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Vector Space Systems Micro Satelite Lauches

Basto

By Basto
in Science & Spaceflight

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Steel

Steel

Posted
Posted
28 minutes ago, _Augustus_ said:

Why can't they get an FAA permit to fly over 10,000 ft?

If I had to guess, it would be because the FAA doesn't like the idea of a group of people with no track record launching what amounts to a missile into the upper atmosphere without being able to guarantee it is controllable. After all, something 20- or 30000 feet in air can go a long way in the wrong direction if things go wrong. The launch today will certainly have helped their case, as it demonstrates that they have full control over the vehicle.

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Streetwind

Streetwind

Posted
Posted (edited)

Perhaps they even could have gotten approval for a much higher altitude launch. I don't believe it is quite so difficult to get the okay - even student projects exceed this altitude relatively regularly. There may just have been good reasons why Vector opted to not go for such a thing.

- They might have had to go to a different launch site, which could have been inconvenient
- They might have had to wait longer, but wanted to launch now
- They might simply not have needed it for the things they were testing yesterday

Vector's model isn't like that of Rocket Lab, which built a single test vehicle and went straight for orbit with their first launch. Vector has been doing minor test launches in the past and will likely continue to do so until they're confident they have a good shot at orbit.

 

EDIT: Here's a relevant quote.

Quote

“It’s an incremental development approach that gradually adds more and more complexity and performance to the vehicle as we go along,” James Cantrell, chief executive of Vector, said in an interview after the May test flight. Vector is planning a total of up to six test flights, culminating in an orbital launch, he said then.

 

Edited by Streetwind
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Streetwind

Streetwind

Posted
Posted

http://spacenews.com/vector-to-perform-first-orbital-launches-from-virginia/

- Next Vector-R test flight in January 2018, in the Mojave desert; testing thrust vectoring
- First Vector-R orbital flights "as soon as" July 2018, from Wallops, Virginia
- Larger Vector-H vehicle has had its development accelerated after significant customer interest

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wumpus

wumpus

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, insert_name said:

Interesting bit on their engines development: they're using pressure fed propelyne engines

https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/09/after-a-decade-of-testing-propylene-rocket-fuel-may-be-ready-for-prime-time/

Is anybody more familiar with the stuff?  I read that and think: hybrid rocket with nitrous oxide replaced with real LOX (which should put hybrids much closer to "the big boys").  You might need a third (or more) stage, but it sounds like a real way to make a smaller rocket.

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