ULA Launches and discussion

[tater]

Doesn't seem to be a fixed ULA thread. 

 

Awesome video is awesome. Regardless of what booster you happen to favor, Centaur is an amazing US.

 

[SuperFastJellyfish]

RL-10 for the win!

Edit:  Here's a cool(and very informative) NASA blog that I just read after being inspired by this post. 

Edited April 21, 2017 by SuperFastJellyfish

[Bill Phil]

Yeah. The Centaur is a favorite of mine. One of the few things that the US has used since the 60s. The Delta II beats it out in terms of length, but it's basically retired.

[VaPaL]

I just posted a 360 video (working video) from this launch in another thread:

 

[magnemoe]

On 22.4.2017 at 4:31 AM, Bill Phil said:

Yeah. The Centaur is a favorite of mine. One of the few things that the US has used since the 60s. The Delta II beats it out in terms of length, but it's basically retired.

How far has they come with the plan of using an IC engine for power and hot gas for pressure?

In short they want to replace the helium for pressurization with oxygen and hydrogen from the boil of. To power this they use an pretty standard low tech IC engine like an car engine. 
This also heat the oxygen and hydrogen used for pressurization, pressurized O2 and H2 is also used for the trusters. 

[Streetwind]

3 hours ago, magnemoe said:

How far has they come with the plan of using an IC engine for power and hot gas for pressure?

This technology will be used in a new upper stage to replace the Centaur, called ACES. It is a critical component in ULA's future "Cislunar 1000" plan, where it will be acting as a reusable space tug after completing its launch.

Tory Bruno has said that ACES is coming along slowly, but it is not currently the main focus. Other things, like the Vulcan launch vehicle, need to be finished first - else ACES couldn't fly even if completed. So work on it will start accelerating once Vulcan is ready.

While on the topic of Vulcan - ULA is currently observing prototype firing demonstrations of Blue Origin's BE-4 engine. With Aerojet's competing engine nearly two years behind, ULA has stated that if nothing significantly displeases them during these demonstrations, they might be ready to officially accept the BE-4 as soon as two or three months from now. That would be great news for Vulcan's development, as it would lock in the fuel choice and focus all engineering efforts on that single variant instead of carrying along two.

[magnemoe]

Just now, Streetwind said:

This technology will be used in a new upper stage to replace the Centaur, called ACES. It is a critical component in ULA's future "Cislunar 1000" plan, where it will be acting as a reusable space tug after completing its launch.

Tory Bruno has said that ACES is coming along slowly, but it is not currently the main focus. Other things, like the Vulcan launch vehicle, need to be finished first - else ACES couldn't fly even if completed. So work on it will start accelerating once Vulcan is ready.

While on the topic of Vulcan - ULA is currently observing prototype firing demonstrations of Blue Origin's BE-4 engine. With Aerojet's competing engine nearly two years behind, ULA has stated that if nothing significantly displeases them during these demonstrations, they might be ready to officially accept the BE-4 as soon as two or three months from now. That would be great news for Vulcan's development, as it would lock in the fuel choice and focus all engineering efforts on that single variant instead of carrying along two.

Ok, I thought it as an gradual update to Centaur but it might well be too dramatic changes.
Looks like they has to change everything outside the engine after all. 

[StrandedonEarth]

6 hours ago, magnemoe said:

How far has they come with the plan of using an IC engine for power and hot gas for pressure?

In short they want to replace the helium for pressurization with oxygen and hydrogen from the boil of. To power this they use an pretty standard low tech IC engine like an car engine. 
This also heat the oxygen and hydrogen used for pressurization, pressurized O2 and H2 is also used for the trusters. 

https://www.google.ca/amp/jalopnik.com/a-nascar-team-is-building-the-first-internal-combustion-1783198912/amp