forgot to add the pretty bow."
*Pretty Bow Installed. Engine Assembly Complete*

Rocket Lab‏Подлинная учетная запись @RocketLab
A fresh batch of Rutherford engines rolling off the line at our Huntington Beach factory. Not long until these are integrated onto our fourth Electron launch vehicle. #Electron #Rutherford
 

[Salo]

 Rocket Lab‏Подлинная учетная запись @RocketLab  
Today marks the beginning of a new era in commercial access to space. Thank you to @planetlabs and @SpireGlobal for joining us on this ride. #Electron #StillTesting #PassedTheTest
 

[Вернер П.]

Первая ступень - 9 ЖРД Резерфорд
 Вторая ступень - 1 ЖРД Резерфорд

Не читали чтоли Старого, бедолаги? И эти сделали неправильную ракету  :|
   

[Hrono]

 Это самая маленькая ракета выводящая полезную нагрузку на орбиту Земли или были меньше?

[Alex_II]

Hrono пишет:
Это самая маленькая ракета выводящая полезную нагрузку на орбиту Земли или были меньше?

Есть японская SS-520-4, выводит аж 3 килограмма и весит 2,6т

[Hrono]

Alex_II пишет:
Есть японская SS-520-4, выводит аж 3 килограмма и весит 2,6т

 Всего? Спасибо, очень интересно, надо посмотреть, что это такое.

[Василий Ратников]

Любопытно что РН не вращался как первая, из этого делаю вывод что в первом запуске что о пошло не так и видимо с равномерностью тяги 9 напечатанных на принтере двигателей, и первый вариант так далеко улетел только благодоря самоотверженной работе бортового компа парировавшего отклонения.

[Serge V Iz]

первый вариант так далеко улетел только благодоря самоотверженной работе бортового компа парировавшего отклонения

или так замысловато летел благодаря этому компу. ошибки типа "обратная полярность" бывают не так уж и редко ))

[Alex_II]

Serge V Iz пишет:
или так замысловато летел благодаря этому компу. ошибки типа "обратная полярность" бывают не так уж и редко ))

Учитывая что количество каналов телеметрии на Электроне пожалуй больше чем на любой другой летавшей ракете - ребята видимо разобрались где косяк и устранили... Бодро машинка со старта ушла, надо сказать... Прям как МБР...

[Serge V Iz]

 Бодро машинка со старта ушла, надо сказать... Прям как МБР

Ну, до МБР далеко ) но энергичнее Союза-1в )

Интересно, что заметного догорания топлива в факеле и плотного дымного хвоста нет. Это они так раздельными электронасосами хорошо отрегулировались?