Armadillo's reusable rocket licensed for launch

Last Thursday the US Federal Aviation Administration awarded Armadillo Aerospace of Heath, Texas, a launch licence for its suborbital rocket Stig-B.

It is only the third licence issued so far for a reusable launch vehicle. 

SpaceX's Falcon 9, which famously sent the first private craft to the International Space Station, isn't yet reusable.

The US government is liable for any damages caused by private launches, so applications to reach the high frontier are carefully scrutinised. 

Founded in 2000, Armadillo has carried out more than 200 test flights at lower altitudes, including sending its Stig-A rocket 95 kilometres up in February. The firm hopes the first Stig-B will launch by the end of August.

The goal for firms such as Armadillo is to develop a low-cost, refuellable rocket that is robust enough to fly repeatedly, like a jet plane. 

"The licensing of Stig-B shows that such a vehicle is ready to fly and to start making money," says Clark Lindsey of space industry blog HobbySpace.com.

NASA and SpaceX: Preparation for May 7 Launch

In a processing facility at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Space Exploration Technologies technicians attach the Dragon capsule to the second stage of the company’s Falcon 9 rocket.

Known as SpaceX, the launch will be the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, or COTS.

During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station.

If the capsule performs as planned, the NanoRacks-CubeLabs Module-9 experiments and other cargo aboard Dragon will be transferred to the station.

The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment.

Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two private companies to provide resupply missions to the station. The launch is scheduled for 9:38 a.m. EDT on May 7. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/spacex.

Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

NASA Readies “Big Cheer” for Dragon Mission

The upcoming launch of a SpaceX spacecraft and rocket on a demonstration flight to the International Space Station is expected to cross a key milestone on the path to operational, commercial missions.

“It’s almost like the lead-up to Apollo, in my mind,” said Mike Horkachuck, NASA’s project executive for SpaceX. “You had Mercury then you had Gemini and eventually you had Apollo.

This would be similar in the sense that, we’re not going to the moon or anything as spectacular as that, but we are in the beginnings of commercializing space. This may be the Mercury equivalent to eventually flying crew and then eventually leading to, in the long run, passenger travel in space.”

California-based Space Exploration Technologies, known as SpaceX, is preparing to launch an ambitious mission to dock its Dragon spacecraft to the space station and return it to Earth.

The spacecraft will not have a crew, but will carry about 1,200 pounds of cargo that the astronauts and cosmonauts living on the station will be able to use. The capsule will go into space atop a Falcon 9 rocket also built by SpaceX.

Because the mission is a test flight, the cargo is not material deemed critical to the crew, Horkachuck said. Launch is targeted for April 30 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, within sight of the launch pads the space shuttles used to carry the station’s components into orbit.

There also are several tests and reviews coming up later this month similar to those performed ahead of space shuttle missions.

If this mission is successful, the Dragon is expected to become operational and launch regular supply runs to the station. Unlike any other cargo carrier, the Dragon can bring things back to Earth, too, a boon for scientists whose research is taking place on the orbiting laboratory.

NASA - Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Antares Rocket

The first stage of Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Antares rocket stands in launch position during pathfinder operations at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. Orbital’s Antares launch vehicle will be conducting missions for NASA under its Commercial Orbital Transportation Service Program and Cargo Resupply Services contract.

Image Credit: NASA/P.Black

Ukraine Postpones Delivery Of Taurus-II Launch Vehicle's First Stage To US

Ukraine's state owned company "Yuzhmash" based in eastern city Dnipropetrovsk postponed the delivery of the basic part of the Taurus-II launch vehicle's first stage to a U.S. company, the Ukranian company said in a statement on Tuesday.

"For some technical reasons, the delivery date has been put off to September-October," the statement said.

The delivery was reportedly scheduled for August.

The two-stage launch vehicle is designed to transport loads of up to five tons into low orbit.

In 2008, Ukraine's companies "Yuzhnoye" and "Yuzhmash" signed a long-term contract with U.S. Orbital Sciences Corp. on cooperation in producing Taurus-II rocket till 2019.

According to the document the Ukrainian side is responsible for designing and producing the first stage of the launch vehicle, the U.S. side for the second stage, ground complex and assembly.

The Taurus-II program is funded by NASA.

SBIRS GEO-1 to be launched by Atlas V vehicle

The first SBIRS GEO spacecraft is planned for delivery to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in late 2010 where it will then undergo final processing and preparation for launch aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle.

The joint U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin-led team announced that it has successfully completed thermal vacuum testing of the first Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) geosynchronous (GEO-1) satellite, one of the most significant program milestones that validates spacecraft performance in a simulated space environment.

The U.S. Air Force's SBIRS program is designed to provide early warning of missile launches, and simultaneously provide important capabilities to other missions, including missile defense, technical intelligence and battlespace awareness.

Conducted inside Lockheed Martin's Dual Entry Large Thermal Altitude (DELTA) chamber, the test verified spacecraft functionality and performance in a vacuum environment where the satellite was thoroughly tested at the extreme hot and cold temperatures it will experience in space.

Thermal vacuum testing represents the last of several critical environmental test phases that validate the overall satellite design, quality of workmanship and survivability during space vehicle launching and on-orbit operations.

"Successful completion of environmental testing gives us high confidence in the capabilities of this technically complex satellite and represents the culmination of years of hard work by a government/industry team dedicated to achieving mission success on this vitally important program," said Col Roger Teague, the U.S. Air Force's SBIRS Wing Commander.

"We are on track with our remaining work ahead and look forward to the delivery of this first-of-its-kind satellite, which will provide substantially improved surveillance capabilities for the warfighter."

With the completion of spacecraft environmental testing, Lockheed Martin will now perform final factory work on the satellite and execute a series of integrated spacecraft and system tests to ensure the vehicle is ready for flight.

The first SBIRS GEO spacecraft is planned for delivery to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in late 2010 where it will then undergo final processing and preparation for launch aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle.

"The team performed a thorough and disciplined test and we fully expect this cutting-edge spacecraft will meet or exceed our customer's expectations," said Jeff Smith, Lockheed Martin's SBIRS Vice President. "Our team is now focused on successfully executing the final integration and test activities to verify system integrity in preparation for delivery next year."