New Mars Forums

Official discussion forum of The Mars Society and MarsNews.com

You are not logged in.

Announcement

Announcement: As a reader of NewMars forum, we have opportunities for you to assist with technical discussions in several initiatives underway. NewMars needs volunteers with appropriate education, skills, talent, motivation and generosity of spirit as a highly valued member. Write to newmarsmember * gmail.com to tell us about your ability's to help contribute to NewMars and become a registered member.

#1 2018-07-16 09:24:31

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,750

UK Rocket Launch Site

This is important for any nation that wants a space program.

UK selects Scottish site for first spaceport; The launch site on the A’Mhoine peninsula will hopefully be sending satellites into orbit by the early 2020s

Rocket_Lab_Still_Testing_launch_21_January_2018.1531735175.jpg

An Electron rocket built by Rocket Lab, which is similar to the sort of launch vehicles that will be used at the new spaceport.

Local business development agency, the Highlands and Islands Enterprise, will receive £2.5 million in funding ($3.3 million) from the UK government, with the first rocket launches planned for the early 2020s. In recent years, a new breed of small satellites have created a boom in the space industry. These satellites are often the size of a shoebox or smaller, and far more technologically capable than older, larger models. This means they’re cheaper to launch and can be put to a range of uses: from communications, to weather monitoring, to scientific experiments. It’s estimated that the global market for such launches (including supporting infrastructure) is currently worth $339 billion, and will grow eightfold by 2045 to $2.7 trillion. The UK Space Agency has said that the spaceflight market could add £3.8 billion ($5 billion) to the country’s economy over the next decade.

UK's first spaceport to be built on Scottish peninsula
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LXXrjz921Q

Offline

#2 2019-07-01 20:23:19

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,750

Offline

#3 2019-07-01 20:51:20

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,760

Re: UK Rocket Launch Site

For SpaceNut re #2 ...

Thanks for posting the link to the Rocket Lab story ...

While reading the Wikipedia article on Rocket Lab, I noticed the use of electron beam 3D printing which requires a high vacuum.

That technique would be (should be) useful in orbit (LEO) or on the Moon.

I note that the 3D printed components are holding up well ... the company has (apparently) achieved 100% success with launches to date.

(th)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_Lab

The Rutherford engine uses pumps that are uniquely powered by battery-powered electric motors rather than a gas generator, expander, or preburner.[42] The engine is also fabricated largely by 3D printing, via electron beam melting,[43] whereby layers of metal powder are melted in a high vacuum by an electron beam rather than a laser.

Offline

Board footer

Powered by FluxBB