Prime (rocket)

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Second stage rocket prototype

The Prime is a partially reusable launcher that is currently being developed by the Scottish - Danish manufacturer Orbex . It is intended for the launch of small European satellites . A first flight - the first launch of a British orbital rocket since 1971 - is planned for the end of 2021 at the earliest. A new spaceport for the Prime and for the competing model Electron is to be built on the north coast of Scotland .

history

Orbex emerged from the “Moonspike” project by British entrepreneur Chris Larmour and Danish architect and space engineer Kristian von Bengtson . Moonspike was founded in 2015 with the aim of financing its own mission to the moon through crowdfunding . A two-stage rocket powered by alcohol and liquid oxygen was planned to bring an encapsulated payload onto a collision orbit with the moon. Of the desired $ 1 million in Kickstarter revenue, however, only $ 123,000 was earned.

Orbex announced its plans to build the Prime at the Farnborough Air Show in July 2018. At this point in time, half of the estimated capital requirements for the development of the rocket had already been secured at £ 30 million (about EUR 34 million). According to the company, funds from the UK Space Agency , ESA , the venture capital fund Sunstone Technology Ventures and High-Tech Gründerfonds as well as the company Elecnor Deimos Space as a strategic partner were raised.

In February 2019 Orbex opened a new company headquarters in Forres in the north of Scotland and presented a - not yet airworthy - prototype of the second rocket stage there.

construction

Prototype of the engine

The Prime is designed as a two-stage rocket. Their load-bearing structures consist of a CFRP - aluminum composite material. The central unit of the motor is manufactured in one piece with a metal 3D printer from the German manufacturer SLM Solutions Group . The first stage is to be driven by six of these motors, the second stage by one.

Liquefied biogas in the form of propane is used as fuel , and liquid oxygen as an oxidizer. As a result, the engine is almost climate-neutral on the one hand, and the relatively low freezing point of propane enables a particularly light tank construction on the other hand : the fuel tank is attached to the cryogenic oxygen tank to save space .

Similar to the US Vulcan , Orbex is also planning to reuse the engine unit from the first stage. The engines are to land in the sea after use. As further innovations, the manufacturer mentions a "shock-free" stage separation and engine ignition without moving or electrically operated parts.

Production and launch facilities

The Prime is developed and finished at Orbex's headquarters in Forres. Engine development, production and testing are located in Hvidovre near Copenhagen as well as at another Danish location.

The Sutherland spaceport is to be built on the A 'Mhòine peninsula - around 150 kilometers north of Forres . In addition to the Prime, the similarly sized Electron will also start from there . Orbex is also considering a launch site on the Azores island of Santa Maria or in Norway . The economy and nature compatibility of the Sutherland spaceport is controversial.

Technical specifications

First stage Second step
height 17 m
diameter 1.3 m
Empty mass 0.35 t
Takeoff mass 18 t
thrust 30 kN
fuel Bio- propane - liquid gas
Oxidizer Liquid oxygen
Payload
⇒ height 		220 kg ⇒ 200 km
150 kg ⇒ 500 km
100 kg ⇒ 1250 km
Orbits polar , sun synchronous

Planned launches

All of the dates in the following list are intended as a schedule for the earliest possible start date. Rocket launches are often postponed to a later date.

As of January 25, 2020

Date ( UTC ) Launch site Payload / customer
End of 2021 Sutherland United KingdomUnited KingdomExperimental satellite for Surrey Satellite Technology
2022Template: future / in 2 years Sutherland United KingdomUnited Kingdom Faraday-2b (platform for multiple payloads)
2023Template: future / in 3 years United KingdomUnited KingdomExperimental satellite for Surrey Satellite Technology
2023Template: future / in 3 years SwitzerlandSwitzerland10 nanosatellites for Astrocast
2023Template: future / in 3 years Sutherland United StatesUnited States Rideshare flight for Trisept
202x SpainSpain24 starts for Elecnor Deimos Space

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Jonathan O'Callaghan: The Quiet Rocket Startup That Doesn't Want To Be The New SpaceX. In: Forbes . December 21, 2018, accessed February 16, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Victoria Turk: These Guys Are Trying to Crash a Rocket into the Moon and It Just Might Work. In: Motherboard. October 1, 2015, accessed February 17, 2019 .
  3. ↑ Elizabeth Howell: 'Moonspike' Kickstarter Project Aims to Crowdfund Rocket to the Moon. In: space.com. October 1, 2015, accessed February 17, 2017 .
  4. ↑ Moonspike | Join our adventure. In: moonspike.com. Retrieved February 17, 2019 .
  5. ↑ Orbex Secures £ 30 million funding for UK Space Launch Vehicles. Orbex, July 16, 2018, accessed August 16, 2019 .
  6. ↑ a b Chris Bergin: Orbex reveals Prime's second stage as it prepares for UK domestic launches. In: nasaspaceflight.com. February 7, 2019, accessed February 16, 2019 .
  7. ↑ a b c d Ken MacTaggart: New Orbex rocket revealed. In: room.eu.com. February 8, 2019, accessed February 16, 2019 .
  8. ↑ a b Our Vehicle. Orbex, accessed February 16, 2019 .
  9. ↑ a b c d e Teresa Pultarowa: Rocket-making start-up Orbex unveils 3D-printed engine at its new Scottish facility. In: Engineering & Technology. February 8, 2019, accessed February 16, 2019 .
  10. ↑ Dansk raketbygger i spidsen for nye Lavpris-raketter i Europa. In: Ingeniøren. November 23, 2017, accessed February 16, 2019 (Danish).
  11. ↑ a b c AZµL - Azores Micro Launcher Deimos and Orbex. (PDF) November 6, 2018, accessed February 16, 2019 .
  12. ^ Jeff Foust: Lockheed Martin, Orbex to launch from new British spaceport. In: Spacenews. July 16, 2018, accessed February 16, 2019 .
  13. ^ Gordon Calder: Rocket for academics after criticism of far north spaceport plans. In: John O'Groat Journal. June 21, 2019, accessed June 12, 2019 .
  14. ↑ Alistair Munro: War of words erupt over Sutherland spaceport plans. In: The Press and Journal. June 20, 2019, accessed June 21, 2019 .
  15. ^ A b Jonathan O'Callaghan: Startup Company Orbex Reveals Prime Rocket That Could Launch From The UK In 2021. In: Forbes. February 7, 2019, accessed February 16, 2019 .
  16. ↑ About us. Orbex, accessed February 16, 2019 .
  17. ↑ Jeff Foust: Orbex wins launch contract from In-Space Missions. In: Spacenews. August 7, 2019, accessed August 7, 2019 .
  18. ↑ SSTL partner with Orbex for UK launch. Orbex, February 7, 2019, accessed February 16, 2019 .
  19. ↑ TriSept buys Orbex Prime rocket for rideshare flight . Spacenews, January 14, 2020.