... to enable amateur Moon exploration, amateur laser communicator built of common, low-cost parts will help to extend amateur satellites operating range up to at least moon orbit.
A kit containing the following components
Graham Sortino has been very busy with his small rocket projects. He's been making great progress. Here's a list of some of them. Check out his progress.
An interactive model of the Copenhagen Suborbitals' BPM-5 Rocket Motor. It is similar to an LR-101. You can zoom in and pan over the model.
This video shows the development of toroidal tanks through the full design and development cycle.
Alongside NASA’s Cygnus cargo pod, dozens of CubeSats were destroyed in the Antares rocket launch failure. Among them were 26 Dove earth-observation CubeSats from Planet Labs, known as Flock-1d
Recent technology advancements have enabled the development of small cheap satellites that can perform useful functions in the space environment. Currently, the only low cost option for getting these payloads into orbit is through ride share programs - small satellites awaiting the launch of a larger satellite, and then riding along on the same launcher. As a result, these small satellite customers await primary payload launches and a backlog exists. An alternative option would be dedicated nano-launch systems built and operated to provide more flexible launch services, higher availability, and affordable prices. The potential customer base that would drive requirements or support a business case includes commercial, academia, civil government and defense. Further, NASA technology investments could enable these alternative game changing options.
With this context, in 2013 the Game Changing Development (GCD) program funded a NASA team to investigate the feasibility of dedicated nano-satellite launch systems with a recurring cost of less than $2 million per launch for a 5 kg payload to low Earth orbit. The team products would include potential concepts, technologies and factors for enabling the ambitious cost goal, exploring the nature of the goal itself, and informing the GCD program technology investment decision making process.
This paper provides an overview of the life cycle analysis effort that was conducted in 2013 by an inter-center NASA team. This effort included the development of reference nano-launch system concepts, developing analysis processes and models, establishing a basis for cost estimates (development, manufacturing and launch) suitable to the scale of the systems, and especially, understanding the relationship of potential game changing technologies to life cycle costs, as well as other factors, such as flights per year.
zero2infinity has been operating high-altitude balloons since 2009. Using balloons as a first-stage for a nanosatellite launcher is the logical and necessary next step to address this booming and underserved market. bloostar is our modular, efficient and sustainable launcher. Let it take you to the stars.
We love satellites! And there are thousands of them up there. SatNOGS provides a scalable and modular platform to communicate with them.
A video illustrating the structure of the universe around the Milky Way Galaxy
Through these case studies, we explore how to apply more effectively already-tested models of government support for commercial activities, as well as the interactions of both the public and private spheres in a new opportunity zone in space. In each case, a summation yields a range of key points.
A neat interactive way of appreciating the scale of the universe.
This week, Aerojet Rocketdyne, a GenCorp company, announced that it has successfully completed a series of hot-fire tests on a Bantam demonstration engine built entirely with 3D printing. This particular liquid oxygen/kerosene engine, dubbed "Baby Bantam" (because it is at the lower end of the Bantam engine family thrust range), has a thrust of 5,000 pounds.
Two trends are setting up nanosats for further success. Like people working on everything from robots to 3D printers, nanosat builders are harvesting the benefits of ever better, ever cheaper components built for smartphones and other consumer electronics. Some nanosats even contain complete smartphones, making use of the clever operating systems, radios and cameras which phones now contain. For as long as phones go on getting cheaper and more capable, so will nanosats. The cheapest so far—a tiny chipsat—was assembled for just $25, though it has yet to be successfully launched.
A closeup video of a Russian Proton Launch with a nosy little squirrel friend
I just finished reading the book “The New Rocket Science” by Edward L Keith. There’s a lot wrong with it but there are a few things that I think are really good.
Of the things that are wrong with it are: the price, the artwork quality is poor, the sentence structure is repetitive and some of his points seem trite by merely saying “we need to develop better cost models.”
That said, there is a lot of good in the book.
First, the book is a good basic introduction to aerospace cost models. I haven’t had any formal introduction to cost models before and this book was almost completely about cost models. In fact, if one were to ask what is “the new rocket science?”, the answer might be “cost models” according to this book. As a general introduction to cost models in launch vehicle design, I found it entertaining and informative. I now know that I need to learn more about cost models.
Second, the author advocates an integrated design approach that considers manufacturing and operations as well as design costs. Although he doesn’t really state it explicitly, I think that he’s basically advocating for what is now MDO, multidisciplinary design optimization. Actually, he does use the term “multi disciplined optimization” at least once and maybe twice, but overall, he suggests the need to integrate all design, development, manufacturing and operations costs in considering launch system designs. I personally will put more emphasis on MDO in the future.
The one thing that I think he did well was to consider the “incentives problem” as to why the Soviet Union might have produced the closest thing to “low cost access to space” whereas the US didn’t. I liked his answer to that question.
The book suggests that those of us who want to develop low cost access to space should consider developing our own cost models to help guide our efforts. In fact, if we are to advance rocket science according to the author, we must expand the economics of launch systems as a whole as part of that science.
Anyway, I recommend this book if you haven’t had an introduction to cost models before and if you’re looking for a plausible explanation for why we still don’t have low cost access to space.
This person has placed a number of interesting tools and reports on the web. He states:
This is the web site for Rocket Science and Technology, operated by Charles Hoult. RST provides free analysis tools for the serious amateur rocket designer and university rocket engineering student.
In July and October of 2012 a study program, with 30 participants from 14 institutions throughout academia, government, and industry, was held on the unique role small satellites can play to revolutionize scientific observations in space science from LEO to deep space. The first workshop identified novel mission concepts where stand-alone, constellation, and fractionated small satellite systems can enable new targeted space science discoveries in heliophysics, astrophysics, and planetary science including NEOs and small bodies.
SpaceWorks Enterprises, Inc. (SEI) released the annual update to its nanosatellite and microsatellite market assessment. The study presents the latest observations, trends, and projections for the nano/microsatellite market. Projections indicate more than 400 nano/microsatellites will need launches annually in the year 2020 and beyond.
Space Systems Engineering, a new massive open online course or MOOC from NASA and the Saylor Foundation, launches on Monday, March 3, 2014. The six-week, general-audience course is available to the public at no cost and provides a unique opportunity to learn from and alongside NASA's engineers. Students who participate can earn a free certificate.
A startup based in Glasgow, Scotland, PocketQube shop wants to get more people building and launching their own satellites. We want to provide a hub for the fledgling class of PocketQube satellites by offering a one stop shop with the largest selection of parts available anywhere. PocketQubes are 5cm cubed spacecraft, proposed by Prof Bob Twiggs of Morehead State University (formerly Stanford). The first 4 PocketQubes made orbit on the 21st of November 2013.
PocketQube Standard
The 1U CubeSat was originally conceived as a cube, 100mm on each side with a mass of 1000g.
The 1Q PocketQub is one eighth of a CubeSat - a cube 50mm / 2 inches on each side with a mass of 125g.
Within the limitations of the format, it is recommended that PocketQubs are designed to meet as many of the CubeSat Design Specifications as is practical.
I've been involved in writing a book about small launch vehicles over the last year with Charles Pooley. It is now available at Amazon.com.
The book is described there as:
A vision for a new space age based on small launch vehicles. An introduction to microlaunchers and microlaunchers technology with a general overview of rocket design and engineering but at a popular and student level. Written for those who have a basic understanding of high school algebra and physics.
In writing this, I've tried to make it as educational as possible. For those wanting to learn more about small launch vehicles, this is one of a very small list of books that focus on this subject. There are very few sources that cover these issues together at the price and the readability that I hope this book has.
