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Rocket Lab's 'Electron' Marks First Orbital-Class Launch From aPrivate Pad
"Rocket Lab, a California-based spaceflight company with its roots in New Zealand,
just launched its two-stage Electron rocket for the first time. The small launch vehicle successfully lifted off from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula of New Zealand at 12:20 a.m. ET on Thursday May 25—4:20 p..m. New Zealand time. The successful liftoff marks the first time an orbital-class rocket has been launched from a private launch facility." See: http://www.popularmechanics.com/spac...-first-flight/ |
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Rocket Lab's 'Electron' Marks First Orbital-Class Launch From a Private Pad
"Fred J. McCall" wrote in message
... wrote: "Rocket Lab, a California-based spaceflight company with its roots in New Zealand, just launched its two-stage Electron rocket for the first time. The small launch vehicle successfully lifted off from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula of New Zealand at 12:20 a.m. ET on Thursday May 25—4:20 p.m. New Zealand time. The successful liftoff marks the first time an orbital-class rocket has been launched from a private launch facility." See: http://www.popularmechanics.com/spac...-first-flight/ It did not, however, reach orbit and it was expected to, so there's a failure investigation going on. Huh, thought it had, but not the desired orbit. Either way, someone's got a lot of 'spaining to do. -- Greg D. Moore http://greenmountainsoftware.wordpress.com/ CEO QuiCR: Quick, Crowdsourced Responses. http://www.quicr.net IT Disaster Response - https://www.amazon.com/Disaster-Resp...dp/1484221834/ |
#4
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Rocket Lab's 'Electron' Marks First Orbital-Class Launch From a Private Pad
"Greg \(Strider\) Moore" wrote:
"Fred J. McCall" wrote in message .. . wrote: "Rocket Lab, a California-based spaceflight company with its roots in New Zealand, just launched its two-stage Electron rocket for the first time. The small launch vehicle successfully lifted off from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula of New Zealand at 12:20 a.m. ET on Thursday May 25—4:20 p.m. New Zealand time. The successful liftoff marks the first time an orbital-class rocket has been launched from a private launch facility." See: http://www.popularmechanics.com/spac...-first-flight/ It did not, however, reach orbit and it was expected to, so there's a failure investigation going on. Huh, thought it had, but not the desired orbit. Either way, someone's got a lot of 'spaining to do. Nope. It got to 'space' (which is an altitude thing), but it didn't achieve orbit. -- "I was lucky in the order. But I've always been lucky when it comes to killin' folks." -- William Munny, "Unforgiven" |
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Rocket Lab's 'Electron' Marks First Orbital-Class Launch From aPrivate Pad
On Friday, May 26, 2017 at 12:55:36 PM UTC+12, Fred J. McCall wrote:
wrote: "Rocket Lab, a California-based spaceflight company with its roots in New Zealand, just launched its two-stage Electron rocket for the first time. The small launch vehicle successfully lifted off from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula of New Zealand at 12:20 a.m. ET on Thursday May 25—4:20 p.m. New Zealand time. The successful liftoff marks the first time an orbital-class rocket has been launched from a private launch facility." See: http://www.popularmechanics.com/spac...-first-flight/ It did not, however, reach orbit and it was expected to, so there's a failure investigation going on. -- "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man." --George Bernard Shaw https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/rocket...on-ck-p-200954 It was a test launch and operated as it was intended. https://www.rocketlabusa.com/ 150 kg into a 500 km sun synchronous orbit - is very interesting! Its ideally suited for a 'dawn-dusk' orbit that stays in sunlight continuously. Orbits +/- 46.3 degrees in longitude from the terminator, never see the sun set. This make very lightweight solar powered satellites possible to build. These can be above Earth, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun-synchronous_orbit And above the moon! https://www.hindawi.com/journals/mpe/2009/740460/ So, launching a solar powered ion engine with the capacity using light weight concentrators, to generate 20 kW per kg, and very high thrust to weight MEMS based ion engines; http://www.accion-systems.com/ https://info.aiaa.org/Regions/SE/HSV..._19_2016. pdf Ve=10 km/sec, P = 0.1 Newton/cm2 = 1020 milligrams(force)/cm2, W = 46.5 milligrams/cm2 L/W = 21.93:1 500 Watts per cm2 of wafer. 20,000 W/kg satellite weight 40 cm2 -- 40.8 grams (force)per kg. 40.8 milligees! (0.4 m/s/s) 50 kg Stage 1 MW total power. 2,000 Wafers. 100 kg payload & propellant. Accelerating from 7.62 km/sec to 10.85 km/sec is a boost of 3.23 km/sec. Entering low lunar orbit takes another 0.67 km/sec. To return another 0.67 km/sec. A total of 4.57 km/sec deep space maneuver. This requires 55.02 kg of propellant. This leaves 44.98 kg of useful payload (with 50 kg dedicated to the solar ion system). This powers a 50 cm x 40 cm array of electrospray rockets. Two 30.5 m diameter inflatable concentrators, massing 17 kg each, illuminating a 300 mm diameter multi-spectral photovoltaic massing 133 grams, produces 500 kW of power when pointed at the sun. x2 equals 1,000 kW total. Additional 8 kg of propellant for attitude control and orbital changes. 7 kg of inert structure including communications and control. A lunar lander and return vehicle consisting of 23.56 kg - LOX/LH propellant 5.38 kg - structure 16.04 kg - landed payload on moon (and return) We can also launch satellites that are in the dark half the time, but receive power (as well as broadband through Li-Fi) http://purelifi.com/ from those satellites in constant sunlight. The lander consists of two nested spheres, one containing LOX and the other containing LH2, in a zero boil off cryogenic containment, 52 cm in diameter. This is surrounded by a 4 cm thick propulsive and sensory skin made of arrays of chemical thrusters, and arrays of light sensors and light sources as well as numerous 2 cm x 2 cm x 2 cm cavities. The system settles down on the lunar surface, is capable of flying over the lunar surface, and of rolling along it, and returning. Micro-robotic systems arrayed throughout the surface have the ability to leave their surface and operate cooperatively to move things into the satellite and of organising patterns in the lunar dust and photographing them. A panoramic 360 degree view of the scene is created and stored on board. The stars and horizon are recognised as well as lunar surface features and Earth surface features, to aid in celestial navigation. Services offered are; (1) Photgrammetry of the lunar surface, its features, and objects (2) Retrieval of small objects from the lunar surface, (3) Deposition of small objects to the lunar surface, (4) Writing and drawing patterns in the lunar dust (that will last millions of years) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._on_m oon.PNG Retrieval of pieces of Luna 2 and moon rocks, from which jewelry is made, is quite valuable. Writing your name, and the name of a loved one, on the lunar surface, is likewise quite valued. Depositing keepsakes on the moon also is quite valued. Documenting prior lunar landings and operations, surveying for water resources, orbital surveys, etc., is also of tremendous value. Well worth the $12 million spent on the programme. |
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Rocket Lab's 'Electron' Marks First Orbital-Class Launch From a Private Pad
William Mook wrote:
On Friday, May 26, 2017 at 12:55:36 PM UTC+12, Fred J. McCall wrote: wrote: "Rocket Lab, a California-based spaceflight company with its roots in New Zealand, just launched its two-stage Electron rocket for the first time. The small launch vehicle successfully lifted off from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula of New Zealand at 12:20 a.m. ET on Thursday May 25—4:20 p.m. New Zealand time. The successful liftoff marks the first time an orbital-class rocket has been launched from a private launch facility." See: http://www.popularmechanics.com/spac...-first-flight/ It did not, however, reach orbit and it was expected to, so there's a failure investigation going on. https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/rocket...on-ck-p-200954 It was a test launch and operated as it was intended. Not according to the head of the company, it didn't. http://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-reac...ectron-launch/ snip Imaginary MookSpew -- "Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong." -- Thomas Jefferson |
#7
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Rocket Lab's 'Electron' Marks First Orbital-Class Launch From a Private Pad
In article ,
says... wrote: "Rocket Lab, a California-based spaceflight company with its roots in New Zealand, just launched its two-stage Electron rocket for the first time. The small launch vehicle successfully lifted off from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula of New Zealand at 12:20 a.m. ET on Thursday May 25?4:20 p.m. New Zealand time. The successful liftoff marks the first time an orbital-class rocket has been launched from a private launch facility." See: http://www.popularmechanics.com/spac...-first-flight/ It did not, however, reach orbit and it was expected to, so there's a failure investigation going on. I'm surprised they got as far as they did. But yes, there is a bit of a PR spin going on in the news articles. This was a test flight and it was mostly successful... mostly. But it did not go into orbit, so it's not quite ready for paying customers who expect their satellite to be placed into earth orbit. Still, SpaceX had several Falcon 1 failures before they finally "got it right". This stuff isn't easy. Jeff -- All opinions posted by me on Usenet News are mine, and mine alone. These posts do not reflect the opinions of my family, friends, employer, or any organization that I am a member of. |
#8
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Rocket Lab's 'Electron' Marks First Orbital-Class Launch From aPrivate Pad
McCall takes everything out of context, which is usual for him.
https://www.rocketlabusa.com/latest/ https://www.rocketlabusa.com/latest/...it-to-space-2/ This FIRST LAUNCH of the Electron was a TEST LAUNCH. Orbit would have been nice to achieve and was a goal, but wasn't achieved in this case. Had it been achieved, without major mishap, dropping one test launch, would have been nice for the budget. However, a lot of BS is spun out as fact around sci.space - largely due to people like McCall taking things out of context. Fact: RocketLab already has commercial clients. Fact: RocketLab is planning two more TEST launches in the THREE LAUNCH TEST SEQUENCE prior to committing to its FIRST COMMERCIAL LAUNCH, WHICH IS ALREADY BOOKED. Fact: RocketLab is committed to a programme of continuous improvement that allows it to adjust its digital tooling and rapid production chain to take advantage of lessons learned. lol. As the man once said, You ain't seen nothin' yet! * * * Mini-satellites of immense capacity! * * * Some very exciting commercial payloads are forthcoming putting New Zealand in a very strong position to participate in the small satellite marketplace and delivering very interesting capabilities. One is a lunar landing and return robot previously described, that provides; (1) lunar video (2) lunar photogrammetry (3) lunar payload delivery (and return) (4) lunar sample return (jewelry) * * * Another is a deep space Li-Fi network * * * https://energy.gov/eere/solar/downlo...-concentrators https://www.nature.com/articles/srep14758 Another is a 3 MW laser based solar power satellite * * * Another is a 1.25 MW laser based solar power satellite - AT MARS Giving routine delivery and return of 150 kg payloads to and from Mars orbit and Deimos and Phobos - and providing communications and live access to users anywhere. * * * http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10...78/18/6/063002 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1251612/ A Li-Fi based telecommunications system, that provides broadband from deep space, in GEO, Earth Moon Lagrange Points, and Sol Earth Lagrange Points - Sol Mars Lagrange Points - Deimos and Phobos - combined with advanced AI for mission planning and control - provide a sound basis for deep space missions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_...ation_in_space Li-Fi routers on orbit that provide uplink downlink using 802.11a virtual cells doppler corrected and stationary relative to the Earth's surface, despite being 'painted' by moving satellites, provide free global mesh net discoverable by any device with wi-fi or bluetooth capability. * * * MEMS Based Ion Engine http://www.accion-systems.com/accion-tech/ For high efficiency, deep space booster, using a solar pumped electro-spray ion engine, and a laser pumped electro-spray ion engine that's powered from a solar pumped laser satellite re, form the basis of a deep space stage of immense capacity. * * * http://lasermotive.com/ A solar pumped laser power satellite that beams energy to receivers on Earth using a conjugate optics to maintain safe reliable precise tracking. |
#9
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Rocket Lab's 'Electron' Marks First Orbital-Class Launch From aPrivate Pad
On Monday, May 29, 2017 at 2:05:18 AM UTC+12, Jeff Findley wrote:
In article , says... wrote: "Rocket Lab, a California-based spaceflight company with its roots in New Zealand, just launched its two-stage Electron rocket for the first time. The small launch vehicle successfully lifted off from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula of New Zealand at 12:20 a.m. ET on Thursday May 25?4:20 p.m. New Zealand time. The successful liftoff marks the first time an orbital-class rocket has been launched from a private launch facility." See: http://www.popularmechanics.com/spac...-first-flight/ It did not, however, reach orbit and it was expected to, so there's a failure investigation going on. I'm surprised they got as far as they did. But yes, there is a bit of a PR spin going on in the news articles. This was a test flight and it was mostly successful... mostly. But it did not go into orbit, so it's not quite ready for paying customers who expect their satellite to be placed into earth orbit. Still, SpaceX had several Falcon 1 failures before they finally "got it right". This stuff isn't easy. Jeff -- All opinions posted by me on Usenet News are mine, and mine alone. These posts do not reflect the opinions of my family, friends, employer, or any organization that I am a member of. Jeff, RocketLab received $75 million a few months ago, and announced three TEST FLIGHT prior to committing to their first COMMERCIAL LAUNCH. Had everything gone perfectly, the company may have dropped one test launch. As it stands, they will review 25,000 channels of data collected, and run it through their automated design and production process. Their tooling is largely digitally defined, and they have an awesome system of continuous improvement building their hardware with equipment that others might have called in an earlier day rapid prototyping. Their next rocket will have some awesome improvements, and their next one after that. As they strive and achieve perfection. |
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Rocket Lab's 'Electron' Marks First Orbital-Class Launch From a Private Pad
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