ROCKET SCIENCE XCOR Aerospace Announces Significant Propulsion Milestone on Lynx Suborbital Vehicle

67 second engine test featuring XCOR's 2,500 lb-thrust Lynx main engine (one out of four engines). 

This engine is fed entirely by XCOR's revolutionary rocket propellant piston pumps, which are far more cost effective and manufacturable than turbopumps. 

Both the liquid oxygen oxydizer and kerosene fuel are being pumped into the engine using this techonology. For more information, see our press release at XCOR

XCOR Aerospace has announced a first in aviation and space history, the firing of a full piston pump-powered rocket engine. This breakthrough is the foundation for fully reusable spacecraft that can fly multiple times per day, every day.

It is a game changing technology that has the power to fundamentally alter the way we as a society view, visit, and utilize the abundant resources around our planet and in our solar system.

The initial portion of XCOR's pump test program culminated in a 67-second engine run with the propulsion system mated to the flight weight Lynx fuselage.

After the installation of the flight sized liquid oxygen tank, the next test sequence will extend the engine run duration to the full powered flight duration of the Lynx Mark I suborbital vehicle.

"Through use of our proprietary rocket propellant piston pumps we deliver both kerosene and liquid oxygen to our rocket engines and eliminate the need for heavy, high-pressure fuel and oxidizer tanks. It also enables our propulsion system to fly multiple times per day and last for tens of thousands of flights," said XCOR Chief Executive Officer Jeff Greason.

"This is one more step toward a significant reduction in per-flight cost and turnaround time, while increasing overall flight safety."

Boeing provided additional funding to complete the XCOR test sequence and advance low-cost rocket propulsion technology. The demonstrated results of the full pump fed engine firing for extended periods helps to ensure the technology migrates into broader global applications.

"Unlike the expensive and finicky turbopumps on today's rocket propulsion systems, XCOR's piston pumps are designed to be as powerful in their thrust class as turbines, but as easy to manufacture, maintain and operate as an automotive engine," said XCOR Chief Operating Officer Andrew Nelson.

"This is the culmination of a 12 year program to develop this unique technology. The kerosene piston pump has been successfully flight-proven during our 40-flight test program on the X-Racer aircraft. We'll be entering another flight test program soon with Lynx and these pumps and engines will power XCOR and the industry to the next level."

The Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) - Astronaut Chang-Diaz

"All of the issues of transporting humans to Mars are greatly ameliorated with significant reductions in interplanetary transit time, which could be possible with advanced propulsion systems, potentially far more capable than the chemical and nuclear thermal rockets being considered," said Chang-Diaz, an ex-astronaut and MIT-trained physicist.

Chang-Diaz is developing an advanced plasma propulsion system that would cut the round-trip time on Mars missions to five months.

The Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) uses magnetic fields to guide superhot plasma out of an engine nozzle, producing an immense amount of thrust. A one-year trip to Mars could be cut to just 39 days.

Chang-Diaz said advanced high-power electric propulsion and nuclear electric power systems "could revolutionize in-space transportation by greatly reducing the interplanetary transit time."

The method of heating plasma used in VASIMR was originally developed as a result of research into nuclear fusion.

VASIMR is intended to bridge the gap between high-thrust, low-specific impulse propulsion systems and low-thrust, high-specific impulse systems.

VASIMR is capable of functioning in either mode. Costa Rican scientist and former astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz, the creator of the VASIMR concept, has been working on its development since 1977.

Do it yourself Rocket Builders 'Crazy Idea' - Just might work

Kristian von Bengtson and Peter Madsen and their efforts to launch themselves into space on a homemade rocket.

Von Bengtson, an aerospace scientist and former NASA contractor, and Madsen, an entrepreneur and aerospace engineer, founded their nonprofit, do-it-yourself space program, dubbed Copenhagen Suborbitals, after a 2008 chat on a 40-ton submarine Madsen had built in his spare time.

Since then they have enlisted 30 volunteer experts, conducted 50 static rocket-engine tests at their Copenhagen, Denmark, headquarters and launched the largest “amateur” rocket ever built, the 9.5-meter HEAT 1X Tycho Brahe, in June 2011.

Their ultimate goal is to launch a person about 100 kilometers miles above the Earth, considered the boundary of outer space.

“We have gone from having a crazy idea on a submarine to a smoothly run organization that builds rockets and spacecraft, and has experience with big launches,” von Bengtson said. “It feels like we have become a part of a new era in space.”

Pakistan Test Launch Ballistic Missile

Pakistan has test fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile, military officials say, less than a week after India also test-launched a long-range missile.

The military said the test of the Shaheen 1-A, an intermediate-range missile capable of reaching targets in India, was successful.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since 1947.

They conduct regular missile tests and inform each other in advance.

Both countries carried out nuclear weapons tests in 1998.

Defence experts say that while the exact range of the Pakistani missile has not been revealed, it is it capable of hitting targets up to 2,500 to 3,000km (1,550 to 1,850 miles) away - putting arch-rival India well within reach.

The Agni-V long-range intercontinental ballistic missile launched by India last week has a range of more than 5,000km (3,100 miles), potentially bringing targets in China within range.

Pakistan's last test was last month, when it launched the short-range nuclear-capable Abdali missile.

The missile tested on Wednesday landed in the sea, the military said. It is a version of the Shaheen-1 - with improvements in range and technical capabilities - and is able to carry nuclear and conventional warheads.

The military say that the missile - which successfully hit its target in the Indian Ocean - further consolidates and strengthens Pakistan's deterrence abilities.

Pakistan's missile arsenal includes short, medium and long range missiles, all named after Muslim conquerors.

UK Space Industry Survey 2012: Health and Effectiveness

The UK Space Agency has embarked on its biennial survey of the space industry and has contracted Oxford Economics to undertake the task.

The survey will cover the traditional providers of space technology (upstream) and those who exploit the technology (downstream).

However there are many companies whose business is partially or wholly dependent on space but who do not deal directly with space organisations or see themselves as part of the space industry. If you fit in this category, we are particularly keen to hear from you.

Download a letter (PDF, 36 Kb)  from David Williams, Chief Executive, UK Space Agency explaining the background and importance of the survey. To participate in the survey, please visit the Oxford Economics website.

You are invited to answer the survey online, but if you would prefer a hard copy version to complete and return by email or post, please inform Pete Collings, tel: 0207 803 1411.

If you wish to discuss your involvement with the UK Space Agency, please contact George Pritchard, on 01793 418 060.

Scotland Space Scientific Research and Innovation is reaching for the stars

At last Scotland is being seen as playing a leading role in the space sector after decades of being the engineers, scientists and innovators that break down technological barriers in other countries' space programs.

The space sector contributes £5.6 billion to the UK economy, as well as supporting 68,000 high-value jobs. Not only that, it has soared above the recent economic headwinds, growing an average of 9 per cent each year since 1999.

Scotland-based companies are playing a key role in that success story. Clyde Space is leading the design and manufacture of the UKube-1 satellite – the UK’s first satellite commissioned by the UK Space Agency.

Other examples include Star-Dundee, which sells its data-handling test products to almost every international space agency, while Selex Galileo, in Edinburgh, is tapping into the market for European satellites.

Commercial success also goes hand in hand with globally recognised academic excellence, with the recent launch of the Space Glasgow research cluster by the UK Science Minister David Willetts.

Scotland is also involved with key instruments for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which will replace Hubble Space telescope (HST), currently jointly managed by NASA and ESA.

But don’t think that space research is something that can only be applied out in the great beyond. In fact, on 6 March, Glasgow will host the second Scottish Space Symposium, exploring the theme of “Bringing space down to earth”. Download a copy of the Program here

Scottish Enterprise is supporting the event in partnership with University of Strathclyde to showcase the benefits of using space-based information and technologies.

For example, use of space-based data will allow Network Rail to improve safety by monitoring landslides remotely via satellite rather than sending engineers to remote locations.

Edinburgh-based Ecometrica is also using satellite data to monitor CO2 levels, putting them at the vanguard of carbon trading and tariffs which the EU is investigating placing on businesses as a means of tackling climate change.

So the Scottish Space Symposium will explore how businesses can benefit from terrestrial applications in such key fields as communications and transport. Science fact, as opposed to science fiction.

NASA JPL: What's happening in November 2011

Planets on parade as NASA JPL prepares for Curiosity Rover launch.

South Korea delays space rocket launch

South Korea delays space rocket launch

South Korea Wednesday postponed a rocket launch designed to put a satellite into space due to problems with the rocket's fire extinguisher system, officials said.

The science and technology ministry said the process was suspended less than three hours before blast-off after engineers discovered a leak in one of three extinguisher nozzles.

The leak was not directly related to the Naro-1 rocket. But the launch, originally set for 5 pm at the Naro Space Center off the south coast, was called off, ministry spokesman Pyun Kyung-Bum said.

"There will be no blast-off today. A new date will be set when engineers complete their work to determine why the system was not working properly," Pyun said.

South Korea is trying to join an exclusive club currently numbering nine nations that have put a satellite into orbit using a domestically assembled rocket.

Its first attempt failed last August when fairings on the nose cone of the Naro-1 failed to open properly so that the satellite could be released into orbit.

South Korea has spent more than 500 billion won (400 million dollars) on the 140-ton Naro-1.

The main first stage of the liquid-fuel rocket was made in Russia, while the second stage of the rocket was built domestically, as was the satellite.

Rocket Science: Recycling Xmas Trees

South Korea To Attempt Second Space Launch In 2010

South Korea will put together a plan to attempt the second firing of the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1), its first locally developed space rocket, local media on Monday quoted a report to President Lee Myung-bak as saying.

Initially described as a "half success" by local officials and engineers, KSLV-1 is currently under examination by the South Korean government to find the cause behind its failure to launch properly in its first attempt on Aug. 25, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said in the report.

The report also said its engineers are taking all possible measures to ascertain a successful second launch scheduled for the first half of 2010.

The two-stage rocket, also called Naro-1, is the country's first space vehicle to be launched from South Korean soil that could possibly place a 100 kg scientific satellite into Earth's orbit.

Following the successful launch of KSLV-1, developed in cooperation with Russia, South Korea will work on the construction of KSLV-2, a rocket developed without requiring any outside assistance, the report said.

KSLV-1 successfully launched itself from the Naro Space Center south of Seoul on Aug. 25, but the satellite failed to gain enough orbital velocity causing it to crash back to Earth shortly after take off.

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