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Rocket Lab’s big ‘It’s Business Time’ launch targets this weekend for takeoff



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 11th 18, 02:54 AM posted to sci.space.policy
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Default Rocket Lab’s big ‘It’s Business Time’ launch targets this weekend for takeoff

"Upstart launch provider Rocket Lab aims to finally launch its first fully
commercial payload to orbit this weekend after months of delays. The small
Electron rocket will take six satellites from four companies to orbit as early as
tomorrow evening Pacific time — Sunday afternoon at the company’s launch site in
New Zealand.

“It’s Business Time,” as this launch is called, in honor of being the first to
carry a full load of paying customers, was originally scheduled for this last
spring, but small technical glitches have repeatedly delayed operations. Things
are looking good for the 11th, though, and the window lasts until the 19th in case
there’s inclement weather."

See:

https://techcrunch.com/2018/11/09/ro...d-for-takeoff/
  #2  
Old November 11th 18, 10:26 AM posted to sci.space.policy
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Default Rocket Lab’s big ‘It’s Business Time’ launch targets this weekend for takeoff

Congrats to Rocket Lab on their successful launch!:

"A small rocket from a little-known company lifted off Sunday from the east coast
of New Zealand, carrying a clutch of tiny satellites. That modest event — the
first commercial launch by a U.S.-New Zealand company known as Rocket Lab — could
mark the beginning of a new era in the space business, where countless small
rockets pop off from spaceports around the world. This miniaturization of rockets
and spacecraft places outer space within reach of a broader swath of the economy."

See:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/10/s...ab-launch.html

  #3  
Old November 11th 18, 11:16 AM posted to sci.space.policy
Rocket Man
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Posts: 23
Default Rocket Lab's big 'It's Business Time' launch targets this weekend for takeoff


At $22000 per kg the launch costs aren't particularly revolutionary.

wrote in message
...
Congrats to Rocket Lab on their successful launch!:

"A small rocket from a little-known company lifted off Sunday from the east
coast
of New Zealand, carrying a clutch of tiny satellites. That modest event -
the
first commercial launch by a U.S.-New Zealand company known as Rocket Lab -
could
mark the beginning of a new era in the space business, where countless small
rockets pop off from spaceports around the world. This miniaturization of
rockets
and spacecraft places outer space within reach of a broader swath of the
economy."

See:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/10/s...ab-launch.html


  #4  
Old November 11th 18, 03:01 PM posted to sci.space.policy
Jeff Findley[_6_]
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Posts: 2,307
Default Rocket Lab?s big ?It?s Business Time? launch targets this weekend for takeoff

In article ,
says...

Congrats to Rocket Lab on their successful launch!:

"A small rocket from a little-known company lifted off Sunday from the east coast
of New Zealand, carrying a clutch of tiny satellites. That modest event ? the
first commercial launch by a U.S.-New Zealand company known as Rocket Lab ? could
mark the beginning of a new era in the space business, where countless small
rockets pop off from spaceports around the world. This miniaturization of rockets
and spacecraft places outer space within reach of a broader swath of the economy."

See:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/10/s...ab-launch.html

This company is one to watch. They are taking the path of a relatively
inexpensive to manufacture small expendable launcher. Last I read,
they're going to add a launch site in the US.

Space startup Rocket Lab will build a second launch site in Virginia
Soon, the company will be able to launch from the US and New Zealand
By Loren Grush@lorengrush, Oct 17, 2018, 10:00am EDT
https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/17/...-nasa-wallops-
flight-facility-virginia-electron-rocket-launch-pad

From the article, they'll be launching from NASA's Wallops Flight
Facility in eastern Virginia. Having a US launch site is a good choice
if they want to launch for NASA or DOD.

Lots of other tidbits in the article.

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.
  #6  
Old November 11th 18, 06:38 PM posted to sci.space.policy
Rocket Man
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Posts: 23
Default Rocket Lab?s big ?It?s Business Time? launch targets this weekend for takeoff

The one thing I like about their rocket is that they replaced the turbopump
with a electric motor. It's probably only applicable to small engines (?),
but it is innovative. The turbopump is by far the most complicated part in
building a rocket engine, and they've bypassed the complexity by going
electric.

"Jeff Findley" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...

Congrats to Rocket Lab on their successful launch!:

"A small rocket from a little-known company lifted off Sunday from the
east coast
of New Zealand, carrying a clutch of tiny satellites. That modest event ?
the
first commercial launch by a U.S.-New Zealand company known as Rocket Lab
? could
mark the beginning of a new era in the space business, where countless
small
rockets pop off from spaceports around the world. This miniaturization of
rockets
and spacecraft places outer space within reach of a broader swath of the
economy."

See:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/10/s...ab-launch.html

This company is one to watch. They are taking the path of a relatively
inexpensive to manufacture small expendable launcher. Last I read,
they're going to add a launch site in the US.

Space startup Rocket Lab will build a second launch site in Virginia
Soon, the company will be able to launch from the US and New Zealand
By Loren Grush@lorengrush, Oct 17, 2018, 10:00am EDT
https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/17/...-nasa-wallops-
flight-facility-virginia-electron-rocket-launch-pad

From the article, they'll be launching from NASA's Wallops Flight
Facility in eastern Virginia. Having a US launch site is a good choice
if they want to launch for NASA or DOD.

Lots of other tidbits in the article.

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.



  #9  
Old November 13th 18, 12:03 PM posted to sci.space.policy
Jeff Findley[_6_]
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Posts: 2,307
Default Rocket Lab?s big ?It?s Business Time? launch targets this weekend for takeoff

In article ,
says...

Jeff Findley wrote on Mon, 12 Nov 2018
05:45:32 -0500:

In article ,

says...
The one thing I like about their rocket is that they replaced the turbopump
with a electric motor. It's probably only applicable to small engines (?),
but it is innovative. The turbopump is by far the most complicated part in
building a rocket engine, and they've bypassed the complexity by going
electric.


Agreed. Plus they drop battery packs when they're expended, which is a
version of staging. I thought that was pretty clever.


Even dropping the batteries I would think an electric pump would be
heavier than a turbopump. Perhaps that's not significant at this
scale but I'd think it would eat you up quick as you got bigger.


True. Others have studied this in the past. Electric pumps do make
less sense at larger scales. They're pretty much off the shelf though
compared to developing a turbopump, so for a small company looking to
get a vehicle into orbit quickly, they seem to make sense.

As far as I can tell, these smaller launch companies don't have much, if
any, interest in scaling up (at least not to Falcon 9 size). They seem
to be optimizing their operations for a rapid cadence of small launches.

Considering DOD is currently running a rapid launch competition with
requirements tailored to smaller launch vehicles, there seems to be some
interest at this end of the market, even from the US Government.

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.
 




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