Rocket Report: Race in a small saturated space becomes global, SpaceX is preparing to do a demonstration flight

Welcome to the Rocket Report 1.09 edition! This week, we have several stories about the small satellite launch race that is globalizing. The launch and the bold success of Blue Origin for Europe in French Guiana are also covered by the test of a new solid propeller.

As always, we welcome submissions from readers, and if you do not want to miss a problem, please register using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP versions of the site) . Each report will contain information on small, medium and high lift rockets as well as a quick overview of the next three launches of the schedule.

Blue Origin continues to rigorously test New Shepard . In its ninth flight test, Blue Origin engineers submitted New Shepard to a high-altitude exhaust engine test. The rocket, which had already been separated from the capsule, and the spaceship itself have pbaded the test with flying colors. The exhaust engine pushed the spacecraft to a record altitude of 119km

Bezos did not lie … A few years ago, the founder of Blue Origin Jeff Bezos said, "We will test the vehicle's still-on headlights even before putting a human in. It was the fourth extreme environmental test of the New Shepard system. To function, we begin to believe that human test flights are possible by the end of the year.

Britain joins the microlague space race Orbex, a UK-based company with subsidiaries and production sites in Denmark and Germany, has announced that it has raised $ 40 million from public and private sources to develop what can be done in the UK. she calls the launcher "Prime." The company intends to launch Prime from a new government-supported spaceport and located in northern Scotland. Lockheed Martin will help develop the launch facility, which should be ready in the early 2020s.

The UK seems to be serious … In total, the government will invest about 50 millions of dollars in launching facilities and rocket development. Already, Rocket Lab seems to be interested in the launch facility in Scotland, which has access to polar orbits, and other companies have indicated the same thing. This is the first time since the late 1960s that Britain is really serious about home rocket launches.

Virgin Orbit could also launch from the United Kingdom . In addition to the Scottish-based vertical launch site, Cornwall, in southwestern Britain, intends to host rockets launched horizontally. The Independent reports that Virgin Orbit and Cornwall Spaceport have signed a strategic partnership that could lead Cosmic Girl to take off from the spaceport and send her LauncherOne in space.

A knight returns home … At this time, there are more spaceports around the world who want to launch small satellites that are not there. Companies with launchers. This could change in five years, but for now, it seems like it's a buying market for launch companies. We will see many of these types of transactions, which will not all translate into real space flights. However, it makes sense that Sir Richard Branson wants to launch from his home country. (submitted by acornkenya)

The scope of China's commercial industry is larger than you think . The China Global Television Network reports that about 10 private rocket firms have formed in China over the last three years. The two best-known companies, i-Space and OneSpace Technology, made it clear that they had no intention of seizing government-funded missions from space giants belonging to the company. 39; State. On the contrary, they aspire to meet the demand of small satellite companies

A World Race … The article provides interesting details about the efforts of many of these launch companies. With small development projects launched in Europe and China, as well as the PSLV in India, the race to launch small satellites will clearly be a global competition. (submitted by tpc3)

The reusable space aircraft of the army has an engine . The Los Angeles Times goes a step further in the development of the AR-22 engine that will power the Department of Defense's reusable space plane in the early 2020s. "SpaceX was successful" said Claire Leon, director of the Graduate Systems Engineering Program at Loyola Marymount University and former executive director of launching companies of the Space and Missile Systems Center of the US Air Strength. "I think this test engine also demonstrates that other companies are doing technological development and have success that will allow reuse."

Launch on Demand, Government Style … Finally, the government wants a capacity-on-demand launch that will cost about $ 5 million per flight. It would have the ability to deploy satellites weighing up to about 1.5 ton. This would open up real opportunities for military spying, communication, and more, of course. (submitted by dangle)

Vector begins testing at the Kodiak Spaceport in Alaska . According to local reports, Vector has begun testing ground systems at a launch site in southern Alaska. Among these tests, there were telemetry controls between the rapper and the command center and refueling exercises. The company also moved the rocket around the facility

Not a real rocket, though … The tests were conducted with a mockup of Vector's orbital rocket. It is not known when the flight items will be delivered to Alaska and tested. The company says it's staying on track for a launch before the end of 2018. (submitted by Aubrey)

The P120C booster from Europe is successfully tested . For the first time, European space managers tested the new solid propellant propellant P120C in their facilities in French Guiana. The 135 second shot was a complete success, reported NASASpaceflight.com. Unlike many tests on solid engines, this shot was carried out upright on the test bench

A Big Step … This was an important test for Arianespace , which intends to use the new, more economical engine as well as side booster for the Ariane 62 and 64 rockets as for the Vega C rocket. The success of this test suggests that the inaugural launch date mid-2020 for the new Ariane rockets is achievable. (submitted by Ken the Bin)

Russia could increase the production of the rocket Angara . Roscosmos chief executive Dmitry Rogozin said this week that Russia will start building Angara rockets in series in 2023 in Omsk, Western Siberia. TASS reports that increased production will coincide with the end of Proton rocket flights

We will see … There are many questions about the viability of Angara, which includes light versions and heavy, will be in the commercial market once dominated by the Proton vehicle. Our hypothesis is that, by the beginning of the 2020s, reusable boosters in the United States and more efficient launches from Arianespace will take it out of the market

The Dragon Rocket s'. is preparing to embark on a SpaceX demo flight . The crew Dragon piloting SpaceX's Mission-1 Off-Squared Demonstration arrived at the Cape Canaveral Air Station in Florida for the final treatment of the launch. According to NASASpaceflight.com, the crew rotation of the International Space Station and the schedule of the visiting vehicles will likely be the main driver of the eventual launch of the flight from the Florida Spaceport.

Rocket selected … The site says: Falcon 9 rocket Block 5 core B1051 will be used for the demonstration test, but it has not yet left the factory. Rather, B1050 will be the next rocket on Hawthorne and on the test bench at McGregor, before the demonstration rocket. We expect NASA to update its launch dates in early August, when Boeing and SpaceX flight test flights will be conducted in 2019. (Submitted by rickbsgu and Ken the Bin)

Boeing Overcomes Contamination Problems with the SLS Rocket . Boeing has completed the application of the thermal protection system to a liquid oxygen tank that will be used by the Space Launch System, says NASASpaceflight.com. This effort suffered a setback earlier in 2018 when it was discovered that SLS-related tubes were contaminated.

Contributing to delays … This problem of contamination cost the SLS rocket several months, it is one of the reasons why it is widely expected that the launch date of the rocket is officially shifted from December 2019 to June 2020. Other delays certainly seem possible, since the basic test may reveal more problems with the titanium thruster. (submitted by Ken the Bin)

Blue Origin will offer a dual-launch capability with New Glenn . Blue Origin will begin flying two customers on the same New Glenn rocket after the launch vehicle made five missions with solo customers, SpaceNews reports. The rocket will have the capacity to put up to 13 tons in geostationary transfer orbit, said company officials at a conference in Indonesia

A Challenge for the # 39; Europe? … One of the big selling points for the upcoming Ariane 5 rocket (and Ariane 6 rocket) is its ability to manifest two larger payloads for deployment in GEO. Glenn's new dual launch system will allow for the simultaneous launch of two satellites without having to coordinate mbad differences, as is the case for the Ariane 5 vehicle. The GEO wars in the 2020s will be fascinating to watch. (submitted by Ken the Bin)

The next three launches

22 July : Falcon 9 | Telstar 19 VANTAGE satellite | Cape Canaveral, Florida | 05:50 UTC

July 25 : Ariadne 5 | Galileo Satellites | Kourou, French Guiana | 11:25 UTC

July 25 : Falcon 9 | Iridium NEXT satellites | Vandenberg AFB, California | 11:39 UTC