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Interesting mater thesis that lead to the just announced new launcher ! Remember our discussion after the advanced concepts workshop!?!?!

do you know about this? https://www.qb50.eu/launch.php

I knew about the project only, but not about this very interesting missile ... "The launcher has a remarkable track record of several hundred successful launches and only 1 failure. Shtil is marketed by the State Rocket Center Makeyev."

another rail-gun try

...obvious use for space...

Indeed, you only need ONE antenna to communicate with your satellite irrespective of its position, since one can freely send the signals right through the Earth. Small disadvantage: you should tell the launcher section to design a new launcher that is capable to bring a 200tons detector to space...

...and hitting the news in the same day: A Rocket Built from U.S. and European Parts "A new rocket that would combine parts from NASA's canceled Ares I rocket as well as the Ariane 5 , a well-proven European satellite launcher, could provide a low-cost option for taking crew and cargo to the space station. The rocket proposal was announced this week by ATK, an aerospace and defense company that manufactures the solid rocket motors for NASA's space shuttles, and Astrium, the European company that makes the Ariane 5. They say the rocket, called Liberty, would be ready for flight by 2015." "Other commercial companies, including Boeing and Orbital Sciences Corporation, are looking to use low-end versions of the Atlas V to carry the capsules they are building. Liberty could carry any capsule at a cost less than that of the Atlas V, according to ATK." Look! Competition! :)

probably not practical for launchers nor for s/c but maybe for suborbital planes? nice idea anyway ...

New idea for launcher?

do you have a direct link to the high speed video?

proper engineering. do this YouTube sensation and inventor Colin Furze is used to making insane things like retractable wolverine claws, working versions of the hidden blade and rope launcher featured in Assassin's Creed games, and even a homemade Iron Man suit. But this time he decided to do something even crazier and build a hoverbike, and surprisingly, he succeeded and didn't die in the process.

I'm always amazed when that guy doesn't die

sorry - have not seen your entry before posting mine today ...

The SpaceX Falcon 9 explosion was caused by a failed strut that allowed a helium bottle to burst free inside the rocket's liquid oxygen tank, CEO Elon Musk said Monday. "One of those struts broke free during flight," Musk told reporters on a conference call to discuss the June 28 blast on what was supposed to be a routine cargo mission to the International Space Station.

I guess this is how it starts as they mentioned they will inspect struts individually before each flight. Also for the space shuttle they believed a rapid inspection between launches would be feasible, but in the end there was a need for individual assessment almost. And we haven't even considered human spaceflight yet.

as predicted, first failure, first inquiry board, first new safety procedures ... and certainly many more will follow and all will make sense but with the risk of loosing the competitive edge

very nice success by what we called in 2003 "the second space age" ... for Joris: (related to the discussion we had the other day) But the spacecraft will be assembled, integrated and tested in the United States and will include U.S. hardware, meaning they would not be allowed for launch aboard Indian or Chinese rockets under current U.S. regulations.

pity!

bad news ... hope that its not Ariane related (but does not see to be the case)

".... taking at least 50kg of payload into a polar orbit with a minimum altitude of 400km (248 miles), but engineers would aim to get significant additional performance. "We'd be looking at a range from 50 to up to a maximum of 200kg because you'd want to do different sizes of satellite," said Mr Whitehorn."

make you wonder when the FLPP will actually lead to something flying !

I did not even know that the airforce continued the X37 project when it was cancelled at NASA ... interesting stuff indeed ...

Interesting article about your Cryosat. Don't miss the Dniepr launch videos and the story about Kazakh surgeon fixing the satellite :)

... some competition in the commercial space launcher market ? I kind of wonder why EU, or ESA, still doesn't push for anything in this market!