{"id":26402,"date":"2024-02-26T16:56:11","date_gmt":"2024-02-26T21:56:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=26402"},"modified":"2024-02-27T12:51:26","modified_gmt":"2024-02-27T17:51:26","slug":"roundup-reusable-rocket-vehicles-february-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=26402","title":{"rendered":"Roundup: Reusable rocket vehicles – February.2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

Find here the latest news and updates on reusable rocket powered vehicles in operation and in development. (See also the previous Roundup<\/a> from November 2023.) Such technology should eventually lead to space transports with aircraft-like operation. That is, orbital flight and return followed by rapid reflight with minimal preparation. Vehicles should fly thousands of times with only occasional refurbishment and, most importantly, spacefare should fall to levels similar to long distance airfare.<\/p>\n

In the decades following the launch of Sputnik 1, missile derived expendable launchers dominated and progress towards reusable transports moved at a slow crawl. The one major attempt at reusablity, the Space Shuttle, was a major disappointment, providing no reduction in space transport costs due to the lengthy refurbishment and component replacements after each flight. However, progress sped up considerably in the past decade with the arrival of the SpaceX Falcon 9, whose boosters have achieved 248 reflights and 277 landings<\/a> as of Feb.26.2024.<\/p>\n

Reusable rocket powered vehicle designs fall roughly into the following five categories:<\/p>\n

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  1. Partially reusable orbital transport<\/strong>:\n
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    • Operational: SpaceX Falcon 9<\/a><\/li>\n
    • In development: Blue Origin New Glenn<\/a>, Rocket Lab Electron<\/a> and Neutron<\/a>, Relativity Space<\/a> Terran-R<\/a>, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Fully reusable orbital transport<\/strong>:\n
        \n
      • In development: SpaceX Starship<\/a>, Stoke Space<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • Reusable spacecraft<\/strong>:\n
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        • Operational:\u00a0Crew\/Cargo Dragons<\/a>, Boeing\/USAF X-37 spaceplane<\/a>, Chinese spaceplane<\/a><\/li>\n
        • In development: Boeing Starliner<\/a>, Sierra Space Dreamchaser<\/a>, ESA Space Rider<\/a>, etc<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Fully reusable suborbital<\/strong>:\n
            \n
          • Operational high altitude: Blue Origin New Shepard<\/a>, Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo<\/a><\/li>\n
          • Operational low altitude: Astrobotic VTVL rockets<\/a>,\u00a0 Exos Aerospace<\/a>, Landspace (China), etc<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
          • Fully reusable hypersonic suborbital<\/strong> for long distance point-to-point transport:\n
              \n
            • In development: Venus Aerospace<\/a> Stargazer<\/a>, POLARIS Aurora<\/a>, New Frontier Aerospace<\/a>, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              Below are reports on several projects and programs that fall into at least one of these categories.<\/p>\n

              ** SpaceX Starship<\/strong><\/a> –\u00a0 Third orbital flight test expected in March.<\/em><\/p>\n

              Recent remarks from Elon Musk<\/a> indicate that the third test flight could happen by mid-March. The test will launch the combo of Starship 28<\/a> and Super Heavy Booster 10<\/a>, which have been undergoing preparations for the flight for several months including repeated trips to and from the orbital launch site for cryogenic pressure tests, engine firings, etc. In mid-February the stages were stacked atop the launch mount and twice an attempt at a wet dress rehearsal was made but each time the propellant filling was stopped prematurely and the rehearsal ended. Subsequently, the Starship was de-stacked and moved to the nearby suborbital test area for engine testing, starting with a spin prime test on Feb.26th<\/a> (spin prime<\/a> refers to a test of the engine turbopumps). Booster 10 was moved back to the production site.<\/p>\n

              [ Update<\/strong>: Just after posting this item, the FAA announced that the mishap investigation with SpaceX has been completed. Presumably, they will soon issue a permit for the next flight test.<\/p>\n

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              The FAA has closed the mishap investigation into the second Starship test flight. pic.twitter.com\/jZe8z8VULu<\/a><\/p>\n

              \u2014 Christian Davenport (@wapodavenport) February 26, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n