РН Electron от новозеландской Rocket Lab

[tnt22]

https://www.rocketlabusa.com/news/updates/rocket-lab-selected-by-nasa-to-launch-pathfinder-mission-to-the-moon/

Rocket Lab Selected by NASA to Launch Pathfinder Mission to the Moon⁠

Rocket Lab Selected by NASA to Launch Pathfinder Mission to the Moon

14 February 2020 – Rocket Lab, a space technology company and global leader in dedicated small satellite launch, has been selected by NASA as the launch provider for a small satellite mission to the same lunar orbit targeted for Gateway – an orbiting outpost astronauts will visit before descending to the surface of the Moon in a landing system as part of NASA's Artemis program.

The Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) is expected to be the first spacecraft to operate in a near rectilinear halo orbit around the Moon. In this unique orbit, CAPSTONE will rotate together with the Moon as it orbits Earth and will pass as close as 1,000 miles and as far as 43,500 miles from the lunar surface. CAPSTONE will demonstrate how to enter into and operate in this orbit as well as test a new navigation capability. This data will help to reduce navigation uncertainties ahead of future missions for Gateway, as NASA and international partners work to ensure astronauts have safe access to the Moon's surface.

The satellite will be launched on Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle from Launch Complex 2, located within the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, USA. After launch, Rocket Lab's high performance configurable satellite bus platform, Photon, will deliver CAPSTONE on a ballistic lunar transfer. Photon's Curie propulsion system will allow the satellite to break free of Earth's gravity and head to the Moon. Then, CAPSTONE will use its own propulsion system to enter a cislunar orbit, which is the orbital area near and around the Moon. After launch, CAPSTONE take approximately three months to enter its target orbit and begin a six-month primary demonstration phase to understand operations in this unique orbit. The mission is targeted for launch in early 2021.

Rocket Lab founder and chief executive Peter Beck said "Small satellites like CAPSTONE will play a crucial role in supporting the return of human missions to the Moon and we're proud to be supporting NASA in this unique and pivotal mission. As a dedicated mission on Electron, we're able to provide NASA with complete control over every aspect of launch and mission design for CAPSTONE, something typically only available to much larger spacecraft on larger launch vehicles. In the same way we opened access to low Earth orbit for small satellites, we're proud to be bringing the Moon within reach to enable research and exploration."

Supporting the mission on Electron is Space Exploration Engineering, who will contribute to mission planning, trajectory analysis, orbit determination, as well as KSAT who will provide global ground station coverage for the mission.

[tnt22]

Rocket Lab✔@RocketLab 10:26 PM - Mar 1, 2020

Construction is moving quickly on our second pad at Launch Complex 1. Operating two pads at LC-1 and another pad at LC-2 in the U.S. gives our customers unmatched flexibility over their launch.

[tnt22]

Peter Beck@Peter_J_Beck 6:46 AM - Mar 5, 2020

LC-2 just received its first Electron! Integrated testing is underway with pad roll out coming up in the next few weeks.

[tnt22]

https://www.rocketlabusa.com/news/updates/capella-space-and-rocket-lab-to-launch-mid-inclination-satellite-to-enable-improved-monitoring-of-key-global-regions/

Capella Space and Rocket Lab to Launch Mid-Inclination Satellite to Enable Improved Monitoring of Key Global Regions

Capella Space and Rocket Lab to Launch Mid-Inclination Satellite to Enable Improved Monitoring of Key Global Regions

Rocket Lab launching dedicated mission for Capella Space to kick off series of Whitney satellite constellation

05 March 2020 – Rocket Lab, a space technology company and global leader in dedicated small satellite launch, has inked a deal to launch a dedicated mission for Capella Space, an aerospace and information services company providing Earth observation data on demand. Together, Capella Space and Rocket Lab will launch the first ever synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite that delivers commercial data into a mid-inclination orbit to optimize hotspot monitoring of key regions in the world.

Launching later this year, the mission will loft the first satellite of Capella Space's Whitney constellation on an Electron launch vehicle from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand's Māhia Peninsula. By positioning the satellite to a 45 degree inclination, Capella Space will maximize coverage over important areas such as the Middle East, Korea, Japan, South East Asia, Africa and the U.S. This launch paves the way for reliable and persistent imagery of anywhere on the globe, day or night, and in any weather conditions. Capella's space-based radar can detect sub-0.5 meter changes on the surface of the Earth, providing insights and data that can be used for security, agricultural and infrastructure monitoring, as well as disaster response and recovery.  

"At Capella Space, we help our customers solve some of the world's biggest and most complex problems – from climate change to infrastructure monitoring – using on-demand, accurate Earth observation data," said Payam Banazadeh, CEO of Capella Space. "Launching our first Whitney satellite on a dedicated Rocket Lab mission allows us to stay in control of our orbit and focus on our goal to deliver customer-focused solutions in a timely manner."

Capella Space will be the primary payload on the Electron launch vehicle, enabling Capella to select a specific orbit and launch timeline to meet its customer needs in terms of coverage, revisit and image quality.

"Our dedicated launch solution will get Capella Space on orbit faster, enabling them to focus on their core mission – providing reliable, up to the hour imagery data to inform everyday decisions down here on Earth," said Rocket Lab founder and chief executive, Peter Beck. "By launching on Electron, the team at Capella are in control of their mission every step of the way. The ability to book a launch quickly, have control over launch timing and select an exact orbit puts customers like Capella in the driver's seat as they build out their constellations how and when they want to."  

While the Capella Space mission is scheduled for mid-2020, Rocket Lab's next Electron launch will be on the pad at Launch Complex 1 in late March. Details of the next mission and customer will be released in the coming week.

[tnt22]

Rocket Lab‏ @RocketLab 4 ч. назад

Welcome to Electron, @capellaspace! We are thrilled to be launching the first Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite of Capella's Whitney constellation. Launching from LC-1 later this year. Read more: https://bit.ly/2wt2XDl






4 ч. назад

The launch paves the way for reliable & persistent imagery of anywhere on the globe, day or night, in any weather.Capella can detect sub-0.5m changes on Earth's surface, providing insights that can be used for security, agricultural & infrastructure monitoring + disaster response


4 ч. назад

We can't wait to launch this mission, but we have a few other launches scheduled from LC-1 first! Stay tuned for an update in the coming days on our next mission.

[tnt22]

https://www.rocketlabusa.com/news/updates/rocket-lab-to-acquire-satellite-hardware-manufacturer-sinclair-interplanetary/

Rocket Lab to Acquire Satellite Hardware Manufacturer Sinclair Interplanetary

Rocket Lab to Acquire Satellite Hardware Manufacturer Sinclair Interplanetary

The combined capabilities of both companies will provide small satellite customers with optimized spacecraft solutions and cohesive launch services

Long Beach, California. Monday 16 March– Rocket Lab, a space systems company and the global leader in dedicated small satellite launch, has reached an agreement to acquire Sinclair Interplanetary, a leading provider of high-quality, flight-proven satellite hardware. Financial terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed.

The acquisition strengthens the satellite division of Rocket Lab, which produces the Photon spacecraft line, and will enable Sinclair to tap into Rocket Lab's resources, scale, manufacturing capability and innovative technology.

Founded in 2001 by Doug Sinclair, Toronto-based Sinclair Interplanetary develops reliable, best-in-class spacecraft hardware, including reaction wheels and star trackers that support rapid-schedule small satellite programs. More than 90 satellites incorporating Sinclair hardware have been launched to orbit, including Rocket Lab-launched satellites from AstroDigital, ALE, and BlackSky. The Sinclair team has been entrusted with developing hardware for world-first missions: BRITE, the world's smallest space telescope; and The Planetary Society's LightSail 2, the first satellite in Earth orbit to be propelled solely by sunlight. Satellite communications company, Kepler Communications, has also selected Sinclair reaction wheels for its constellation of 140 Internet of Things satellites currently in development.

Rocket Lab will look to leverage Sinclair Interplanetary's strong brand and equally impressive heritage of innovation, quality, and execution. Sinclair products will be key features of Rocket Lab's in-house designed and built Photon satellite platforms, and Rocket Lab will bring additional resources to grow Sinclair's already strong merchant spacecraft components business.

Rocket Lab Founder and Chief Executive, Peter Beck, said that "by combining the experience and capabilities of both companies, Rocket Lab will deliver reliable and flexible satellite and launch solutions that enable customers to do more, spend less and reach orbit faster." Mr. Beck added that "Doug Sinclair and his team at Sinclair Interplanetary are recognized as industry leaders and, like Rocket Lab, they produce best-in-class solutions that satellite operators know they can count on. Sinclair's dedication to quality and reliability aligns perfectly with Rocket Lab's commitment to mission success. We're thrilled to welcome Doug and the entire Sinclair team to the Rocket Lab family, and we look forward to working with them on Sinclair's continued growth and success."

Doug Sinclair added "Rocket Lab has played a pivotal role in making it easy for small satellites to access space. By operating as one company, we now have the opportunity to do the same for satellite manufacturing and make our hardware available to more customers globally. We will be able to supply larger constellations than before, and take our hardware out to the Moon and beyond.  I look forward to working with Peter and the Rocket Lab team as we move into an exciting new era for Sinclair Interplanetary."

[tnt22]

https://www.rocketlabusa.com/news/updates/rocket-labs-electron-launch-vehicle-certified-by-nasa/

Rocket Lab's Electron Launch Vehicle Certified by NASA

Rocket Lab's Electron Launch Vehicle Certified by NASA

The certification enables NASA to launch small satellites on Electron, providing confidence for the nation's low-cost science, research and exploration payloads

Long Beach, California. 17 March 2020 – NASA has certified Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle, providing confidence for NASA's low cost scientific, educational and technology demonstration small satellites.

The certification milestone was achieved largely through the successful launch of the NASA ELaNa-19 mission which saw 13 NASA CubeSats delivered to orbit by Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle in December 2018. The mission was Rocket Lab's fourth successful Electron launch. It marked a significant milestone for NASA's forward-leaning Venture Class Launch Services (VCLS) initiative because it was the first time NASA CubeSats received a dedicated ride to orbit on a commercial launch vehicle. Following this launch, an extensive assessment of Rocket Lab's Electron production facilities and processes was also carried out in 2019, culminating in the Category 1 certification being awarded.

Darren Bedell, the LSP Launch Services Development and Risk Manager determined that "Rocket Lab has demonstrated their strong commitment to maintaining a quality management system," and added "Rocket Lab's management team are deliberate in ensuring processes are controlled, repeatable, and measurable to ensure mission success."

NASA is now considering Rocket Lab for Category 2 Certification, a classification that enables a launch provider to fly higher value payloads. The Category 2 Certification method offered by LSP requires a vehicle to have performed at least six consecutive successful missions of the same configuration. As of February 2020, Rocket Lab's Electron vehicle has conducted 10 consecutive successful orbital missions, deploying payloads for commercial and government customers including DARPA, the U.S. Air Force, and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).

"NASA Certification is a significant achievement for our team and testament to our unwavering commitment to reliable and cost-effective launch for small satellites," said Rocket Lab founder and chief executive Peter Beck. "We have a strong partnership with NASA that was established through the ELaNa-19 launch and continues today with the upcoming CAPSTONE mission that will see our Electron launch vehicle and Photon spacecraft deliver a NASA satellite to lunar orbit next year. We're honored to be selected by NASA to launch these important pathfinding missions that pave the way for future exploration."

[tnt22]

https://www.rocketlabusa.com/news/updates/an-update-on-covid-19/

An update on COVID-19

An update on Rocket Lab's response to COVID-19

As the COVID-19 situation has developed globally, we've been collaborating with our team members, customers, and health officials to ensure we're doing all we can to protect our people and play our part in reducing the spread of the virus.

The health of our team, our families, and the wider communities we're a part of is and always will be our top priority. For this reason, all non-production Rocket Lab team members who can work fr om home have been doing so this past week and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. This includes teams at our headquarters in Long Beach, California, as well as at our launch sites and facilities in Wallops Island, Virginia, and in New Zealand.

Following yesterday's decision by the City of Long Beach and State of California to issue "Safer At Home" orders that close all non-essential businesses, we have furthered our precautionary efforts and now the majority of our Long Beach team is working from home. Because our work in aerospace manufacturing is categorized as a critical infrastructure sector under The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) directive, a significantly reduced number of mission critical personnel will remain operating from our facilities. We are committed to safely providing this essential service to our United States Government customers during these challenging times.

We're taking additional precautions to care for these team members, including physical distancing and increased cleaning and sanitization of our work environment.

Our next mission is still on track, with lift-off currently scheduled for no earlier than 30 March UTC. We are also working with our customers and local government authorities to minimize any potential disruption to our future missions planned in the months ahead. In recent years, we have placed an increased emphasis on delivering responsive launch capability for our customers, which means having launch vehicles and pads ready for rapid call up launch capability. As a result of this approach, we're fortunate to have enough launch vehicles ready that we can effectively manage a pause in production with minimal impact to our scheduled manifest.  

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, so will we. In the uncertain days, weeks and months ahead we'll be heeding the advice of health and government authorities to keep our team and communities safe. We are grateful to city and state leaders for making the difficult but necessary decisions to lim it the spread of COVID-19. We also extend our deepest gratitude to the healthcare workers, supermarket employees, and researchers who are supporting us all through these uncharted waters.

Stay safe and look out for each other.

[aaa1]

Не придумал, куда прикрепить. Пусть тут будет.


vadim_proskurin) 
2020-03-19 22:21:00

Простыня для медитации.
Все космические ракеты в одном масштабе:

[tnt22]

aaa1 написал:
Не придумал, куда прикрепить. Пусть тут будет.

А чего не в Союз али там в SpaceX Falcon 9, ну или в зоопарк китайских ракет? Чем Электрон то провинился, пошто его в мусорную свалку-то превращать?.. Если чо - вопрос риторический, ответа не ожидается...

P.S. Здесь сей рисунок уж точно искать не будут...

[tnt22]

https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/03/26/citing-coronavirus-concerns-rocket-lab-pauses-launch-operations/

Citing coronavirus concerns, Rocket Lab pauses launch operations
March 26, 2020 | Stephen Clark

...
The other initiative undertaken by Rocket Lab to increase its Electron launch rate is a plan to retrieve the rocket's first stage boosters with a helicopter. Once recovered, the stages could be refurbished and reused, easing strain on factories, according to Rocket Lab.

Rocket Lab performed guided re-entry experiments on the first stage during the company's two most recent launches, demonstrating the booster could survive a plunge back through the atmosphere after releasing the Electron's second stage and satellite payloads to continue into orbit.

Beck said Rocket Lab will forego additional guided re-entry experiments on its near-term launches, while engineers focus on an upgrade to add a parachute to the first stage for missions later this year.

"We've really learned all we needed to learn," Beck said in a recent interview. "The stage performed perfectly (on the re-entry experiments), it guided itself all the way through the re-entry corridor and impacted in the ocean. We got data all the way to impact, and that was great."

The next step will the addition of a parachute to slow the descent of returning Rocket Lab boosters.

"There's a flurry of experiments and block upgrades occurring right now for the next series of testing," Beck said. "There will be some catch testing shortly, and also the next big milestone for recovery is actually putting on some chutes and splashing down in the ocean. That will occur later on this year."

Beck said the first launch with a parachute is likely to be on Flight 17 or 18 of the Electron rocket. The next flight is Flight 12.

Rocket Lab is tackling the rocket recovery project in three ways, according to Beck.

"The first pillar — and it's by far the hardest one — is can we make it through the atmosphere in one piece," he said. "We've proven that we can do that successfully, not just once but a couple of times in a row. Then the next pillar is can we get it under a parachute and slow it to a descent rate where it doesn't obliterate itself in the ocean when it impacts, which is another complicated thing, but nowhere near as complicated as getting it through the Earth's atmosphere.

"And then the third pillar is can we successfully scoop something out of the sky with a helicopter," Beck said.

[tnt22]

Rocket Lab | Mid-Air Recovery Demo

Rocket Lab

8 апр. 2020 г.

In early 2020 Rocket Lab successfully completed a mid-air recovery demonstration of an Electron test article.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/N3CWGDhkmbs (3:25)

[tnt22]

https://www.rocketlabusa.com/news/updates/rocket-lab-successfully-completes-electron-mid-air-recovery-test-the-successful-test-brings-rocket-lab-another-step-closer-to-making-electron-a-reusable-launch-vehicle/

Rocket Lab Successfully Completes Electron Mid-Air Recovery Test

Rocket Lab Successfully Completes Electron Mid-Air Recovery Test

The successful test brings Rocket Lab another step closer to making Electron a reusable launch vehicle

Long Beach, California. 8 April 2020 – Rocket Lab, a space systems company and the global leader in dedicated small satellite launch, has successfully completed a mid-air recovery test – a maneuver that involves snagging an Electron test stage fr om the sky with a helicopter. The successful test is a major step forward in Rocket Lab's plans to reuse the first stage of its Electron launch vehicle for multiple missions. The test took place in early March, before 'Safer at Home' orders were issued and before New Zealand entered Alert Level 4 in response to the COVID-19 situation.

Watch the test here:

The test was conducted by dropping an Electron first stage test article from a helicopter over open ocean in New Zealand. A parachute was then deployed from the stage, before a second helicopter closed in on the descending stage and captured it mid-air at around 5,000 ft, using a specially designed grappling hook to snag the parachute's drogue line. After capturing the stage on the first attempt, the helicopter safely carried the suspended stage back to land.

The successful test is the latest in a series of milestones for Rocket Lab as the company works towards a reusable first stage. On the company's two most recent missions, launched in December 2019 and January 2020, Rocket Lab successfully completed guided the re-entries of Electron's first stage. Both stages on those missions carried new hardware and systems to enable recovery testing, including guidance and navigation hardware, S-band telemetry and onboard flight computer systems, to gather data during the stage's atmospheric re-entry. One stage was also equipped with a reaction control system that oriented the first stage 180-degrees for its descent, keeping it dynamically stable for the re-entry. The stage slowed from more than 7,000 km per hour to less than 900 km by the time it reached sea-level, maintaining the correct angle of attack for the full descent.

Rocket Lab founder and chief executive, Peter Beck, says the successful mid-air recovery test is a major step towards increasing launch frequency by eliminating the need to build a new first stage for every mission.

"Congratulations to the recovery team here at Rocket Lab on a flawless mid-air recovery test. Electron has already unlocked access to space for small satellites, but every step closer to reusability is a step closer to even more frequent launch opportunities for our customers. We're looking forward to pushing the technology even further this year and bringing a flown stage back to the factory."

The next phase of recovery testing will see Rocket Lab attempt to recover a full Electron first stage after launch from the ocean downrange of Launch Complex 1 and have it shipped back to Rocket Lab's Production Complex for refurbishment. The stage will not be captured mid-air by helicopter for this test, but will be equipped with a parachute to slow its descent before a soft landing in the ocean wh ere it will be collected by a ship. This mission is currently planned for late-2020.

[tnt22]

360º VR | Test Article View - Mid Air Recovery Demo

Rocket Lab

8 апр. 2020 г.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/q9rW3RZV4kI (3:30)

[Max Andriyahov]

Многоразовость никому не нужна, ага.

[tnt22]

How To Catch A Rocket From Space With A Helicopter (Peter Beck Interview, April 2020)

Everyday Astronaut

Дата премьеры: 11 апр. 2020 г.

Rocket Lab has been making some impressive progress on their efforts to recover the booster stage of their Electron Rockets. I caught up with Rocket Lab CEO and Founder, Peter Beck, and got a run down on some of the exciting things they're working on! 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/cdtQfSkrVUU (34:58)

[tnt22]

https://www.rocketlabusa.com/news/updates/rocket-lab-to-launch-dedicated-mission-for-japanese-space-industry-start-up-company-synspective/

Rocket Lab to Launch Dedicated Mission for Japanese Space Industry Start-up Company Synspective

Rocket Lab to Launch Dedicated Mission for Japanese Space Industry Start-up Company Synspective

The mission will launch the first satellite of Synspective's StriX constellation which will provide commercially available Earth-observation data

Long Beach, California. 14 April 2020 – Rocket Lab, a space technology company and global leader in dedicated small satellite launch, has signed a deal with Japanese satellite company Synspective to launch a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite in late 2020.

Synspective's  StriX-α satellite will be launched on an Electron launch vehicle as a dedicated mission from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand.

The satellite will be the first in Synspective's planned StriX constellation of around 25 SAR satellites designed to provide geospatial solutions. SAR satellites actively observe and acquire Earth surface information by transmitting and receiving reflected microwaves. Compared with optical satellites, which rely on sunlight reflection, SAR can capture images of the ground surface in all weather conditions and at any time of the day or night.

With the StriX constellation, Synspective aims to equip companies, governments, and research organizations with high-quality and user-friendly information data that can be used for urban development planning, construction and infrastructure monitoring, and disaster response.

The StriX-α satellite will be the sole payload on the Electron launch vehicle for this mission, giving Synspective the ability to select the exact orbit, launch site, and launch timing that best suits the company's needs.

"We're delighted to welcome Synspective to Electron, and we're honored to be play such a pivotal role in the development of the StriX constellation," said Rocket Lab Founder and Chief Executive, Peter Beck. "We understand just how important it is to have control over your orbit and your launch schedule when building out a constellation, so we're proud to be delivering that capability to Synspective on Electron."  

"We are very pleased to work with Rocket Lab, a pioneer in rocket ventures. We are also grateful for their flexibility in accepting our requests on the satellite's orbit and launch period," said Synspective Founder and CEO Dr. Motoyuki Arai. "This year, we will launch our first satellite as well as our SAR data solutions. With this launch, we are taking a very important step towards establishing Synspective's one stop service."

[zandr]

http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/news/54128/

Synspective перенесла пуск от компании Arianespace к Rocket Lab
Японская Synspective, которая занимается работами в области радиолокации, объявила о том, что она запустит свой первый космический аппарат с использованием услуг компании Rocket Lab, а не ранее выбранной Arianespace.  По этом поводу оператор ракет семейства Электрон отметил, что предметом контракта является выведение в конце 2020 года космического аппарата  StriX-? (масса 150 кг). Место пуска – Новая Зеландия. Термины пускового контракта не раскрывались. Ранее выведение спутника предусматривало размещение его в качестве попутной нагрузки на ракете Вега. В качестве одной из причин переноса в  Synspective обозначили задержки в предоставлении услуги, которые в начале были обусловлены аварийным пуском ракеты, а сейчас воздействием COVID-19. Кроме того Rocket Lab предложила японской компании выделенный пуск, что дает оператору дополнительные преимущества и возможности гибкого выбора точной даты пуска.
Ожидается что вслед за первым запуском компания Synspective осуществит выведение дополнительных 24 спутников, что позволит ей создать на низкой околоземной орбите достаточно крупную группировку космических аппаратов радиолокационного ДЗЗ, пишет Ecoruspace.
А.Ж.

[tnt22]

Peter Beck @Peter_J_Beck 6:47 AM - Apr 22, 2020

The new LC-2 Integration Control Facility (ICF) just got its roof! It can process 2 Electrons at once to support responsive access to space. Thanks to the teams @VCSFA_MARS, @NASA_Wallops for all your support and to @usairforce for the mission that will debut out of the pad.

[Старый]

aaa1 написал:
Простыня для медитации.
Все космические ракеты в одном масштабе:
     

Космос 11К63 и Молнию забыли. Обижают.