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Private, uncrewed, suborbital test flights to start this year.



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 7th 11, 08:24 PM posted to sci.space.policy,sci.astro,sci.physics,sci.space.history
Robert Clark
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Posts: 1,150
Default Private, uncrewed, suborbital test flights to start this year.

On Jan 6, 4:42*am, Robert Clark wrote:
*All of Armadillo Aerospace, Blue Origins, and Masten Space Systems
plan on making uncrewed suborbital test flights this year. And Blue
Origins believes they can begin crewed suborbital test flights next
year. This could be the time frame in which SpaceShipTwo will be
making its first suborbital test flights.
*See the links to the respective suborbital programs he

Suborbital RLV.https://c3.ndc.nasa.gov/flightopport...rms/suborbital

* Bob Clark



Interestingly, though orbital flight has been considered much more
difficult than suborbital flight, and indeed the "cost" in energy and
velocity is much higher, surprisingly it can be done now actually at a
lower monetary cost than at least that of the Virgin Galactic
suborbital system.
As I mentioned here a reusable launch vehicle can be constructed for
an amount in the range of $10 million to $20 million:

A Kerosene-Fueled X-33 as a Single Stage to Orbit Vehicle.
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.s...Ed19932302b043

Compare that to the estimated $150 million to $200 million Virgin
Galactic will be paying to develop the WhiteKnightTwo/SpaceShipTwo
suborbital system.

This reusable SSTO is of the DC-X powered-landing format not the X-33
lifting-body format and is derived from 1970's technology Delta Thor
lightweight structures and NK-33 high efficiency engines, which is why
I have argued SSTO's with significant payload capability have been
possible for decades. However, to get the SSTO you need to use both
weight optimized structures and high efficiency engines at the same
time. Previously, and frustratingly still now, launchers have been
given one or the other but not both.
Of the suborbital flight companies mentioned Blue Origin and Virgin
Galactic have sufficient financing to easily build this SSTO. And
indeed it is of such simple design an operational prototype could
probably be flying by the time they have their manned suborbital
flights in operation.
As I said this SSTO is of the DC-X design. Since Blue Origin is
already going to use this powered landing approach for their
suborbital vehicle they may have a leg up in the race to first field
this SSTO. However SSTO's of comparable size that used instead
horizontal landing would work just as well. Then Virgin Galactic with
partnerships both with Scaled Composites with the winged SpaceShipTwo
and now with Sierra Nevada with the lifting-body Dream Chaser,
http://www.newspacejournal.com/2010/...nies-on-ccdev/,
could also easily field a horizontal landing type SSTO.


Bob Clark
  #2  
Old January 9th 11, 09:54 AM posted to sci.space.policy,sci.astro,sci.physics,sci.space.history
Robert Clark
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,150
Default Private, uncrewed, suborbital test flights to start this year.

On Jan 7, 2:24*pm, Robert Clark wrote:
On Jan 6, 4:42*am, Robert Clark wrote:

*All of Armadillo Aerospace, Blue Origins, and Masten Space Systems
plan on making uncrewed suborbital test flights this year. And Blue
Origins believes they can begin crewed suborbital test flights next
year. This could be the time frame in which SpaceShipTwo will be
making its first suborbital test flights.
*See the links to the respective suborbital programs he


Suborbital RLV.https://c3.ndc.nasa.gov/flightopport...rms/suborbital


* Bob Clark


Interestingly, though orbital flight has been considered much more
difficult than suborbital flight, and indeed the "cost" in energy and
velocity is much higher, surprisingly it can be done now actually at a
lower monetary cost than at least that of the Virgin Galactic
suborbital system.
As I mentioned here a reusable launch vehicle can be constructed for
an amount in the range of $10 million to $20 million:

A Kerosene-Fueled X-33 as a Single Stage to Orbit Vehicle.http://groups.google.com/group/sci.s...ecf0850bfdaf5?...

Compare that to the estimated $150 million to $200 million Virgin
Galactic will be paying to develop the WhiteKnightTwo/SpaceShipTwo
suborbital system.

This reusable SSTO is of the DC-X powered-landing format not the X-33
lifting-body format and is derived from 1970's technology Delta Thor
lightweight structures and NK-33 high efficiency engines, which is why
I have argued SSTO's with significant payload capability have been
possible for decades. However, to get the SSTO you need to use both
weight optimized structures and high efficiency engines at the same
time. Previously, and frustratingly still now, launchers have been
given one or the other but not both.
Of the suborbital flight companies mentioned Blue Origin and Virgin
Galactic have sufficient financing to easily build this SSTO. And
indeed it is of such simple design an operational prototype could
probably be flying by the time they have their manned suborbital
flights in operation.
As I said this SSTO is of the DC-X design. Since Blue Origin is
already going to use this powered landing approach for their
suborbital vehicle they may have a leg up in the race to first field
this SSTO. However SSTO's of comparable size that used instead
horizontal landing would work just as well. Then Virgin Galactic with
partnerships both with Scaled Composites with the winged SpaceShipTwo
and now with Sierra Nevada with the lifting-body Dream Chaser,http://www.newspacejournal.com/2010/...with-two-compa...,
could also easily field a horizontal landing type SSTO.

* *Bob Clark


That last link should be:

Virgin joins forces with two companies on CCDev.
December 16, 2010, at 12:50 pm | Category: Orbital, Orbital Sciences
Corp., Sierra Nevada Corp., Virgin Galactic
http://www.newspacejournal.com/2010/...nies-on-ccdev/


Bob Clark
 




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