Feb 26, 2023 05:29 PM
On-demand rocket launches are coming
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/skyrora-...xi-service
EXCERPTS: . . . Levykin launched Skyrora in 2017. He says Scotland offers the ideal European base, providing a clear trajectory to the North Pole—crucial for a sun-synchronous satellite orbit—as well as easy access to UK spaceports: Five out of the seven that are planned will be north of Hadrian’s Wall. Skyrora designs and manufactures its rockets in its factory in Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire, deploying them at its test blast area on the outskirts of Edinburgh.
[...] Instead of an average two-year wait for a ride with SpaceX—enough time to prepare launch agreements and fill out the paperwork, says Levykin—Skyrora’s aim is six months between customer contact and liftoff. It’s why he estimates the ticket price will be three times that of SpaceX. “We’re addressing the niche for customers who don’t want to share their payload with others. It’s for those where time is more critical than money.”
[...] The Skyrora XL’s first stage, still in development, is the main body of the 22.7-meter rocket igniting and lifting the vehicle. Its second stage, which has now completed its testing, carries the payload past the edge of space. Unlike most rockets, the vehicle then has a third stage that means the payload’s placement can be fine-tuned up to 1,000 kilometers in altitude. “All of the stages are guided by the engines, with the avionics knowing where the satellite needs to be positioned in space,” explains Clark. “The fuel is a mix of kerosene and high-test peroxide, meaning the third stage doesn’t need sparks to reignite.”
Both the first and second stages are reusable, returning to Earth by parachute. Boosting Skyrora’s green credentials is the fact that its fuel requires less energy than SpaceX’s cryogenic engine, meaning it has improved mobility, a lower cost of maintenance, and a gentler liftoff for a wider range of weather conditions. Skyrora’s 11-meter suborbital rocket, the Skylark L, attempted launch from a mobile launchpad in Iceland in October 2022; a software complication, rather than a mechanical issue, forced it to land 500 meters away, in the Norwegian Sea. “We’re flexible with our launches,” says Levykin. “We have a global launch complex and tech for even bad weather conditions.” (MORE - missing details)
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/skyrora-...xi-service
EXCERPTS: . . . Levykin launched Skyrora in 2017. He says Scotland offers the ideal European base, providing a clear trajectory to the North Pole—crucial for a sun-synchronous satellite orbit—as well as easy access to UK spaceports: Five out of the seven that are planned will be north of Hadrian’s Wall. Skyrora designs and manufactures its rockets in its factory in Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire, deploying them at its test blast area on the outskirts of Edinburgh.
[...] Instead of an average two-year wait for a ride with SpaceX—enough time to prepare launch agreements and fill out the paperwork, says Levykin—Skyrora’s aim is six months between customer contact and liftoff. It’s why he estimates the ticket price will be three times that of SpaceX. “We’re addressing the niche for customers who don’t want to share their payload with others. It’s for those where time is more critical than money.”
[...] The Skyrora XL’s first stage, still in development, is the main body of the 22.7-meter rocket igniting and lifting the vehicle. Its second stage, which has now completed its testing, carries the payload past the edge of space. Unlike most rockets, the vehicle then has a third stage that means the payload’s placement can be fine-tuned up to 1,000 kilometers in altitude. “All of the stages are guided by the engines, with the avionics knowing where the satellite needs to be positioned in space,” explains Clark. “The fuel is a mix of kerosene and high-test peroxide, meaning the third stage doesn’t need sparks to reignite.”
Both the first and second stages are reusable, returning to Earth by parachute. Boosting Skyrora’s green credentials is the fact that its fuel requires less energy than SpaceX’s cryogenic engine, meaning it has improved mobility, a lower cost of maintenance, and a gentler liftoff for a wider range of weather conditions. Skyrora’s 11-meter suborbital rocket, the Skylark L, attempted launch from a mobile launchpad in Iceland in October 2022; a software complication, rather than a mechanical issue, forced it to land 500 meters away, in the Norwegian Sea. “We’re flexible with our launches,” says Levykin. “We have a global launch complex and tech for even bad weather conditions.” (MORE - missing details)