A low-cost rocket capable of tossing small payloads into
space has been test flown from a Mojave, California
test site.
The successful launch and recovery of the Prospector 6 (P6)
test vehicle took place on May 21, under the California Launch Vehicle
Education Initiative (CALVEIN). A joint industry/academic team is hard at work
to develop a low-cost Nanosat Launch Vehicle, a booster that can deliver 22
pound (10 kilogram) payloads to low Earth orbit.
The partially reusable P6 test vehicle is designed and built
by Garvey Spacecraft Corporation in Long Beach, California and California
State University,
Long Beach. The
rocket is a full-scale, but low-fidelity look-alike to a two-stage, more
advanced vehicle being planned.
The pathfinder P6 flight evaluated new vehicle technologies
and more proficient field site operations, said John Garvey of Garvey
Spacecraft Corporation.
Responsive
space operations
Roaring into the sky, the nearly 27 foot (8 meter) long
Prospector 6 flew to slightly under 3,000 feet (914 meters) - a far cry from
orbit, but a milestone toward the goal of hurling small satellites into space.
The recent flight also carried an interstage, a second stage simulator and a
graphite/epoxy composite payload fairing.
The research team conducted their test operations at the
Mojave Test Area that is owned and operated by the Reaction Research
Society.
"Of significance for advocates of responsive space
operations," Garvey said, "was the demonstration of vehicle delivery,
integration, payload installation, propellant loading, launch, recovery and
shipment back to the California State University,
Long Beach campus
in a single day."
"We got the
hardware back in decent shape again," Garvey told SPACE.com. "We'll be deciding which direction to head next. We
might attempt to develop higher performing vehicles or remain focused on getting
much of the basic fundamental technology and operations in place first, while
still flying university-type payloads."
Student
payloads
Garvey noted that the P6 flight also continued the CALVEIN
practice of manifesting student payloads from across the country.
California
State University,
Long Beach-supplied experiments included a mini-DV camera sponsored by a
student chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The
device captured on-board video of the entire flight sequence. In addition, the
hardware handled a real-time telemetry system that adapted commercial
off-the-shelf Wi Fi technology to relay key propulsion system parameters.
Also onboard the rocket was a measurement logging package
provided by Montana
State University.
It recorded acceleration, pressure and temperature data that is already being
used to assess the vehicle's performance.
Near-term
test plans
With the successful recovery of the P6, the CALVEIN team is
now updating their plans to reuse the hardware in future flight testing. The
rocketeers are investigating new propellant mixes, advanced engine chamber
materials, and novel ways to accommodate payloads on their launcher design.
"There are a number of folks on our end, including myself,
who have a strong interest in the results. We are now in the process of updating
our near-term test plans. The basic
P6 hardware is in good shape and can be refurbished in a short time," Garvey
said.
Along with their recent low-altitude development
flight, earlier team achievements include the first-ever powered flight tests
of a liquid-propellant aerospike engine and composite cryogenic propellant
tankage for liquid oxygen.
A view
of the launch from an onboard camera is available here.
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