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For its land-based operations,Vector Space is not looking to completely abandon the standard launch ranges the U.S. offers \u2013 at least, not in the near-term.<\/p>\nVector Space Systems, a startup small satellite launch service, is hoping to revolutionize the launch market not just through a dramatic reduction in cost for launch operations for small-sat manufacturers and users, but also through a minimal infrastructure launch architecture that will allow its rockets to launch from any location \u2013 potentially freeing the company, if desired, from the four well-established U.S. orbital launch ranges.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Vector Space aims to venture away from standard launch ranges:<\/b><\/p>\n
While Vector Space is not the only U.S.-based company entering the small-sat launch market (with Rocket Lab set to launch its first small-sat launcher later this month), Vector is unique in that it aims to make use of not only the standard ranges in the United States, but also expand launch capability to any location licensable in the U.S. while also investigating the option of launching their rockets from barges in the middle of the ocean.<\/p>\n
For its land-based operations,Vector Space is not looking to completely abandon the standard launch ranges the U.S. offers \u2013 at least, not in the near-term.<\/p>\n
In fact, the company\u2019s language used on its website makes clear that all of the published data for orbits, payload mass to different orbits, and cost to customer plans are all based on launches from either the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida on the Eastern Range or from the Pacific Spaceport Complex \u2013 Alaska (PSCA) on Kodiak Island, Alaska.<\/p>\n
For the CCAFS, Vector has already announced plans to make use of the Space Florida-owned LC-46 for the inaugural launches of its Vector-R rocket beginning in 2018.<\/p>\n
Speaking in March, Jim Cantrell, Vector Space CEO and co-founder, stated that \u201cWe need precisely what that [pad] has.\u201d<\/p>\n
With 105 flights already booked for Vector rocket missions, it\u2019s no surprise that while the company wants to introduce some degree of freedom from the well-established launch ranges \u2013 to secure and have greater control over its launch rate and to provide its customers with a wider range of launch options \u2013 that it must also rely heavily on those ranges during its formative years.<\/p>\n
For the CCAFS launch site, Vector Space \u2013 in an exclusive interview with NASASpaceflight.com \u2013 stated that NASA\u2019s new small-class launcher facility inside LC-39B\u2019s perimeter was, at one time, considered but ultimately discounted due to uncertainty of how SLS would affect the company\u2019s ability to control its launch rate.<\/p>\n
According to John Garvey, Vector Space co-founder and CTO, \u201cWe looked at [the small pad at 39B], but I think there are some serious challenges from a programmatic perspective. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe question we asked was: \u2018When they put an SLS vehicle on 39B, and it\u2019s on there for four months, will we still be able to launch during that period,\u2019\u201d questioned Mr. Garvey.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI can tell you that the program guys are not going to be excited about having someone launch a rocket off in relative proximity to their multi-billion dollar national resource. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo we had to ask ourselves \u2018What\u2019s easier\u2019? Is it easier to try and work around that or go to another pad that\u2019s got a lot more separation and that doesn\u2019t worry the main program?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Vector Space chose the latter; but that doesn\u2019t mean they are following a standard approach to rocket integration and launch operations even though they\u2019ll use an existing pad at CCAFS for their first salvo of operational launches.<\/p>\n
Already, the company has launched a scaled-down version of their Vector-R rocket from the Friends of Amateur Rocketry launch site in the Mojave Desert of California.<\/p>\n
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In July, the company will follow up with a second scaled-down test flight set to launch from Camden County, Georgia.<\/p>\n
As was seen in California earlier this month, the Georgia test flight will show off the company\u2019s unconventional approach to rocket launch infrastructure, with a semi-truck delivering the rocket and Transporter\/Erector\/Launcher (TEL) to a launch location followed by a fleet of tanker trucks delivering the fuel and oxidizer for the rocket.<\/p>\n
This transport and fueling system is exactly what the company will use for their larger, operational rocket fleet.<\/p>\n
In this way, Vector Space will veer drastically away from what is standard practice of having a standing launch complex and pad infrastructure system used by larger rockets that lift massive payloads into Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Geostationary Orbit (GEO), or to other planets.<\/p>\n
This major difference will see Vector Space employ a minimal architecture approach to launch operations, even at LC-46 at the CCAFS.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWith our TEL architecture, we don\u2019t have to invest $10 million in a launch stand and then go from that site and then take another year to build another one,\u201d noted Mr. Garvey.<\/p>\n
In this manner, Vector Space\u2019s approach to launch operations is to use a completely mobile system, which will facilitate not only a cost reduction for launch operations but also flexibility in launch locations.<\/p>\n
According to Mr. Garvey, \u201cIf we had a launch site all picked out and then two weeks before launch something came up or something happened, we could say \u2018Okay, we\u2019ll just go to another launch site.\u2019 We would have that capability.<\/p>\n
\u201cUltimately, we\u2019d like to have multiple launch locations available so if one is busy or something happens, we can just shuffle resources and keep moving. We have to. We can\u2019t wait six months if the pad goes down because we\u2019ll lose a manifest of 50 payloads.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Specifically, this capability to launch from non-standard ranges \u2013 which include barge launch operations from the Pacific Ocean \u2013 is made possible in large part due to the fact that the Vector-R and Vector-H rockets do not use explosive ordnance.<\/p>\n
To this end, the AFTS (Autonomous Flight Termination System) will use thrust termination to end a flight of Vector-R or Vector-H in the event of a launch anomaly.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing small, we\u2019re pursuing alternatives and functions that aren\u2019t possible when you have a large rocket where you have to put ordinance on board to take it apart,\u201d noted Mr. Garvey.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we proposed to the Air Force was that our vehicle is small enough that [it would be better] to keep it all intact rather than create a big debris cloud which would spread. <\/p>\n
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\u201cIf the range blew us up, they\u2019d have bigger stuff going everywhere versus keeping it contained. And the range said \u2018Show us the probability of loss numbers and support your case.\u2019 So we\u2019re doing that right now and doing the analysis with support contracts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moreover, according to Mr. Garvey, no explosive ordnance meant a streamlining of ground safety ops for Vector \u2013 a key component in their flexibility to launch from non-standard ranges.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe other element is that when you put ordinance in [a vehicle], there\u2019s a very real threat on the ground when you have personnel which changes the whole safety operation when people are handling shaped charges.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo our contention is that it\u2019s a lot more efficient for ground ops [to not have ordnance], and when the ground folks asked us what our ordnance plan was and we told them we didn\u2019t have any ordnance at all, they said \u2018Oh, well that\u2019s good, we can just sign off on this then without a lot of analysis.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Given the minimal architecture, Mr. Garvey stated that he believes that once fueling of the rockets are completed for launch, they can remain on the pad without the need to top off their propellant for 30-60mins.<\/p>\n
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If top off is needed, tanker trucks would need to be sent back to the vehicle \u2013 which would require depressurization of the rocket\u2019s tanks to ensure that safety is maintained.<\/p>\n
In all, while Vector\u2019s approach to minimal launch infrastructure does give them the ability to move their launch site relatively quickly (which could be beneficial in the event of a close to the ground mishap), exactly how this would play out is uncertain. <\/p>\n
Moreover, while barge launches off southern California are an option, barge launch ops are hardly new to the launch market and getting the fuel and oxidizer to the barge in sufficient quantities to support multiple launch attempts is still something Mr. Garvey notes the company is still figuring out.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, while Camden County, Georgia, will be used in July for the scaled-down testflight and is also being eyed as the location for Vector Space\u2019s production facility for its rockets, it remains to be seen exactly how many operational launches of Vector-R and Vector-H will actually occur from the Georgia location.<\/p>\n
For now, Vector will make use of existing U.S. Ranges while they aim to shake up the small-sat launch market.<\/p>\n
Vector-R rockets are scheduled to enter operational service in 2018, with Vector-H entering service in 2019.<\/p>\n
(Images: Vector Space, Google Earth, and L2 artist Nathan Koga \u2013 The full gallery of Nathan\u2019s (SpaceX Dragon to MCT, SLS, Commercial Crew and more) L2 images can be *found here*)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Vector Space Systems, a startup small satellite launch service, is hoping to revolutionize the launch market not just through a dramatic reduction in cost for launch operations for small-sat manufacturers and users, but also through a minimal infrastructure launch architecture that will allow its rockets to launch from any location \u2013 potentially freeing the company, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[9002],"class_list":["post-38805","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-vector-space-systems"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38805"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38805"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38805\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38805"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38805"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38805"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}