Ramblings of a 70-year old: spacecraft

Monday, October 31, 2022

Britain selects a remote peat bog in Scotland to be the first rocket launch pad on the British mainland

Scottish Crofters own the site situated on the A' Mhoine peninsula in Sutherland, north-west Scotland. It would see up to 12 launches annually and the rockets would lift off vertically from the ground. The authorities view this location as an ideal one to launch satellites into an orbit that takes them over the north and south poles. The first launch could be as soon as next year and this spaceport will augment the launch capability for the UK satellite industry. The present system for manufacturers is to send their spacecraft to foreign destinations for launch. However, the countdown right now is for the first 'horizontal' launch at Spaceport Cornwall later this month. That is when a jumbo jet would take off from Newquay Airport. There would be a rocket under its wing for release and firing over the Atlantic Ocean. Remote Scottish peat bog to become British mainland's first 'traditional' rocket launchpad. Spacehub at Sutherland will provide another launch option.

The Scottish rocket manufacturer Orbex will invest £20m to build and operate the spaceport and hold a 50-year lease. The project would create employment opportunities and provide a significant boost in an area where the economic prospects are limited for young people. Dorothy Pritchard is chair of the Melness Crofters' Estate, which represents the community. She said - "We have seen massive population decline in the area over the past few years and our community is being starved of its lifeblood, young people. This is our way - perhaps a less-than-obvious way - of bringing new life back to our area. We are excited for the positive impact this will have on our community over the coming years." Orbex says it would build the world's most environmentally friendly space rocket. It would have a 3D-printed engine, a re-useable structure and a clean-burning propane fuel derived from vegetable waste. In the words of Chris Larmour, the company's chief executive – “Orbex is the first European launcher company to also manage a dedicated spaceport. It is an important competitive advantage to the company, which will make it really easy for us to work with customers as we scale up our operations."

Monday, August 29, 2022

NASA enters second phase of going to the Moon after 50 years

The world is waiting for NASA to enter the second phase of exploring the Moon. Its Space Launch System SLS is set to lift-off to set the foundation for the Artemis project. This is being developed to put humans back on the lunar surface after half a century. The mission will also pave the way for flights to Mars in the 2040s. At present, the rocket will conduct test on a capsule far from Earth. This capsule is called Orion, the program calls for the spacecraft to loop around the Moon on a big arc. It will later return to Earth and splash down in the Pacific Ocean in six weeks' time. Orion is unmanned for this demonstration. However, in case everything goes as per plans, astronauts will be on board for missions that are more complex. These could begin in 2024. Artemis: Nasa ready to launch new era of Moon exploration. NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik explains the objective. He says - "Everything we're doing with this Artemis I flight, we're looking at through the lens of what can we prove out and what can we demonstrate that will buy down risk for the Artemis II crewed mission."

The American space agency has multiple opportunities to fly SLS-Orion. However, its intention would be to seize the first available opportunity. Right now, the weather in Florida is very dynamic. There are possibilities of electrical storms passing over the spaceport. In fact, the lightning towers have already been struck recently a number of times. Therefore, NASA has to weigh all the options available and select the most appropriate time slot. Incidentally, the rocket is not supposed to lift off in the rain.