Friday, July 13, 2012

Space - It's Industiral Revolution

Right now is especially fun with space.  Pretty much turn of the century stuff, civilians are punching past the Kármán  line.  Large corporations that have supported NASA are able to maintain a commercial support of satellites etc. But, I am focusing on non-Ratheon, ATK, SPaceX sized companies.  Although, I am seriously dis-heartened with the decay of the United States "non-military" space program.  Seems to be the military are the only ones in the papers making headlines with spaceflights (aside from the SPaceX and LARGE commercial presence.

Although I don't know much about UP Aerospace, from what I do know, I would come to the conclusion they are not the large corporate presence of Boeing and Sea Launch.  But, a group if individuals who financed a company that is now in position to support flights into space, and hopefully see them evolve to full fledged LEO and beyond. Their current series of rockets, are based on solid rocket fuel, and fly a "ballistic" sounding rocket style trajectory, albeit, into space.  While it appears the Solid rocket motor, is the entire lower-half of the vehicle, the upper-half is recoverable, and probably the payload bays, re-usable. I would infer this vehicle hits around mach 5. Also, believe the impulse is around an "S" sized rocket motor, which has an impulse of between 327,680.01-655,360.00 N-s.  (that is a big range, but gives you a good minimum... for the huge amount of power)

This last SL-6 Mission, provided a unique opportunity.  The rocketry association my family are members of, flew membership cards into space.  I am quite jealous that I did not get one for my self, I on the other hand wanted my son to feel like he had something truly special, and that others don't get.  So not to cheapen his experience, I elected to not participate.  However, I will show it off... Here is his "card that has been in space"