Space Startup Scorecard 2009 January 17, 2009
Posted by Brian Pfeifer in ARCA, Armadillo Aerospace, Bigelow Aerospace, Blue Origin, Canadian Arrow, PlanetSpace, Rocketplane Kistler, Space Startups, SpaceDev, SpaceX, Starchaser, Tspace, UP Aerospace, X Class Orgs, XCOR.1 comment so far
The last time I did the scorecard was in 2007. Surprisingly, not a lot has changed. This was caused by two factors. First, not all of the companies are still pursuing private manned spaceflight. Instead Xcor and Planetspace are becoming engine and other parts suppliers to aerospace businesses. Others, like Transformational Space would like to be prime contractors and project managers rather than really hardware guys.
The second reason is that the milestones I have listed are extremely challenging. A few years ago, I don’t think most of us realized just how challenging they would be. ARCA, for example, has had multiple drop tests and balloon flights with various hardware configurations. They’ve also designed and test fired several engines and fuel combinations. They just haven’t fired a rocket after launching it on a balloon. They are progressing, but it’s painfully slow when viewed from the outside.
One other thing became clear as I read over company websites and profiles filling in the scorecards. Almost every one of these businesses submitted a proposal for NASA’s COTS program. We’ll dig a little deeper into that at a later date.
I’ve highlighted the few changes to the scorecard to make it easier to read.
Aerospace Startup Scorecard 2009
A Very Merry Christmas at SpaceX December 24, 2008
Posted by Brian Pfeifer in Armadillo Aerospace, Space News, Space Startups, SpaceX.add a comment
Santa has been very good to SpaceX this year. They just received the 1.6 billion dollar Cargo Resupply Service (CRS) contract from NASA. This means that they will start delivering supplies to the ISS in 2010. This also places the company of firm financial footing so they can pursue their plans to ramp up the Falcon 9 production lines to full capacity. With options to extend the contract for up to $3.1 billion, this is a juicy award, and it represents a substantial percentage of NASA’s $16 – $20 billion annual budget.
I don’t know how many SpaceX employees are celebrating though. With their first Falcon 9 arriving at Cape Canaveral in sections, they have a log of work ahead of them. They claim they will complete vehicle integration before the first of the New Year, but I think they have their work cut out for them.
With Falcon 9 at Space Launch Complex 40, White Night 2 performing test flights, and Armadillo Aerospace holding the Lunar Lander Challenge prize, it’s an exciting time for the New Space businesses.
The Curse of the Solar Sail August 7, 2008
Posted by Brian Pfeifer in JAXA, NASA, Planetary Society, Russia, Space Startups, SpaceX.add a comment
As you know SpaceX’s recent Falcon1 launch failed to reach orbit. They tracked down the technical cause to extra thrust produced by their new Merlin 1C engine. After engine cutoff, there’s still some fuel remaining in the regenerative cooling channels. When that seeped into the combustion chamber and mixed with residual oxygen, it pushed the first stage into the separated second stage.
There is of course a more sinister cause behind this mishap…The Curse of the Solar Sail.
Some of you may be familiar with the “Mars Gremlin.” Only about 50% of all spacecraft destined for the red planet are successful. We are getting better at dropping landers and rovers on the planet, but it’s still extremely difficult and risky. You may not be aware of it, but there is a similar curse afflicting attempts to put a solar sail into orbit. And yes, The Falcon 1 was carrying NanoSail-D, a solar sail technology demonstrator from NASA.
In 2005, the Planetary Society attempted to launch Cosmos1, another solar sail demonstrator. Unfortunately, the launcher was a bargain basement, submarine launched Volna rocket. The Russian operators hoped to demonstrate that the Volna was ready to launch commercial payloads. Although the booster reached orbital altitude, the payload failed to separate, the spacecraft was lost.
In 2006, JAXA launched a solar sail vehicle piggybacked to ASTRO-F’s M-V booster. While it successfully reached orbit, it failed to deploy its solar sails.
This makes NanoSail-D our third attempt, and our third failure of a solar sail spacecraft. So from where I’m sitting, the only mistake SpaceX made was agreeing to launch a solar sail. Solar sails have great potential to support long duration robotic missions, but before that happens, we’ll have to defeat the Curse of the Solar Sail.
Year in Review April 27, 2008
Posted by Brian Pfeifer in Armadillo Aerospace, Bigelow Aerospace, ESA, JAXA, NASA, Orbital SCiences, Rocketplane Kistler, Russia, Space Startups, SpaceX.add a comment
Yes, it’s been twelve months since my last post. So, I thought I’d give a quick run down of spaceflight activities for the past year. It’s been a busy one with many exciting developments.
Let’s start with the ISS’s growth spurt. The installation of ESA’s Columbus module, and JAXA’s Kibo Pressurized Logistics Module, and NASA’s Node 2 Harmony greatly expanded that habitable volume of the orbital outpost. It also means that. ESA and JAXA activated their own control rooms to support their modules. ESA also wins bonus points for finally getting Jules Vern, their first ATV cargo ship off the ground last month. After several rendezvous tests, the unmanned vehicle automatically docked to a Russian port. Just the other day, Jules Vern fired two of its four engines to boost the Space Station’s orbit.
Canada also has new hardware on orbit. Dexter, a two-armed extension for the Canada Arm II, accompanied the Kibo module on STS-123. It’s designed to complete some of the maintenance and repair tasks usually handle by space walking astronauts. Considering how dangerous those activities are, Dexter is a welcome contribution to this great experiment in space.
The ISS also played host to numerous international astronauts. Germany’s Hans Schlegel helped install ESA’s Columbus module on STS-122. Frances’s Leopold Eyharts also rode up on STS-122 and remained on orbit for a month to configure Columbus before returning on STS-123. Japan’s Takao Doi flew aboard STS-123 to deliver and install the Kibo PLM. South Korea also sent its first astronaut into space. Engineer Yi So Yeon joined Russia’s most recent Soyuz taxi flight. She spent ten days on orbit, and introduced the crew to some Korean foods including spicy kimchi, and fermented soybean paste. Both of which I can personally confirm are delicious, as I currently reside just north of Seoul. Soon the ISS may boast both an international cuisine as well as an international crew.
In other news, NASA’s project Orion is proceeding. The mockup capsule for the launch abort test is complete. Orbital Sciences is building the abort tower that will cap the module. Launch pad modifications are under way for the Ares I-X test. The dummy upper stage for the test is also complete. NASA also conducted numerous airbag tests to see if the vehicle can safely perform a landing on dry ground. They performed drop tests for the larger parachutes needed for the extended five segment solid booster. It’s great to see real hardware under construction and in tests.
The private sector hasn’t been sitting on its laurels either. Bigelow Aerospace successfully launched Genesis II, and is pushing forward with plans for full-scale inflatable orbital modules.
Armadillo Aerospace again failed to capture the Lunar Lander Challenge at the XPrize Cup. However, they were the only team to field a vehicle, and their repeat attempts were the highlight of the Cup. They also posses an experimental launch permit which has allowed them to log a great deal of low altitude flight time beyond tethered flights. They also have a modular sub-orbital design, which looks like it could be a commercial success.
SpaceX still hasn’t orbited any hardware, but progress continues on the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9. Flights of both are still scheduled for this year, and the company has plenty of paying customers lined up. They’ve improved their Merlin engine with a regeneratively cooled version that increases the available thrust, and their engine test stand has been keeping their neighbors on their toes. SpaceX is still on track for the COTS program, and has past several critical reviews and funding milestones. NASA also awarded them an indefinite quantity, indefinite time contract for launch services to be specified as needed.
Scaled Composites/ The Spaceship Company has had the roughest year. They had an engine blow up on a test stand. The accident resulted in two deaths, and has slowed down development work on SpaceShip II. Burt Rutan is in it for the long haul, and is an experienced aircraft designer. They will investigate the causes of the accident, and prevent it from occurring again. This will not end the SpaceShip II program. One interesting idea to come out of Virgin Galactic is that this model could be used for point to point supersonic flights as well as space tourism.
One last note: NASA finally managed to get rid of Rocket Plane Kistler and re-award their portion of the COTS contract to Orbital Sciences. RPK failed to make required funding deadlines. Few space insiders really believed RPK had the muscle to launch any hardware into space. Their K-1 vehicle has been “90% complete” for the past five years, and they haven’t done anything in that time but burn money. Orbital Sciences was a new aerospace startup during the Reagan administration. They still think like a small, young organization, but they have a successful development track record including three launch vehicles.
Upcoming Launches April 5, 2007
Posted by Brian Pfeifer in Armadillo Aerospace, Bigelow Aerospace, NASA, News and politics, Rocketplane Kistler, Space Startups, SpaceX, UP Aerospace, schedule.add a comment
Of the seven launch vehicles mentioned below, three have experienced terminal failures in the past twelve months. This is just a reminder that what these people do is difficult, and success cannot be taken for granted.
April 7 – ISS Expedition 15 launches in a Soyuz-TMA From Baikonur Cosmodrome. The crew includes Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov, and Spaceflight Participant Charles Simonyi.
April 19 – Bigelow Aerospace will launch Genesis II, their second subscale inflatable demonstrator aboard a dnepr rocket from ISC Kosmotras Space and Missile Complex near Yasny, Russia.
April 28 – UP Aerospace’s SpaceLoft will carry commercial and student payloads, including the remains of Gordon Cooper and James Doohan on a suborbital flight from New Mexico’s Space Port. This will be their second attempt after their launch failure in January.
Also in April, Armadillo Aerospace plans several test flights of Pixel, their Lunar Lander Challenge vehicle. The flights will take place at the Oklahoma Space Port.
In May or June, Space Shuttle Atlantis mission STS-117 should lift off From Cape Canaveral. The flight will flesh out the space station with the addition of new solar arrays.
SpaceX has two more launches scheduled for this year from their facility on Omelek Island in the Kwajalein Atoll. The first could be as early as August and will carry TacSat 1, a US military demonstrator. Their second flight, in the fourth quarter, will carry a Malaysian communications satellite.
After their last launch ended in a launch pad explosion, Sea Launch is repairing their floating facility and plans to be ready for their next launch in October.
Space Startup Scorecard March 25, 2007
Posted by Brian Pfeifer in ARCA, Armadillo Aerospace, Bigelow Aerospace, Blue Origin, Canadian Arrow, PlanetSpace, Rocketplane Kistler, Space Startups, SpaceDev, SpaceX, Starchaser, Tspace, UP Aerospace, XCOR.1 comment so far
Although many of the aerospace startups have differing goals, which make them difficult to compare, I thought it might be fun to take a quick look at how they all stack up. From my perspective, Burt Rutan and Scaled Composites/The Spaceship Company is still the most advanced business since they have the only manned flights under their belts. Elon Musk’s SpaceX and John Carmack’s Armadillo Aerospace have also made impressive strides in the past few years. Bigelow Aerospace is much more difficult to compare because they are not building rockets, and simply purchasing launch services from other vendors. I assume Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin have actually conducted static fire tests, but with their secretive ways, it’s difficult to tell.
If I’ve missed anything, feel free to add it in a comment, and I’ll update the chart. Thanks.
SpaceX Strike Two! March 21, 2007
Posted by Brian Pfeifer in Bigelow Aerospace, Blue Origin, News and politics, Space Startups, SpaceX.3 comments
SpaceX was forced to abort their second launch attempt this week a mere eleven seconds before engine ignition. Monday’s computer triggered abort was due to a few millisecond gap between when the land-line telemetry link shut down and the RF telemetry link powered up. Software engineers fixed that glitch before Tuesday’s launch window, but it wasn’t enough.
If you asked Elon Musk if he was surprised by two aborts in a row, he’d probably answer in the negative. After the spectacular destruction of Falcon 1 booster, SpaceX added hundreds of new self-diagnostics routines in the rocket. Months ago Musk suggested that they were likely to generate several false-positives before the first successful launch.
Looks like SpaceX is not done for the night. Looks like the abort was due to a fuel problem. They are in the process of recycling the countdown clock for another try starting from T-15 minutes.
Update! Telemetry lost five minutes into flight. Moments after liftoff, Omelek Island could be seen retreating into the distance as the booster gained altitude. The rocket climbed out of the atmosphere and the second stage successfully separated and ignited its engine. The payload cowling separated and both halves fell away towards the earth. In the final moments before the video feed was cut off, the second stage engine appeared to wobble unexpectedly. SpaceX is counting this as a successful flight even though the payload may have been lost. If nothing else, this proves that their reusable first stage operates well, and should be recovered from the Pacific Ocean to support future launches.
SpaceX is not the only startup with flights coming up in the next few weeks. The FAA has cleared the airspace around the Blue Origin ranch on the 22nd though 27th to allow for test flights of their New Shepherd sub-orbital vehicle. In early April, Bigelow Aerospace will put Genesis II into orbit on a Russian Dnepr booster. This will mark their second sub-scale inflatable habitat demonstrator. The next Soyuz flight in April will feature space tourist Charles Simonyi. Whether or not the Falcon 1 flies, the next few weeks should be exciting.
SpaceX Scrubs Demo Flight 2 March 20, 2007
Posted by Brian Pfeifer in Space Startups, SpaceX.add a comment
The black and white Falcon 1 rocket stood out against the blue tropical sky. Palm trees swayed in the breeze as wisps of white vapor escaped from a port high on the booster. After an hour-long delay to fix a communications link between the Omelek Island launch facility and headquarters in El Segundo, California, everything looked ready for launch.
Just minutes before the firing sequence, telemetry links to the spacecraft shift from land lines to radio communications. For an as yet unknown reason, the RF telemetry system failed, and at T-1:20, controllers called an abort. Initially, Engineers and controllers hoped they could try for another launch later in the same four-hour window, but ten minutes later they were forced to scrub launch operations for the day.
SpaceX announced that they will make another attempt Wednesday at 7 pm EDT.
SpaceX Prepares for Launch March 19, 2007
Posted by Brian Pfeifer in NASA, Space Startups, SpaceX.add a comment
This week, Space Exploration Technologies conducted a brief static fire test of their Falcon 1rocket. The successful test paves the way for a launch attempt on Monday, March 19 at 11 pm, GMT. The only hiccup was a problem with the GPS guidance system.
“Our initial review of the data showed that the rocket functioned almost perfectly,” Said Elon Musk in a press release. “The only remaining concern is that the GPS portion of the guidance system showed an anomaly about 15 minutes *after* the static fire. Falcon 1 is designed to achieve its target orbit purely on inertial navigation, so the GPS, while helpful for improving orbit insertion accuracy, is not flight critical.”
Dubbed Demo Flight 2, the launch will mark the first successful launch by SpaceX and will be followed later this year by Malaysian and DoD satellite launches. Musk also pointed towards strong progress made on the Falcon 9 for NASA’s COTS program.
A Busy Year for SpaceX February 16, 2007
Posted by Brian Pfeifer in NASA, Rocketplane Kistler, Space Startups, SpaceX.add a comment
The El Segundo based rocket development company has a full plate this year, including three planned launches of their yet to be successful Falcon 1 booster. SpaceX is also continuing development of the Falcon 9 booster for NASA’s COTS program to create commercially viable cargo delivery service to the ISS.
All three Falcon 1 flights will launch from their facility on Omelek Island in the Kwajalein atoll. After the second attempted demonstration flight, which may launch as early as March 9, they plan to launch satellites for the US Navy Research Laboratory and for the Malaysian government in the third and fourth quarters, respectively.
NASA recently announced that on February 8 SpaceX gained approval for their first COTS orbital demonstration mission scheduled for September 2008. Though the initial $278 million contract is for the development of pressurized and unpressurized cargo delivery capabilities, SpaceX is looking beyond bulk cargo. The Dragon capsule they are developing will also be capable of conducting taxi missions to deliver crews to the ISS or other LEO destinations. With NASA’s commitment to purchase cargo and crew launch services as soon as they are available, SpaceX is pursuing multiple revenue streams with this single spacecraft.
Rocketplane Kistler also completed systems requirement design reviews to NASA’s satisfaction this month. They are also on tract to fulfill their commitments in the COTS development contract. “These milestones demonstrate genuine progress toward a new way of doing business for NASA and pave the way for the commercial purchase of transportation services needed to maintain the International Space Station,” said Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of the Commercial Crew and Cargo Program Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston. “If these companies can continue this rapid pace, the first demonstration launches are right around the corner.”
