RFA One
The RFA One is a launch vehicle under development by the Bavarian space company Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA ) . It is intended for the transport of small and micro satellites in low earth orbits and sun-synchronous orbits. A first operational flight is announced for 2022.
Structure and data
The launcher is planned as a two-stage rocket that can carry up to 200 kg payload in 700 km sun-synchronous orbits.
The first stage is to be powered by 9 engines, each delivering 500,000 PS (367750 kW) and a thrust of 100 kN. Hydrocarbons and liquid oxygen should serve as fuel .
The components of the engine are to be manufactured by Rocket Factory using additive manufacturing techniques in a 3D printer. This includes the housing of the turbo pumps, the combustion chamber and the injector.
The rocket is said to be about 30 meters long.
Milestones
The turbo pump was developed by Rocket Factory Augsburg itself. The tanks of the upper stage of the RFA One were built and successfully tested by Rocket Factory.
The engine works with a graduated combustion cycle and is therefore one of the engines with one of the highest levels of efficiency . This engine technology was not yet commercially available in Europe. [1]
Manufacturer
Rocket Factory Augsburg was founded in 2018. The strategic investor is the space company OHB SE , the financial investor is Apollo Capital Partners GmbH from Munich (with Hans Steiniger (Managing Director of MT Aerospace ) as managing partner.) The company is based in Augsburg . Rocket Factory Augsburg was selected in the first phase of the DLR Raumfahrtmanagement's microlauncher competition.
In July 2020, Rocket Factory Augsburg had around 70 employees.
Planned launches
The first commercial flight of the RFA One is announced for 2022. The company is currently in the selection process for a suitable starting place . Among other things, a launch site in the North Sea and the Azores in Portugal are to be discussed.
Individual evidence
- ^ Tim Janssen: Launchers from Augsburg . Ed .: Raumfahrt Concret. No. 112 . Iniplu 2000, Neubrandenburg June 2020, p. 22-25 .
- ↑ How the Bremen-based space company OHB conquered all of Europe - buten un within. Retrieved August 12, 2020 .
- ↑ Meet RFA's Micro Launcher for small satellites - Rocket Factory Augsburg. Retrieved August 12, 2020 (American English).
- ↑ Race around space: New trend in space travel: the cheap rocket off the assembly line. Retrieved August 12, 2020 .
- ↑ Dieter Sürig: The whiz kid from Augsburg. Retrieved August 12, 2020 .
- ↑ Race around space: New trend in space travel: the cheap rocket off the assembly line. Retrieved August 12, 2020 .
- ↑ Philip Kaleta: 3 startups from Germany want to conquer space - with methods similar to Elon Musk's SpaceX. January 9, 2020, accessed August 12, 2020 .
- ↑ Dieter Sürig: The whiz kid from Augsburg. Retrieved August 12, 2020 .
- ↑ Rocket Factory Augsburg. Retrieved August 15, 2020 .
- ↑ RFA - Rocket Factory posted something on LinkedIn. Retrieved August 12, 2020 .
- ↑ commercial register of Rocket Factory Augsburg GmbH of Augsburg (HRB 32731). Retrieved August 12, 2020 .
- ↑ Dieter Sürig: The whiz kid from Augsburg. Retrieved August 12, 2020 .
- ^ Portfolio - Apollo Capital Partners. Retrieved August 12, 2020 .
- ↑ Management & Supervisory Board - MT Aerospace. Retrieved August 12, 2020 .
- ^ Profiles - Apollo Capital Partners. Retrieved August 12, 2020 .
- ↑ Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy: Three rocket start-ups are entering the second round of the German competition for microlauncher. Retrieved August 12, 2020 .
- ↑ griephan kiosk. Retrieved August 12, 2020 .
- ↑ How the Bremen-based space company OHB conquered all of Europe - buten un within. Retrieved August 12, 2020 .
- ↑ Stefan Lake Band: German Spaceport: plans for missile launches in the North Sea. Retrieved August 12, 2020 .
- ↑ Dieter Sürig: The whiz kid from Augsburg. Retrieved August 12, 2020 .