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Welcome to Edition 2.14 of the Rocket Report! Not a whole lot of big rocket this week, as the approach of Hurricane Dorian shut down so many operations along the space coast in Florida. However, that did not stop happening from around the world, including the completion of an investigation into the failure of the Italian-made Vega rocket.
As always, we do not want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on the AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar. (Note: the Rocket Report will not publish next week to the author's travel schedule).
Vega rocket failure report finds cause. The Independent Inquiry Commission, tasked with analyzing the failure of Vega Flight VV15 in July, submitted its findings on Wednesday. The Commission identified the most likely cause of the anomaly as "a thermo-structural failure in the forward dome area of the Z23 motor." This is located in the second stage of the small launcher.
Flying again next year … Following this investigation, the commission proposed an "exhaustive verification plan of its findings based on analyzes and tests," as well as "a set of corrective actions on all subsystems, processes, and equipment concerned." With this action plan, if all goes well, Arianespace would summarize flights of the Vega rocket in early 2020. "I want to encourage all the teams to implement corrective measures for the reliable return to flight of Vega, securing Europe's full autonomy of access space, "Daniel Neuenschwander, European Space Agency's Director of Space Transportation, said. As the smallsat launch competition ramps up, Vega needs to get flying again soon.
Chinese firm solicits payloads for bigger smallsat rocket. LandSpace announced at a conference this week that it is seeking and accepting payloads from around the world for the maiden launch of its new ZhuQue-2 rocket. The liquid-fueled rocket is projected to have a capacity of up to 4 tons to low Earth orbit and be ready for the next year, Parabolic Arc reports.
A universal solution? … LandSpace President Zhang Long said the ZhuQue-2 has been designed as a low-cost, "universal" solution for commercial launch needs around the world. The company has the capacity to build up 15 of these rockets a year. We're curious about this rocket, which could be a formidable challenger to India's Polar Satellite Vehicle Launch and Europe's aforementioned Vega rocket. (submitted by Ken the Bin)
More sounding rockets launch from Hawaii. Sandia National Laboratories launched two sounding rockets from Hawaii last week, the fourth and fifth such launches, respectively, of the HOT SHOT program. This effort studies the effects of launch-such as intense vibrations, shocks, and swings in temperature and pressure-on national prototype security technologies.
Building a better missile … The test flights took place from Sandia National Laboratories' Kauai Test Facility in the Aloha State. Olga Spahn, Sandia's manager at HOT SHOT, payload integration, explained how to improve the data. It could also improve the future performance of future missile systems by fostering development of components that reduce size, weight and power requirements.
Vandenberg moves to commercial launch support. The Air Force 's 2nd Space Launch Squadron, which is tasked with facilitating launch operations, is moving forward with "Small Spacelift Spaceport" at California' s Vandenberg Air Force Base. The effort comes in response to an Air Force Space Command vision of fostering commercial space launch partnerships.
Future is in commercial launch As part of the plan, the Air Force will make Space Launch Complex-8 available to private rocket companies. In a news release, the Air Force said it seeks to provide emerging players in the small-launch market access to essential services, enabling them to focus on key technology development rather than basic infrastructure. The Air Force calls the initiative "Range of the Future." (submitted by Ken the Bin)
Doubs raised about Scottish spaceport. An official report has been published in Sutherland, will be paid for. The Press and Journal reports that the development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise-which is leading the project and has committed £ 9.8million of its own funds to it-is said to be in "active discussions" with the Scottish Government and the UK Space Agency on the issue.
A "high-risk" project … The development agency said it is balancing the requirements of launching the costs of an "appropriate level." Orbex has said it to start using the site, known as Space Hub Sutherland, in 2021, while Lockheed Martin Space Systems also wants to use it to launch satellites. Audit Scotland is one of the largest independent institutions in the world.
American Rocketry Challenge opens 2020 registration. The Aerospace Industries Association announced that the 2020 edition of the American Rocketry Challenge, the world's largest rocketry competition, is open through December 1, 2019. The 100 top-scoring teams will be invited to the national finals in Washington DC next May, where they'll compete for $ 100,000 in cash prizes and the chance to win an all-expense-paid trip to the United States in the 2020 International Rocketry Challenge in London.
A great program The opportunity to design, build, and launch rockets model, gaining the hands-on experience solving engineering problems. This year, the Aerospace Industries Association said it would be easier to provide financial services for the industry. Good luck, students!
SpaceX tests its commercial rocket crew. Falcon 9 booster that will support Crew Dragon's first astronaut launch, now scheduled for some time early in 2020, Teslarati reports. The new booster is believed to have the Falcon 9 core number B-1058.
Still work to do … If you're keeping track of home, SpaceX performed a successful static fire on the Falcon 9 booster for the first time on the commercial crew demonstration mission, B-1051, on October 25, 2018. mission, which flew an uncrewed capsule up to the International Space Station and safely back to Earth. Of course, the rocket is not the issue with the crew of the flight-the key issues surround SpaceX's recovery from an anomaly in April and ongoing parachute tests. (submitted by Tfargo04 and Ken the Bin)
Work begins on second Vostochny launchpad. President Vladimir Putin-will serve an Angara rocket that is presently scheduled to begin flying in 2021, NASASpaceFlight.com reports. The Cosmodrome in Far Eastern Russia has recently undergone a period of maintenance and is dedicated to Soyuz rockets.
Moving away from Kazakhstan With the Vostochny site, Russia aims to reduce its dependence on Baikonur, a site that has been forced to lease from Kazakhstan. Roscosmos plans to move 45% of Russia's space launches to Vostochny by 2020, with Baikonur's share dropping from 65% to just 11%. This swing will continue to grow until a projected 90% of Russian launches start taking place outside of Baikonur. (Submitted by Platykurtic, The Ken the Bin, and Unrulycow)
Starship tiles tested on Dragon mission. A SpaceX Dragon capsule that has been released from orbit last week with a bunch of science experiments for NASA on the inside. According to Teslarati, ceramic tiles installed as part of its ablative PICA-X heat shield were designed to test windward-side ceramic-tile shield materials for SpaceX's orbital Starship vehicle.
Update forthcoming … Post-flight images of the starship tile prototypes appeared to show them emerging from their original orbital reentry, which may be used for the design of a reusable orbital spacecraft. SpaceX founder Elon Musk is expected to give a full update on Starship development on September 28th, at which time he will have made these flown tiles. (submitted by Ken the Bin)
Next three launches
Sept. 10: H-2B | Eighth HTV supply mission to ISS | Tanegashima Space Center, Japan | 21:33 UTC
Sept. 25: Soyuz | Soyuz MS-15 crew mission | Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan | 13:57 UTC
Sept. 30: Proton | Eutelsat 5 West B & MEV 1 | Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan | TBD
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