Ещё раз о суборбитальном туризме

[Старый]

Полёты на Старфайтере это уже экстремальный туризм.

[Дмитрий В.]

Полёты на Старфайтере это уже экстремальный туризм.

Просто кто-то "не умеет их готовить"! :lol:

[sychbird]

Полёты на Старфайтере это уже экстремальный туризм.

Просто кто-то "не умеет их готовить"! :lol:

Готовит доктор Дан Дурда!  

[Salo]

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/awst/2011/02/14/AW_02_14_2011_p52-287715.xml&headline=Astrium%20Turns%20To%20Singapore%20For%20Spaceplane

Astrium Turns To Singapore For Spaceplane[/size]

Feb 16, 2011

 By Leithen Francis
Singapore

Astrium will join with Singapore in building a suborbital demonstrator to underpin its fledgling spaceplane program, with a first flight expected perhaps as early as next year.

Singapore-based companies will be building a small-scale demonstrator of the spaceplane, and the first series of test flights will occur here, Astrium executives disclosed at the Global Space & Technology Convention in Singapore on Jan. 25-26.

These same companies may also be involved in developing parts for the commercial product. Astrium is hoping to ultimately have a fleet of commercial spaceplanes stationed at Singapore Changi International Airport.

Christophe Chavagnac, Astrium suborbital spaceplane chief engineer and program manager, says Singapore companies will be designing and building a small-scale demonstrator spaceplane to test aerodynamics and glide capability. This demonstrator will have no engines, whereas the real spaceplane will use turbofan engines along with a rocket powerplant.

The spaceplane's two fuselage-mounted commercial turbofan engines will be needed for takeoff and initial ascent. Once the spaceplane reaches an altitude of 12 km (39,000 ft.), the rocket engine will take over. At this point, the spaceplane will ascend to a maximum altitude of 100 km before descending. There will be a period where the vehicle glides, before the turbofan engines are started and the craft makes its approach and lands.

The fact that the spaceplane will use conventional turbofan engines means it will be designed to take off and land from commercial airports. EADS Astrium also plans to apply for EASA certification.

Hughes Laporte-Weywada, Astrium's senior vice president for international sales and marketing for Asia-Pacific, saysthe program has not been officially initiated because—like other commercial programs—launch customers must first be signed. Once the program is officially under way, it will take about seven years for the spacecraft to be certified, he predicts. Three must be built before the certification flight-test program can begin, he adds.

But even though the program has yet to be launched, the company is proceeding to construct the demonstrator, which will be 3-4 meters (10-13 ft.) long, with a comparable wingspan. Building and testing the demonstrator will take 18 months in itself, Laporte-Weywada says. The real spaceplane, meanwhile, will be much larger and have a maximum takeoff weight of about 20 tons, he adds.

Developing and building the demonstrator in Singapore means some of the demonstrator flights will occur here. For example, there will be one flight where a helicopter will lift the demonstrator about 3 km off the ground and then drop it to see how it glides.

Other demonstrator flights will involve a balloon dropping it from higher altitudes, but these tests are likely to be done elsewhere because of Singapore's limited airspace. Astrium has the support of the country's Economic Board, which has been considering development of a space port in the city-state.

Chavagnac says Astrium last year "did a study for operating a fleet of spaceplanes from Changi airport. There is a dynamic market in Southeast Asia and the spaceplane would have a valuable impact on Singapore's tourism industry," he says. If Singapore hosts a fleet of spaceplanes then it may also have a role in maintaining them, he adds.

The Astrium spaceplane will seat four passengers and one pilot for the 1-hr. flight up and back. Its rocket engine will be derived from Astrium's Vulcain rocket engines used for satellite launchers. But those have 120-130 tons of thrust, whereas the spaceplane's rocket engine will have 40 tons, say Astrium executives. The turbofan engines, to be used for takeoff and landing, will have about 10,000 lb. of thrust. The aircraft's fuselage and wings, meanwhile, will use aluminum alloy. Chavagnac says metal was chosen for these sections—rather than composite materials—to make it easier for the spaceplane to receive EASA certification.

Astrium CEO Francois Auque told Aviation Week recently that the spaceplane also has potential for military use and small payload launches. The company has continued to maintain spending to refine the concept at a relatively high level—around €10 million ($13.6 million) a year—since the spaceplane was unveiled in 2007. It has agreed to pursue funding at the same level this year, he adds.

With Michael A. Taverna in Paris.

Image: EADS Astrium

[Salo]

http://www.aex.ru/news/2011/5/30/85453/

NASA хочет сделать суборбитальные полеты коммерческими[/size]

30 мая 2011 г., Aviation Explorer –   Национальное Агентство по аэронавтике и исследованию космического пространства NASA опубликовало заявку на принятие предложений от компаний, специализирующихся на суборбитальных полетах.
 
Согласно заявке, опубликованной 26 мая, впоследствии будет объявлен конкурс на подписание контракта в данной области с неопределенными сроками завершения работ и с пока что неопределенным количеством компаний.
 
Объемы перевозок не уточняются, однако было сказано, что данные полеты будут проводиться "ради дальнейшего развития технологий в данной области, а так же в интересах развития коммерческого сектора авиакосмической промышленности Америки".
 
Представитель летно-исследовательского центра NASA Dryden отметил, что теоретически данная заявка эквивалентна той, что была опубликована в 2010 году. В предыдущей заявке речь шла о суборбитальных полетах с конкретно обозначенной загрузкой. Согласно этой заявке, финансирование было предоставлено двум компаниям: Masten Space Systems и Armadillo Aerospace, каждая из которых планирует начать полеты в конце 2011 года.
 
Несмотря на то, что номинально финансирование выделялось на интеграцию полезной нагрузки и выполнение полетов, в действительности подобные контракты имеют своей целью в первую очередь оказание финансовой поддержки компаниям, занимающимся суборбитальными полетами.
 
Источник: Flightglobal

[ronatu]

Universe Today

Commercial space company XCOR Aerospace has signed a "Memorandum of Understanding" with the Planetary Science Institute, laying the groundwork for flying a human-operated telescope on board XCOR's Lynx spacecraft. The Atsa Suborbital Observatory is a specially designed telescope for use in suborbital space vehicles, and when used with commercial suborbital vehicles, PSI says it will provide low-cost space-based observations above the contaminating atmosphere of Earth, while avoiding some operational constraints of satellite telescope systems.

http://nextbigfuture.com/2011/07/xcor-lynx-slated-to-fly-new-suborbital.html

[Salo]

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2011/07/28/newspace-2011-suborbital-spaceflight-panel/

NewSpace 2011: Suborbital Spaceflight Panel[/size]

Posted by Doug Messier
on July 28, 2011, at 9:28 am



Moderator:

Gary Martin: Director, Code V, NASA Ames

Panel:

    Dougal Maclise: Manager, NASA CRuSR program
    Sean Mahoney: COO, Masten Space Systems
    Khaki McKee: Program Manager, XCOR Aerospace
    Will Pomerantz: Vice President, Virgin Galactic
    Tim Pickens: Dynetics

Dougal Maclise
NASA CRuSR Program

Just finished the first set of test flights under CRuSR on zero-g plane. Experiments included:

    3-D printing
    grabbing satellites in orbit
    fuel transfer in zero-g

Will Pomerantz
Virgin Galactic

    $55 million in deposits, 440 people signed up for SpaceShipTwo flights

DISCUSSION

Q: What should government be doing to help develop/encourage markets?

Sean Mahoney (Masten): Govt. has a role as a customer and catalyst to move the technology that has been within the govt. purview to the private sector. A lot of people within the govt. see that potential and are moving things forward. We need to perform; we don't get paid if we don't. Money is being well spent.

Khaki McKee (XCOR):  Increase the launch rate to make the market viable. Kudos to NASA for CRuSR. Govt. make some private investment. Increase the money spent on experiments. Money from across the board — NASA, NIH, DOD, etc.

Govt. should not put IP claims on work done under SBIR and other programs. Don't over regulate us. Paperwork will kill us.

Govt. should reform ITAR. (a four letter word).

 Dougal Maclise (NASA CRuSR): Govt. goal to be a good customer. Minimize paperwork. Takes about 25,000 lbs. of paper to get a payload to LEO. Trying to limit that. Need to turn over many of the things we have explored already to the private sector.

Need to find a way to do this safety — but to take a greater risk. Find a good balance there. Don't endanger anyone, but going to space is risky.

 Tim Pickens (Dynetics):  Focus on education, microgravity teacher programs, survey industry on needs

 Will Pomerantz (Virgin Galactic): It's not just federal government, but state governments are playing a key role.  Without the state legislators in Virginia, New Mexico, Florida and other states, the industry wouldn't be where it is today.

Q: How big will the industry grow before stabilizing?

Maclise: We are trying to design Flight Opportunities program to get roughly a flight per week. Lots of questions: how do we get the interest, get the research community to build and fly the payloads, how do we process the payloads efficiently. The idea of frequent flights where we can test new technologies has really changed the thinking around NASA centers. Another key goal is to reach out beyond NASA to other government agencies and research institutions.

"For someone who loves to create things, this is the most wonderful time to be in this industry."

McKee: To have a viable commercial market, need 200 to 300 flights per year. Need to figure out how to get to that level. The market will not be only selling flights, but selling vehicles. Can see organizations, institutes, etc. buying suborbital vehicles such as the Lynx to operate their own vehicles.

Pickens:  Government will need to put together a serious educational program to take full advantage of this new industry. This is inspirational so public will support it. Keep the kids interested in this country to pursue math and science. A little bit of money would go a long way. And suborbital space doesn't have nearly the level of risk or cost as orbital space. The government is going to be a good customer, but they need to sell (market) that properly to the public.

 Pomerantz: Only about 523 people have flown in space; in the future, we will leave that number behind.

Q: When is the first flight?

Pomerantz: We'll fly when we're ready and it's safe. Test phase program is going extraordinarily well. Have tested almost all the aerodynamics. Testing the rocket of the ground. Goes through all the milestones they've accomplished.

Next milestone is integrating the rocket motor into SpaceShipTwo. Can't give a date, but not that far away. Will start with short burn on engine and then to longer ones.

Mahoney:  It will be happening soon, and our plan would be to give all of you fine people notice that we're going for our major milestones.

McKee: Will be in flight test operations by next fall.

 Maclise:  Came close to flying (with Armadillo?). Kudos to Armadillo. They had two failures and shared their lessons learned publicly. Very proud. We're waiting patiently. Not pushing things.

McKee: (to Maclise) If the government put more money into what we're doing, you wouldn't have to wait so long.

Q: (Martin) How are relations with FAA? Any problems? Concerns?

Pomerantz: The FAA has very forward looking people in it who want to assist the industry.There are growing pains, but it's been a far better experience than he ever expected.

Mahoney: People who have been facilitating this have been excellent. Dealing with FAA takes up a fair amount of resources, but the coordination has been very good.

Q: (Martin) Will you be hiring any commercial astronauts soon?

McKee: Will will need pilots.

Pomerantz: Just had a job opening for pilots. Have many excellent candidates. Will make an announcement in the near future.

Q:  Prospects for international market, especially Asia?

Maclise: Working with Italian space agency and private companies to fly experiment to measure particulates in atmosphere. Interest from Brazil, ESA, other nations. A lot of interest in developing the infrastructure.

McKee: A lot of international interest in the vehicle and flying experiments on it. Wet lease agreement with South Korean organization.

Mahoney:  A lot of international interest in Masten vehicles. A lot of confusion and problems concerning ITAR. A definite drag on the industry.

Pickens: ITAR is a really serious problem. Don't know who in agencies will misinterpret what you're doing. Hard to get your arms around it, to fully understand it. Makes people avoid trying to do international projects. Company had signed a deal with a South Korean company, but faced opposition to doing engine work with a foreign company, so pulled out of that deal.

Mahoney: If ITAR continues, could end up driving companies overseas.

Pomerantz: U.S. industry is way ahead of everyone else on the commercial space sector. Only reason we shouldn't totally capture this market is if export regulations restrict us on the international market.[/size]

[ronatu]

Salo пишет:
 http://www.parabolicarc.com/2011/07/28/newspace-2011-suborbital-spaceflight-panel/

А это и есть тот самый XCOR :wink:

[LG]

Кстати. До 6 мин невесомости. Они будут привязаны к креслам. Никакой невесомости не будет.

[Salo]

Не совсем в тему, но:

http://www.avia.ru/news/?id=1312979826

NASA выбрало компании для разработки суборбитальных кораблей[/size]

10 августа, AVIA.RU – NASA выбрало семь компаний, которые будут разрабатывать для аэрокосмического агентства многоразовые транспортные системы, способные доставлять грузы на суборбитальную высоту, к границе космоса - в частности, для проведения экспериментов в условиях невесомости и микрогравитации, сообщает РИА Новости.
 
В мае NASA объявило, что принимает предложения от коммерческих компаний-разработчиков суборбитальных космических кораблей для программы Flight Opportunities. В ее рамках NASA развивает технологии, обеспечивающие невесомость и пониженную гравитацию для научных, образовательных и технологических целей.
 
Программа призвана содействовать развитию сферы коммерческих суборбитальных полетов, чтобы в конечном счете получить средства для полноценных космических полетов при значительно более низких затратах.
 
В числе отобранных NASA компаний - Armadillo Aerospace, разрабатывающая суборбитальный корабль с вертикальным взлетом и посадкой, Masten Space Systems, развивающая сходные технологии, а также Virgin Galactic, уже создавшая первый коммерческий суборбитальный корабль SpaceShipOne.
 
В "семерку" также вошла XCOR Aerospace, создающая суборбитальный "мини-шаттл" Lynx, компания Near Space Corp., занимающаяся созданием стратосферных аэростатов, производитель и разработчик ракет Up Aerospace Inc, а также Whittinghill Aerospace, строящая "наноракеты".
 
Компании, отобранные NASA, получат двухгодичные контракты на общую сумму 10 миллионов долларов.
 
Ранее власти США заявили, что после прекращения программы полетов шаттлов разработкой новых кораблей для доставки грузов и экипажей на МКС займутся коммерческие фирмы. NASA уже заключила с несколькими фирмами контракты на создание грузовых кораблей, в числе которых SpaceX, чей корабль Dragon уже совершил успешный космический полет.[/size]

[ronatu]

The selected companies are:

•Armadillo Aerospace, based in Heath, Texas
•Near Space Corp., based in Tillamook, Ore.
•Masten Space Systems, based in Mojave, Calif.
•Up Aerospace Inc., based in Highlands Ranch, Colo.
•Virgin Galactic, based in Mojave, Calif.
•Whittinghill Aerospace LLC, based in Camarillo, Calif.
•XCOR, based in Mojave, Calif.

[ronatu]

http://whittinghillaerospace.com/

[ronatu]

http://whittinghillaerospace.com/

[Oleg]

http://email.techmedianetwork.com/t?r=4&c=11941&l=108&ctl=49303:EF14C5B1944BE671E7FDDEA3677DEE88&

[АниКей]

Начал работу первый в мире завод частных космических кораблей[/size]

20 сентября 2011 года, 16:12 | Текст: Дмитрий Целиков | http://science.compulenta.ru/635388/
Американская Spaceship Company, совместное предприятие транснациональной корпорации Ричарда Брэнсона Virgin Galactic и калифорнийской фирмы Scaled Composites, завершила строительство первой очереди завода по производству суборбитальных космических кораблей и их носителей.

На это ушло меньше года.

WhiteKnightTwo и SpaceShipTwo на фоне ангара и сотрудников завода (фото Mark Greenberg).

Ангар, обошедшийся инвесторам в $8 млн, — первый объект в истории человечества, в котором будут монтировать и испытывать частные пилотируемые космические корабли. «Это ещё один важный шаг на пути к космосу, открытому для всех», — заявил сэр Ричард Брэнсон, лелея, наверное, мысль о том, что его имя будет фигурировать на скрижалях истории.

Здание площадью 6 300 м

[Salo]

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/asd/2011/09/21/04.xml&headline=SpaceShipTwo%20Maker%20Opens%20For%20Business

SpaceShipTwo Maker Opens For Business[/size]

 Sep 21, 2011

  By Guy Norris

MOJAVE, Calif. — Virgin Galactic says the first suborbital test flights of the rocket-powered SpaceShipTwo (SS2) will take place in 2012.

George Whitesides, president and CEO of Virgin Galactic and The Spaceship Company (TSC), says recent full-duration firing tests of the Sierra Nevada RM2 rocket motor are encouraging and point the way to integration with the SS2 early next year. Powered flight tests will begin with short-duration 15-sec. burns before building up to a full-duration suborbital flight before the end of 2012.

Sierra Nevada says the tests, which will be followed soon by several more at an increasing tempo, should dampen recent industry rumors that it was facing issues with meeting Scaled Composites' and Virgin Galactic's predicted thrust requirement.

"We've got a bit more work to do," Whitesides says. After more glide tests later this year to confirm aerodynamic and control improvements, he adds "next year we will integrate the motor and aim to conduct powered flights around the fall."

Mark Sirangelo, Sierra Nevada chairman and executive vice president, says a recent 55-sec. burn at the company's Poway test facility near San Diego confirmed the hybrid motor is on track for integration. "We were encouraged by the power we got out of that. We've got the reaction up to where it needs to be."

Executives spoke to Aviation Week at a ceremony marking the opening of TSC's $8 million assembly site here. The first jigs for the start of manufacturing production-standard carrier aircraft and space tourist craft will be set up this week.

The 68,000-sq.-ft. facility is a joint venture of Virgin Galactic and Scaled Composites, and is set up to manufacture "the world's first facility dedicated to producing private, commercial manned space vehicles," says Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson. The Final Assembly, Integration and Test Hangar (Faith) site will complete SS2 as well as WhiteKnightTwo (WK2) vehicles.

The jig for the WK2's one-piece composite spars and wing will be the first to occupy the site, followed by fuselage lay-up jigs for both WK2 and SS2. As well as for final assembly, integration and test of TSC vehicles prior to delivery, Faith will also be used for major maintenance and will serve as the company's operating headquarters.

Enrico Palermo, vice president of operations for TSC, says Faith has been developed to support parallel production of two WK2s and at least two to three SS2s at the same time. "It is the world's first purpose-built facility set up to make fixed-wing spacecraft."[/size]

[Salo]

http://www.voanews.com/russian/news/virgin-galactic-update-2011-10-04-131058508.html

Вторник, 04 октября 2011
Частные полеты в космос – в стадии неопределенности[/size]

Алан Уолтон попросил Virgin Galactic вернуть деньги за билет

Русская служба «Голоса Америки»

Венчурный инвестор Алан Уолтон не чужд риску не только в финансовой сфере. Он совершил пеший поход на Северный полюс, взбирался на Килиманджаро и прыгал с парашютом на Эверест. Венцом его приключений должен был стать полет в космос.

Уолтон одним из первых 100 человек купил билет в космос у компании Ричарда Брэнсона Virgin Galactic. Однако, прождав семь лет, прошлой весной 75-летний предприниматель отказался от своей мечты и попросил вернуть ему внесенные 200 тыс долларов.

Уолтон уже не чувствует себя столь бодро, как раньше, и его беспокоят отсрочки в реализации космического проекта.

Эйфория космических путешествий достигла пика в 2004 году, когдаэкспериментальный комический корабль SpaceShipOne был запущен при помощи специального самолета в космос над пустыней Мохаве. Он стал первым пилотируемым космическим аппаратом, разработанным частной компанией. 4 октября 2004 года его конструктор получил приз Ansari X в размере 10 млн долларов, дважды совершив космический полет на протяжении двух недель. Энтузиасты горячо приветствовали их как шаг на пути к началу массового космического туризма.

Компания Virgin Galactic, получив лицензию на технологию SpaceShipOne, начала принимать заявки на полет в космос от частных лиц еще до создания коммерческой версии аппарата. Брэнсон обещал, что первый полет состоится в 2007 году.

Другие фирмы также взялись за дело и представили проекты космических аппаратов, способных составить конкуренцию Virgin Galactic. Отрасль двинулась вперед. Однако, несмотря на определенный прогресс, большинство аппаратов находятся на стадии испытаний, и даты полета пока не называет никто.[/size]

[LG]

Кстати. Те кто купили и покупают билеты на суборбитальные туры платят все сразу или платят некий аванс? И как вообще работает схема - как и на каких принципах решается вопрос очередности полетов?

[Потусторонний]

http://www.virgingalactic.com/booking/
Book your place in space now and join around 430 Virgin Galactic astronauts who will venture into space.

Tickets cost $200,000 and deposits start from $20,000. If you are interested in discussing your reservation with us directly please fill in the booking form below and we will be in touch as soon as possible to answer any questions you may have. Or you can contact one of our Accredited Space Agents around the world. They have been specially selected and trained by us to handle all aspects of your spaceflight reservation. If you just want to receive regular updates from us then please click here.

[LG]

http://www.virgingalactic.com/booking/
Book your place in space now and join around 430 Virgin Galactic astronauts who will venture into space.

Tickets cost $200,000 and deposits start from $20,000. If you are interested in discussing your reservation with us directly please fill in the booking form below and we will be in touch as soon as possible to answer any questions you may have. Or you can contact one of our Accredited Space Agents around the world. They have been specially selected and trained by us to handle all aspects of your spaceflight reservation. If you just want to receive regular updates from us then please click here.

Спасибо, изучим, а то чем черт не шутит...  :shock:
В тихом омуте так сказать...