New Zealand space launch has nation reaching for the stars

[Binary_Bark]

New Zealand has never had a space program but could soon be launching commercial rockets more often than the United States.
That's if the plans of California-based company Rocket Lab work out.
Founded by New Zealander Peter Beck, the company was last week given official approval to conduct three test launches from a remote peninsula in the South Pacific nation. Rocket Lab is planning the first launch of its Electron rocket sometime from Monday, depending on conditions.
"So far, it's only superpowers that have gone into space," said Simon Bridges, New Zealand's economic development minister. "For us to do it, and be in the first couple of handfuls of countries in the world, is pretty impressive."
Rocket Lab sees an emerging market in delivering lots of small devices, some not much bigger than a smartphone, into low Earth orbit. The satellites would be used for everything from monitoring crops to providing internet service.
The company hopes to begin commercial launches later this year and eventually launch one rocket every week. It plans to keep costs low by using lightweight, disposable rockets with 3D-printed engines. It's a different plan than some other space companies like Elon Musk's SpaceX, which uses larger rockets to carry bigger payloads.

Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2017-05-zealand-space-nation-stars.html#jCp

 

[ToxicBunny]

Very interesting...
.
Wonder what the location does to launch dynamics though, I was always under the impression that you want to launch as close to the equator as possible?

 

[Pitbull]

Very interesting...
.
Wonder what the location does to launch dynamics though, I was always under the impression that you want to launch as close to the equator as possible?

Would it make a difference? Should the distance not be the same to space either way?

 

[ToxicBunny]

Would it make a difference? Should the distance not be the same to space either way?

Its more to do with the "spin" of the earth and all that rather than the distance, but I could be horribly wrong on that front of course.

 

[Compton_effect]

Would it make a difference? Should the distance not be the same to space either way?

Actually... (summoning Neil Degasse Tyson)

The earth rotates. The angular momentum at the equator is much higher than New Zealand. The tricky bit is not getting into space - its staying there. Blue Origin is very happy with their flights - 100 km straight up, and then down again. But your relative ground speed has to be high enough that you basically fall around the earth and miss it the whole time, for you to stay in orbit.

The ISS for instance - orbits the earth at a ground speed of 27 000 km/h. So anything launched from the equator is already moving at a relative velocity of 1 600 km/h. You need much less energy to get it to a orbital velocity from there.

 

[Compton_effect]

RocketLab is very bleeding edge in their technologies, and are trying some radical ideas.
Normally a rocket engine burns some oxidizer and fuel inside a small turbine, and uses that energy to pump the fuel and oxidizer into the combustion chamber. Rocketlab has simplified their design and dumped all that for electric pumps powered by batteries instead.

 

[Pitbull]

Its more to do with the "spin" of the earth and all that rather than the distance, but I could be horribly wrong on that front of course.

Makes sense, thank you. Was actually wondering. Just shows, never to old to learn

 

[Pitbull]

Actually... (summoning Neil Degasse Tyson)

The earth rotates. The angular momentum at the equator is much higher than New Zealand. The tricky bit is not getting into space - its staying there. Blue Origin is very happy with their flights - 100 km straight up, and then down again. But your relative ground speed has to be high enough that you basically fall around the earth and miss it the whole time, for you to stay in orbit.

The ISS for instance - orbits the earth at a ground speed of 27 000 km/h. So anything launched from the equator is already moving at a relative velocity of 1 600 km/h. You need much less energy to get it to a orbital velocity from there.

Now this makes 100% sense to me. Thanks guys, amazing!

 

[Compton_effect]

Now this makes 100% sense to me. Thanks guys, amazing!

 

[OrbitalDawn]

NZ joins space race as Rocket Lab lifts off

 

[c3n0byt3]

Actually... (summoning Neil Degasse Tyson)

The earth rotates. The angular momentum at the equator is much higher than New Zealand. The tricky bit is not getting into space - its staying there. Blue Origin is very happy with their flights - 100 km straight up, and then down again. But your relative ground speed has to be high enough that you basically fall around the earth and miss it the whole time, for you to stay in orbit.

The ISS for instance - orbits the earth at a ground speed of 27 000 km/h. So anything launched from the equator is already moving at a relative velocity of 1 600 km/h. You need much less energy to get it to a orbital velocity from there.

Unless of course you want an inclined retrograde orbit.
I think their customers will be more science based.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

[video=youtube;VA_8HPsua0c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA_8HPsua0c&feature=youtu.be[/video]

 

[ponder]

^ @1:39

 

[Pitbull]

^ @1:39

View attachment 439282

Looks like bearded man from Walk off the Earth