Jump to content

Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems (Orbital ATK) thread


tater

Recommended Posts

I'm figuring this is a prototype for the upcoming hypersonic weapons tracking megaconstellation. The MDA has been studying this for a while now. The only alternative is "to wallpaper the Earth with radars", so it's a pretty good deal.

https://spacenews.com/u-s-would-need-a-mega-constellation-to-counter-chinas-hypersonic-weapons/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Launch in a little over 8 min

Real video:

 

Looks like a scrub possible, they are having some issues they are working...

 

Might have reset whatever system was throwing the bad telemetry?

Green now.

Such a tiny thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Does anyone know what this thing is that tears off the lower stages of the Minotaur I straight after launch. I think it has something to do with the Minuteman II booster, but I'm not really sure.

Reference Image: Screen-Shot-2021-06-15-at-9.35.18-AM.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, bigboibru said:

Does anyone know what this thing is that tears off the lower stages of the Minotaur I straight after launch. I think it has something to do with the Minuteman II booster, but I'm not really sure.

It's to chill the booster even though it is a solid. The Minuteman missile was housed in solos that were underground (cool), and air conditioned. Wasn't designed to sit out on a pad in the sunlight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, tater said:

It's to chill the booster even though it is a solid. The Minuteman missile was housed in solos that were underground (cool), and air conditioned. Wasn't designed to sit out on a pad in the sunlight.

Ah, ok.

But then how come the SRBs used on the Shuttle and SLS Block 1/1B, which also use APCP as a propellant, don't need insulation?  Is it because they also use PBAN (polybutadiene acrylonitrile) as a propellant? Or is the insulation just put inside the booster instead, rather than tearing off at launch. I suppose this would've made sense for the Space Shuttle, as since the boosters were recovered there wouldn't be a need to get new insulation for every launch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, bigboibru said:

Ah, ok.

But then how come the SRBs used on the Shuttle and SLS Block 1/1B, which also use APCP as a propellant, don't need insulation?  Is it because they also use PBAN (polybutadiene acrylonitrile) as a propellant? Or is the insulation just put inside the booster instead, rather than tearing off at launch. I suppose this would've made sense for the Space Shuttle, as since the boosters were recovered there wouldn't be a need to get new insulation for every launch.

I'm unsure. Shuttle had SSMEs to pick up any variability in thrust due to temperature regimes I suppose, so it might just be a margin thing. Shuttle had decent margin for variability (and throttleable engines), and perhaps Minotaur I is much tighter margin wise due to not really being designed as a launch vehicle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, RyanRising said:

Pretty smooth. As always, I wish we had rocket cams, but the telemetry's a decent substitute - no shortage of info there. And, of course, it's always nice to see these things go off without a hitch.

Yeah, rocket cam is always a win. Watching a vehicle gain orbit in real time is incredibly cool.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/13/2021 at 7:28 AM, insert_name said:

Pegasus going up on Sunday, no webcast and USSF is being secretive about the payload other than it's a "space domain awareness" satellite

https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/06/12/hush-hush-military-satellite-ready-to-ride-pegasus-rocket-into-orbit/

 

On 6/13/2021 at 4:43 PM, SOXBLOX said:

I'm figuring this is a prototype for the upcoming hypersonic weapons tracking megaconstellation. The MDA has been studying this for a while now. The only alternative is "to wallpaper the Earth with radars", so it's a pretty good deal.

https://spacenews.com/u-s-would-need-a-mega-constellation-to-counter-chinas-hypersonic-weapons/

I'm "meh" on this assessment. Option 2 would be a low-orbit, decentralized SBIRS - and would have very little to actually do with hypersonics, since it would target ballistic missiles in the boost phase, where having an HGV or a conventional conical RV makes no difference.

Thing is, Option 2 has nothing to do with space domain awareness, which explicitly concerns orbital targets.

It sounds like Odyssey could be similar to Canada's Sapphire.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
  • 2 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...