Носители легкого класса: технический облик

[Salo]

Peter B. de Selding ‏@pbdes
 
Lockheed: Not easy, but we hope we can work ITAR export rules to join UK in building a small (150kg to SSO) rocket on UK soil. #ukspace2015

 10:33 - 14 июля 2015 г.

[Сергей]

ZOOR цитирует источник:
Новая инерционная система управления: Предлагается заменить громоздкие и дорогостоящие гидроприводы, отклоняющие реактивную струю каждой ступени на новую единую систему управления, которая (впервые в мире) обеспечивает изменение траектории полета путем смещения центра массы ракеты. Таким образом, одно единственное устройство, размещенное в головной части, позволяет управлять ракетой на всех этапах полета. Это значительно уменьшает себестоимость силовых установок ступеней (каждая из которых в обычном варианте требует применения отдельных громоздких гидроприводов), улучшается управляемость ракеты, и повышается ее надежность.

Круто!  Правда в СССР управление МБР по тангажу и рысканию смещением ц.т. ГЧ было на РТ-23 КБЮ, только на первой ступени был еще и "горячий" вдув. И схема возникла только потому, что у КБЮ не было в то время поворотных сопел. Позднее, когда они появились, от этой схемы отказались и БРПЛ Барк макеевцев имел поворотные сопла на всех трех ступенях.

[Дем]

Дмитрий В. пишет:
И получается все та же "1,5 - ступенчатая" схема. Да еще и с присущим ей крупным недостатком: огромными перегрузками в конце АУТ. Придется дросселировать РД0120 очень глубоко - потеря УИ.

А вот почему бы не дросселировать и двигатель физически, раз его для сброса баков выключаем?
Т.е. вставляем вставку в критическое сечение сопла, уменьшая просвет на порядок. И теперь и сопло  у нас будет работать как вакуумное.

[Сергей]

Дем пишет:

Дмитрий В. пишет:
И получается все та же "1,5 - ступенчатая" схема. Да еще и с присущим ей крупным недостатком: огромными перегрузками в конце АУТ. Придется дросселировать РД0120 очень глубоко - потеря УИ.

А вот почему бы не дросселировать и двигатель физически, раз его для сброса баков выключаем?
Т.е. вставляем вставку в критическое сечение сопла, уменьшая просвет на порядок. И теперь и соплоу нас будет работать как вакуумное.

Такие схемы давно известны: сопла с центральным телом, тарельчатые сопла и т.д. Сложные технические вопросы: охлаждение центрального тела, перемещение центрального тела и др. не смогли решить.К тому сопряжение переменного по площади критического сечения с большим диапазоном регулирования с сверхзвуковой частью сопла то же непростая задача, если не хотите потерь УИ.

[Salo]

На что ставит NASA:
http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/6-Norman-Launch-Services-Overview-Norman-Bedell-NAC-July-27-2015-Launch-Services.pdf
 

[Seerndv]

- а что, на Pegasus XL разве крест не поставили?

[Старый]

Seerndv пишет:
- а что, на Pegasus XL разве крест не поставили?

Ещё нет. 
Однако схема какаято левая - Дельта-4 не прошла сертификацию...

[Salo]

Для пусков NASA не прошла.

[Salo]

https://twitter.com/pbdes/status/653816304244293636

Peter B. de Selding ‏@pbdes  
 
Arianespace CEO: We may need micro-launcher for growing 50-300kg smallsat market. No formal proposal yet, but need consider it.#IAC2015
23:15 - 12 окт. 2015 г.  

[Александр Ч.]

Peter B. de Selding ‏@pbdes  1 ч.1 час назад

Показать перевод

China Launch Vehicle Academy: US govt wont let you bring smallsats to us (ITAR rules). How about we bring our Naga L rocket to you?#IAC2015

[Salo]

http://spacenews.com/with-naga-l-rocket-china-would-turn-tables-on-u-s-export-ban/#IAC2015

With Naga-L Rocket, China Would Turn Tables on U.S. Export Ban
by Peter B. de Selding — October 15, 2015
  U.S. law forbids the launch of American satellite components on Chinese rockets such as the Long March 3B (above). Credit: Xinhua  
 
JERUSALEM — China's launch-vehicle manufacturer, frustrated with a longstanding U.S. government ban on the export of U.S.-built satellite parts to China, is designing a rocket that would be exported in an attempt to escape the law's reach.
The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) said it had started negotiations with authorities in Indonesia, Sweden and Tanzania about hosting the Naga-L rocket, designed to appeal to owners of small satellites headed to low Earth orbit. It was not clear how advanced these discussions are.
In the case of the Esrange facility in northern Sweden, now used to launch stratospheric balloons and suborbital sounding rockets, any orbital launch capability likely would be closely scrutinized by neighboring Norway and Finland.
The two-stage Naga-L, based on components used for heavier-lift versions of China's Long March rocket family, will be capable of placing a 600-kilogram satellite into an 800-kilometer polar low Earth orbit, without using an orbit-raising stage, when launched from Indonesia, CALT's Haoliang Yang said here Oct. 14 during the 66th International Astronautical Congress.
The rocket's basic version will be priced at $10 million per launch, Yang said.
For the past 15 years, the U.S. government has banned the export to China of U.S.-built satellites and satellite components, using the  International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) as the enforcement mechanism.
The ban was originally designed as an attempt to slow development of China's missile technology by crippling its rocket-launch program. Human-rights issues in China have also been used as an argument for maintaining the prohibition, first instituted in 1999.
The ban has not stopped development of China's Long March vehicles. Two new versions have been introduced this year and China's 2015-2025 space development plan foresees 100 launches during that period, just for China's domestic demand.
With U.S. parts embedded in most telecommunications satellites, the prohibition has, for the most part, kept China out of the global commercial launch market except for nations that have elected to purchase a Chinese-built satellite along with a Long March rocket.
Unable to import satellites, China now wants to export a rocket.
"We can export this vehicle to get around the ITAR regulations," Yang said. "It would only be for commercial launches." A first launch of the two-stage Naga-L, from China, is planned in 2017, he said.

[Salo]

Самое время вернуться к "Самаре".

[Salo]

http://www.arianespace.com/news-feature-story/2015/9-14-2015-WSBR.asp

Israël also addressed Arianespace's ability to accommodate satellite constellations of the future, many of which are envisioned to involve large numbers of very small-sized ("micro") spacecraft.  He said a "micro launcher" – capable of deploying constellation payloads of approximately 300 kg. to low Earth orbits – could be of interest as a potential addition to the company's launch vehicle portfolio.
"We are ready to listen to the market as concepts for such constellations take shape, and Arianespace is open to discussions on possible launch services solutions complementary to our launcher family," Israël concluded.  "The space sector has a role to play in meeting demands of increased connectivity for those already connected, and to connect those who currently do not have access."

[Salo]

http://nbuv.gov.ua/j-pdf/aktit_2014_4_7.pdf

Обоснование необходимости разработки, выбор концепции и проблемные вопросы проектирования воздушно-космической парашютной системы / Ю. Г. Мехоношин, В. Н. Чижухин, П. И. Иванов, Р. П. Иванов // Авиационно-космическая техника и технология. - 2014. - № 4. - С. 34–41.

Рассмотрена и обсуждена проблема спасения с помощью парашютной системы наиболее ценной составляющей ракеты-носителя - двигательного отсека с жидкостным реактивным двигателем с целью оценки возможности его многоразового использования. Приведены и обоснованы причины, заставляющие разработчиков проводить детальные исследования этой проблемы. Предложена концепция выбора воздушно-космической парашютной системы (ВКПС). Приведены некоторые результаты баллистических и других расчетов, выполненных в процессе поиска возможных вариантов решения проблемы. Выявлен ряд существенных факторов, которые могут оказаться возможными препятствиями на пути поиска решения проблемы. Предложены варианты конструкции ВКПС.

А Владимир Николаевич Чижухин продолжает творить несмотря на возраст. И работает теперь в РККЭ.
Что особенно заинтересовало:

На рис. 3 представлена схема связки ВКПС, состоящая из трех базовых парашютов. На рис.3 представлен также общий вид ВКПС, предлагаемый, например, для ХО+ДУ первых ступеней РН «Союз 2-1в» и «Ангара 1.2». Такая же геометрия и размеры могут быть и у ВКПС для ДО первой ступени унифицированной РН сверхлегкого класса «Сполох» [1], [2]

[Salo]

http://lunar.xprize.org/teams/synergy-moon/blog/team-synergy-moon-interorbital-announce-20162017-launch-plans

Team SYNERGY MOON with Interorbital Announce 2016/2017 Launch Plans Including 3 Lunar Missions and a collaboration with Ed Belbruno  
Submitted by Kevin Myrick on November 07, 2015
 Orbit To The Moon
 
"Orbit To The Moon" 1991 painting by Ed Belbruno 

     Team Synergy Moon, with team partner Interorbital Systems announced their 2016/2017 launch plans at this year's Google Lunar XPRIZE Teams Summit Conference, held last month at Google and YouTube HQ in Tokyo, Japan.  Unlike the other 15 GLXP Teams, Synergy Moon is developing their own Launch Vehicle with team partner Interorbital Systems, led by team members Rod and Randa Milliron, and will not be seeking a launch contract with any other commercial launch provider.
      The first low altitude Test Flight I (8,000ft) with four commercial payloads took place in March, 2014.  The next Test Flight II, shooting for 30,000ft is scheduled for first quarter of 2016, with eight commercial payloads onboard.
      Test Flight III, scheduled for Second Quarter 2016 will be our first suborbital flight into space!  There are currently 6 confirmed payloads for this flight, with space still available for 100kg. 
      Our first lunar pathfinder mission, Lunar Bullet, in collaboration with Ed Belbruno of Innovative Orbital Design, Inc will launch Third Quarter, 2016.  This mission will use a three CPM vehicle to launch a nanosat on a Lunar Direct trajectory to the moon, the same method that will be used for our GLXP lunar mission.  This pathfinder probe will provide us with a look at the dynamics of our GLXP flight, with a Ranger style flyby or impact on the Moon.
      Ed Belbruno is an artist ( http://www.belbrunoart.com/ ) and a research collaborator at the department of astrophysical science at Princeton University, director of the research company Innovative Orbital Design, and a visiting scholar at New York University, Courant Institute. He consults regularly with NASA and leading aerospace organizations.  He has published two books with Princeton University Press, his most recent entitled, Fly me to the Moon.  His early work in 1986 led to a new approach to space travel by the use of chaos dynamics to obtain low energy trajectories that require less fuel. This work was dramatically demonstrated in 1991 with the salvage of a Japanese lunar spacecraft, Hiten, successfully getting it to the Moon on a new type of transfer requiring almost no fuel. This transfer used automatic capture, where capture into orbit about the Moon is obtained without the use of rockets. The methodology he developed for this is called weak stability boundary theory. 
      The Fourth Quarter of 2016 brings us to our long awaited first Orbital mission, launching 30+ NanoSats to LEO on an N5, the 5 CPM Launch Vehicle.  This mission includes several payloads for GLXP teams including Team Synergy Moon, Part-Time Scientist, Plan B and EuroLuna.
      Our second lunar mission launches on an N5 during the First Quarter of 2017, will send a 27unit Team Synergy Moon spacecraft on a Ballistic Lunar Transfer, also known as a Weak Stability Boundary orbit, to orbit the Moon.  This will be our fourth mission into Space, and our second flight beyond earth Orbit into Cis-Lunar Space. 
      The successes and/or failures of these flights will give us the experience we need to succeed with our third Lunar mission, our Google Lunar XPRIZE mission to land on the moon, explore 500 meters and send back high definition video of our lunar explorations.  This mission will launch during the Third Quarter of 2017 on a Lunar Direct Trajectory/Transfer to the Moon.
See You Soon, On The Moon!

[Salo]

http://interorbital.com/interorbital_06222015_012.htm

IOS NEPTUNE Launch Vehicles

Interorbital Systems (IOS) is developing a new generation of low-cost, rapid-response, manned and unmanned orbital launch vehicles. NEPTUNE Modular Series rockets are designed for minimum cost and maximum reliability. Unnecessary, expensive, complex, failure-prone, and performance-limiting systems such as wings and turbopumps have not been included in the powerplant or architecture of IOS rockets. Since the NEPTUNE Modular Series launch vehicles are designed to be deployed from a private island launch site or from the open ocean, launch costs will be radically reduced, and launch scheduling will be based on customer demand (not on placement in a spaceport's launch rotation). The IOS modular rocket system is an evolved version of a similar system under development by OTRAG in the 1970's. Lutz Kayser, the former head of the OTRAG team, is an important consultant on the IOS project.

Modular Rocket Systems
Each member of the NEPTUNE Modular Series of launch vehicles is assembled from multiple Common Propulsion Modules (CPMs). Payload capacity can be varied by increasing or decreasing the number of CPMs and varying the burn times of each CPM in the array.

Common Propulsion Module
Each standard Common Propulsion Module is composed of two propellant tanks, a single throttleable, ablatively-cooled rocket engine, a valve unit, an ACS system, and a controller. Depending on the configuration, the modules can operate in either blowdown or pressurant tank-fed modes. The capacity of the propellant tanks is regulated by varying their lengths. Construction costs are kept low using Minimum-Cost- Design rules, including use of off-the-shelf components and assembly-line/mass-production methodology.

Liquid Rocket Engines and Propellants
A single, throttleable liquid rocket engine powers each CPM. Thrusts varies between 7,500 and 15,000 pounds. On-off thrusters to provide pitch, yaw, and roll during all phases of a mission. Storable, high-density white fuming nitric acid (WFNA) and turpentine are the CPM's primary propellants. These low-cost, storable, environmentally-friendly propellants provide reliable and efficient hypergolic ignition.  

Neptune Modular Configurations
The CPMs can be arranged in any number of configurations. A few examples are listed below.

-- N5: The N5 is a three- or four-stage launch vehicle assembled from 5 CPMs with solid kick-motors providing upper stage propulsion. It has a maximum payload capacity of 30- to 40-kg to a polar, circular orbit of 310-km. The N5 will be used to launch the first series of CubeSat and TubeSat payloads at 24 units per launch.

-- N7: The N7 is a four-stage launch vehicle assembled from 7 CPM and a solid upper stage. It has a maximum payload capacity of 75-kg to a polar, circular orbit of 310-km.

-- N36: The N36 is a four-stage launch vehicle assembled from 36 CPMs. It has a maximum payload capacity of 1000-kg to a polar, circular orbit of 310-km. The N36 will initially be used to launch medium payloads to LEO and will later be used to launch a team SYNERGY MOON Google Lunar X PRIZE payload to the Moon.

[Salo]

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/11/19/pld-space-announces-plans-arion-reusable-launch-vehicles/#more-56873

PLD Space Announces Plans for ARION Reusable Launch Vehicles
Posted by Doug Messier
on November 19, 2015, at 7:24 am in News

ARION 1 launch vehicle mockup (Credit: PDL Space)
 
ALICANTE, Spain, November 18, 2015 (PLD Space PR) — The Spanish Company PLD Space, based in Alicante, announces through the information posted on its website, its plans to launch from Spain two brand-new reusable rockets into space, called ARION 1 and ARION 2.
PLD Space includes a calendar for these first launches of both vehicles, focusing its initial flight operations with a suborbital launch vehicle to test all major critical technologies that are currently under development. The company is working since 2011 to provide commercial launch services from south Europe, by using the INTA-CEDEA launch site, located at the South West of Spain, near Seville.
PLD Space announces this flight schedule after successfully tested in June 2015 the first LOX-Kerosene liquid rocket engine developed in Europe for small launchers in its own test facilities, located at Teruel Airport.

Engine test (Credit: PDL Space)
 
PLD Space propulsion department is now under final design of the new version of the Neton 1 engine that will be tested in early 2016. This engine will serve as single first stage engine for ARION 1 and second stage engine for ARION 2 launch vehicles. In parallel, the company is designing a single shaft LOX-kerosene turbopump for the first stage engine ARION 2.

About ARION 1

ARION 1 is a single stage, reusable and cost effective suborbital launch vehicle, capable of sending up to 100 kg of scientific and technological payloads up to 250 km in a parabolic trajectory. ARION 1 is powered by one Liquid Oxygen (LOX) – kerosene, 30 kN thrust engines.

Test stand (Credit: PDL Space)
 
PLD Space's ARION 1 first suborbital test flight is scheduled for second quarter 2018 and will be the first suborbital flight into Space from South Europe since 1990. There are currently 5 confirmed suborbital missions, that will serve to provide commercial suborbital launch opportunities to worldwide customers, launching into Space from Europe and to test all critical technologies (in particular propulsion, structures and avionics) for orbital missions with ARION 2.
ARION 1 brand-new sounding rocket has been designed from scratch by PLD Space to provide low-G flight opportunities for the suborbital market, with particular emphasis on scientific, education and technology research.
More information at: http://pldspace.com/arion1.html

About ARION 2

ARION 2 is a three stages, partially reusable orbital launch vehicle dedicated for the small satellites market. ARION 2 launch vehicle is capable of launching into orbit up to 150 kg of payload to 400 km Low Earth Orbit (LEO) or 80kg to Sun Synchronous (SSO) in standard mission. This vehicle will be also capable of sending up to 5 kg of payload to moon orbit. PLD Space will offer this small payloads dedicated launch vehicle with two fairing configuration, Classic for standard missions and Enhanced fairing for large volume payloads.
PLD Space's first orbital mission is scheduled for third quarter 2021, trying to put in Low Earth Orbit a 50kg class demonstration satellite and 4 academic cubesats. This first ARION 2 mission will be the first orbital launch from Europe since Orbital Sciences Corporation's Minisat mission launch onboard Pegasus XL in 1997 from Canary Islands.
In addition, the company plans to perform the first moon launch attempt in the second quarter 2023, sending a 5kg class satellite to moon orbit in a scientific mission that will enable space exploration with small payloads.
In order to accomplish successfully the first ARION 2's orbital missions, PLD Space has based this launch vehicle development program using the same technologies that previously have demonstrated flight reliability onboard ARION 1.
More information at: http://pldspace.com/arion2.html

About PLD Space

PLD Space was founded in 2011 by two Spanish Aerospace & industrial engineers Raúl Torres and Raúl Verdú, to provide commercial and scientific access to space for small payloads in Europe. The company focused its activity developing LOX-Kerosene liquid rocket technologies and today has tested several engines in its propulsion test facilities located at Teruel Airport. These propulsion activities began in June 2013 when the company raised its first round of investment of $1.5M. In the last 3 months, the company has performed 20 successful test firings of this 25kN calorimetric engine version.
Please, visit http://pldspace.com/index.htmlfor more information about the company and find more technical information at http://pldspace.com/technology.html and http://pldspace.com/facilities.html

[Salo]

http://spacenews.com/building-the-model-t-of-rockets/

Firefly Aims To Build the 'Model T of Rockets'
by Debra Werner — November 23, 2015
 
In September, Firefly announced the first successful ground test of its rocket engine at its testing facility in Briggs, Texas. Credit: Firefly Space Systems
 
 

Spotlight | Firefly Space Systems

SAN FRANCISCO — At least 25 companies have announced plans to build rockets to meet the growing demand for small-satellite launches, but Firefly Space Systems does not plan to blend into that pack.
"The driving theme of our company is to distinguish ourselves as soon as possible fr om the crowd that talks about doing this and to join an elite group of people that can actually field technology to get things to space," said Thomas Markusic, Firefly chief executive.
Markusic, a propulsion engineer who worked at NASA, the U.S. Air Force, SpaceX, Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin before founding Firefly, plans to build a family of simple expendable rockets offering dedicated rides for satellites weighing less than 1,000 kilograms.
 
Thomas Markusic, Firefly chief executive. Credit: Firefly Space Systems

"Think of this as the Model T of rockets, a simple widely used vehicle for getting from point to point, or in this case getting to space," he said.
Firefly's initial launch vehicle, Firefly Alpha, an all-composite rocket with a pressure-fed aerospike engine, is designed to send 400 kilogram payloads into low Earth orbit or 200 kilograms into sun-synchronous orbit for $8 million. Firefly plans to use cellphone technology to send telemetry data from the ascending rocket. "We are using commercial electronics technology in our avionics to a larger extent than anyone has ever done before," Markusic said.
Markusic left his job as Virgin Galactic's vice president for propulsion in December 2013 to found Firefly because he saw a dearth of launch options for the burgeoning small-satellite market. "There is great competition and cost reduction in the medium- to heavy-lift area, but there's very little that's available in the small class," he said. "Firefly and other companies popping up are aiming to fill that gap."
In October, NASA announced the award of fixed-price contracts to Firefly, Los Angeles-based Rocket Lab and Virgin Galactic of Long Beach, California, to provide dedicated rides into orbit for the cubesats NASA transports under its Cubesat Launch Initiative. NASA plans to pay Firefly $5.5 million, Virgin Galactic $4.7 million and Rocket Lab $6.95 million for launches scheduled to occur by April 2018.
To date, cubesats have flown primarily as secondary payloads on larger rockets, which meant their builders had little control over the launch timing or orbital destination. While those piggyback rides were welcomed by cubesat pioneers eager to test components or conduct scientific research, some of the entrepreneurs building miniature satellites to gather data or relay communications are eager for rides to specific altitudes and inclinations.
Firefly Space Systems at a Glance
Established: January 2014
Top Official: Thomas Markusic, chief executive
Employees: 61
Location: Cedar Park, Texas
 
Firefly Space Systems, which currently has 61 employees, plans to have a staff of about 150 when it begins sending satellites into orbit in 2018. Credit: Firefly Space Systems
 
"When you are riding as a secondary payload on a large launch vehicle, you sometimes have to wait a couple of years and you are subject to the technical specifications of that launch," said Amir Blachman, Space Angels Network managing director in Los Angeles. "Whereas if you can pay to get a custom launch for a smaller payload, you can tailor the timing and all the other elements of the mission to your specific needs."
Firefly executives say they will attract customers with low launch prices and strong customer service. The company plans to enable a customers to track the progress of their launch vehicle through its production cycle and, if possible, to watch the launch in virtual reality.
"The customer side of the launch vehicle market has been ignored for years," said Maureen Gannon, Firefly business development vice president. "We want to be a leader in customer experience."
 
Maureen Gannon, Firefly business development vice president. Credit: Firefly Space Systems
 
After establishing its business with Firefly Alpha, the company plans to offer multiple space transportation vehicles. "Firefly Alpha is the first step toward a next generation of larger vehicles with increased payload capability and reusability," Gannon said.
One of the benefits of starting the company by building a small rocket is the capital investment. "From a capital standpoint, this type of program is available to more people than the mega programs like SpaceX is doing," Blachman said.
"The cost does not scale linearly with vehicle size," Markusic said, adding that a vehicle twice as large might cost eight times as much to develop because it would require custom machine tools.
Firefly plans to raise roughly $100 million to build and launch Firefly Alpha. Through a seed round, the company raised between $10 million and $20 million. The company plans to raise the balance through Series A and B funding rounds.
Firefly has 61 employees and plans to have a staff of about 150 when it begins sending satellites into orbit in 2018. Firefly received a $1.2 million economic incentive package from Cedar Park, Texas, wh ere the company built a 1,850-square-meter research and development facility as well as a 80-hectare test site.
In Firefly's first year and a half, its engineers have tackled some of the company's greatest technical risks. In September, Firefly announced its first successful ground test of its rocket engine.
By 2017, Firefly plans to begin conducting suborbital launches. "We will learn a lot about the vehicle so when we have someone's precious payload on the top, it will not be the first time this thing has ever performed," Markusic said.
 Firefly plans to conduct is first orbital flight in March 2018, an ambitious goal for a company established in 2014.
"When I started the company, I committed myself to the idea that we would be very successful very quickly or we would fail very quickly," Markusic said. "The goal is not to build a company that can sustain itself for 10 years and never get to space. The goal of the company is to get to space in three or four years or not exist."

[Salo]

Black Arrow 2:
http://horizonsas.com/products/          

 Black Arrow 2 is Horizon's first project, named after the first British rocket to launch a satellite in 1971.
Standing nearly 25m tall, it is a two stage orbital space launch vehicle designed to reliably deploy small satellites in support of missions for the UK Space Agency (UKSA), European Space Agency (ESA) and commercial satellite companies fr om all around the world.
The first stage produces 360,000 Newtons of thrust (approx. 81,000 lbf) and the upper stage produces 45,000 Newtons (approx. 10,000 lbf).
Both stages are fueled with clean-burning Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) propellants.
 Initial Performance:
500 kg to 200×200 km 0° equatorial* orbit.
 200 kg to 600×600 km 98° sun-synchronous orbit.
 * – Equatorial performance is based on a launch site with a latitude within 30° of the equator.
 Testing:
An extensive ground test program is planned with initial upper stage combustion chambers, turbopumps, injectors and RCS thrusters planned to be tested at Westcott, near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire — the historic home of rocketry in the UK. Hot-fire testing should begin there in 2016.
 The larger first stage chamber is too large to operate safely at Westcott, so we require a more isolated site for that. We are looking at various alternatives, with Pendine in South Wales looking most favourable.
 We hope to be able to arrange for the public to watch some, if not all, of our tests.
 Launches:
Horizon is preparing for a 10-flight test program with all test launches flying from a site in northern Scotland.
 The first flights are planned to be sub-orbital tests of the first stage alone, and quite unusually, they may fly westerly into the Atlantic. Later flights will fly north, as we build our experience and attempt to reach polar orbit from the UK.
 For operational flights, we can continue to fly from the UK for appropriate missions, but our mobile launch facility gives us great flexibility and we have the option to partner with the ESA and operate from their Guiana Space Centre in South America, to possibly use the same Australian launch site at Woomera wh ere British rockets historically flew (including the original Black Arrow), or perhaps utilise the extensive tracking facilities available at the US Air Force's Eastern Test Range at Cape Canaveral, Florida (though this site is complicated due to US International Traffic in Arms Regulations).
       
    

       
          Schedule:
The current development schedule for Black Arrow 2 is targeted to begin test flights in 2017, with the first customer flights (Initial Operational Capability – IOC) around 2018-2019.
Black Arrow 2 Schedule

 Key:
SRA – Systems Requirements Audit (Completed)
 CDA – Conceptual Design Audit
 FDA – Final Design Audit
 FCA – Flight Certification Audit
 OCA – Operational Certification Audit
 IOC  – Initial Operational Capability
 FOC – Full Operational Capability
       
              
       
          Large Payload Fairing
 
Black Arrow 2's standard Payload Fairing (PLF) is 2.4m in diameter and stands nearly 7m tall, allowing for satellites with substantial volume.
          

       
          Highly Transportable

Black Arrow 2 is designed to launch from virtually anywhere in the world.
The entire launch facility, including an ISO-7 Class 10,000 cleanroom payload facility, packs away inside 26 standard ISO cargo-containers.
 The complete facility can relocate to a new launch site in less than 30 days.

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октоген пишет:
В общем пример А1-это пример того как не нужно делать легкую ракету.