The Aerospace Industry Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Bad Monkey!
- Start date
RocketLab has started their live stream. Right now the countdown is at -15:00, so the launch will be at ~7:10pm Pacific Time in the US.
http://www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream
https://twitter.com/RocketLab
http://www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream
https://twitter.com/RocketLab
Sounds like they are emptying their tanks. I wouldn't bet on them launching today.
Range violation by an ocean vessel. Recycling for another attempt for today's window.
Still in temporary hold @ T- 12:00, mention of a potential avionics issue. And they are keeping an eye out for ships 
Too bad. I did find some of the livestream chatter humorous.
- No more holds, I've had enough!
- Some other rocket companies are trying to escape to other planets. Come work for Rocket Lab; we're focused on making this planet a better place.
(My paraphrases.)
- No more holds, I've had enough!
- Some other rocket companies are trying to escape to other planets. Come work for Rocket Lab; we're focused on making this planet a better place.
(My paraphrases.)
Rocket lab just launched, they staged and did fairing sep! Looks like they made it past where they failed last time.
Video quality far better than the first launch.
Launch looked absolutely superb. You could see the high altitude winds they were worried about.
E: you could see when they ejected depleted batteries!
E2: looks like a nominal SECO, they made it to orbit
E3: payload deployed
Video quality far better than the first launch.
Launch looked absolutely superb. You could see the high altitude winds they were worried about.
E: you could see when they ejected depleted batteries!
E2: looks like a nominal SECO, they made it to orbit
E3: payload deployed
The Rocket Lab guy on the left end of the front row (right of video frame) needs to learn how to clap like a grown up.
Rocket lab were supposed to be launching from down the road but the nimbies put a stop to that.
It's funny watching Australia scramble for their own now lol
It's funny watching Australia scramble for their own now lol
A space race in the antipodes!
Their own launchers or some arrangement with existing ones?
Seems quite unlikely they would be able to reach the range of azimuths New Zealand can with a single site. So far as I know Australia usually talks about launching rockets pretty far north to gain the most advantage from proximity to the equator, but polar orbits don't work from there since Australia is to the south and Indonesia/Papua New Guinea is to the north. It's worse for almost anything other than geostationary, it's like SpaceX's Texas launch site, really specialized for that one application.
If it's a space program with real science goals and not just looking to cash in on commercial launches the south coast or Tasmania almost seems like the better choice.
heh, still pretty vague. Not even clear this intends to fund launch capability as opposed to funding the local aerospace sector. Seems more likely to provide an instrument on a probe NASA builds than building their own rockets (which is a perfectly reasonable thing to do).
We now have the capability to bomb their launch sites with up to 150kgs of assorted crocks anyhow. Causing such a fashion disaster it will delay them decades.
They're selling T-Shirts with the unofficial name of the agency, we bought one for a friend. Gotta love a country that actually sells official merchandise for Australian Research & Space Exploration society, IE ARSE.
ARSE official merchandise page
Huh. Did a little back of then envelope math, the battery capacity of Electron is probably comparable to existing electric cars. Different chemistry since they drain them so fast, but from the vague numbers they've given probably 60ish kwh.
Fake.
They're selling T-Shirts with the unofficial name of the agency, we bought one for a friend. Gotta love a country that actually sells official merchandise for Australian Research & Space Exploration society, IE ARSE.
ARSE official merchandise page
Fake.
They're selling T-Shirts with the unofficial name of the agency, we bought one for a friend. Gotta love a country that actually sells official merchandise for Australian Research & Space Exploration society, IE ARSE.
ARSE official merchandise page
Not fake, we've actually bought the T-Shirt.
Speaking of swag, RocketLab is holding a limited-time sale of t-shirts emblazoned with "I never want to hold again."
woah - https://www.rocketlabusa.com/news/updat ... ick-stage/
Turns out Rocket Lab has a kick stage they didn't tell anyone about that was also successful. It provided circularization for the recent launch, and it uses a green monopropellant which reduces handling costs on the ground.
Really damn impressive they've got this whole other propulsion stack they built in their spare time before they even had a working rocket. Apart from circularization it should also allow multiple different orbits for different customers on the same launch. Seems like it would also significantly improve the performance of this launcher for high energy launches, even Earth escape launches.
I gotta say, this looks really impressive. It's everything you'd expect from the major launch providers except smaller.
Turns out Rocket Lab has a kick stage they didn't tell anyone about that was also successful. It provided circularization for the recent launch, and it uses a green monopropellant which reduces handling costs on the ground.
Really damn impressive they've got this whole other propulsion stack they built in their spare time before they even had a working rocket. Apart from circularization it should also allow multiple different orbits for different customers on the same launch. Seems like it would also significantly improve the performance of this launcher for high energy launches, even Earth escape launches.
I gotta say, this looks really impressive. It's everything you'd expect from the major launch providers except smaller.
Yup, they're not even saying what the propellant is other than that it's green (meaning not hydrazine).
Possibly ammonium dinitramide? Interesting pdf...
edit: could also be simple hydrogen peroxide. Long history as a monoprop, and relatively safe, non-toxic, and easy to handle in small amounts.
Yup, the only issue with that is that the ISP isn't amazing as a monopropellant. I guess it depends on how much they need from it.
My money's also on HTP monoprop. Bear in mind, however, it's also possible to use HTP as an oxidiser.
Arianspace launched just.
looks like theres an issue , possibly down to comms, might have lost the upper stage/sat
looks like theres an issue , possibly down to comms, might have lost the upper stage/sat
