Airbus Unveils Partially Reusable Rocket Design 'Adeline'

Popular Science ^ | June 8th, 2015 | Loren Grush

[SunkenCiv]

But can it ever hope to compete with SpaceX?

Like the Falcon 9, Adeline is only partially reusable -- but the way it's meant to work is quite creative. While most of the rocket's fuselage goes unrecovered after launch, the bottom portion of the rocket housing the main engine (most expensive part and arguably the most important) is designed to safely return back home. The design calls for the first stage of the rocket to come equipped with wings and propellers, allowing it to travel back to Earth like a small plane and land gently on a runway.

The key difference between SpaceX's first stage recovery concept and the one Airbus is pitching is fuel consumption. SpaceX is trying to save each Falcon 9's main engines and fuel tank by autonomously landing much of the rocket's fuselage on a drone ship in the middle of the ocean. (The company is getting pretty close to making that happen, too.) But to do this, SpaceX must load the rocket with extra propellant before liftoff; this leftover fuel then helps to guide the first stage back down to Earth gently during its descent.

Airbus says its design drastically cuts down on that extra fuel needed for landing. Adeline's first stage is much smaller than SpaceX's and detaches entirely from the rocket's fuel tank. Instead of using fuel to guide itself back to Earth, the first stage will travel on a ballistic path using its tiny wings and propellers. It will then land horizontally on a runway just like an airplane. Airbus claims less propellant is needed for this technique, and therefore each launch will cost less.

[SunkenCiv]

Airbus

[SunkenCiv]

[Airbus/YouTube] Meet Adeline, Airbus' Answer to SpaceX Reusability

[SunkenCiv]

[YouTube] SpaceX CEO Elon Musk -- Europe's rocket has no chance.

[BenLurkin]

Sweet

Adeline

[Vince Ferrer]

Spacex wins on account of having a better graphics package.

[Bobalu]

We would have done better to have pursued such a money-saving strategy rather than the Space Shuttle design.

The Shuttle looked cool but was a flawed idea.

We should have developed a version of the Saturn 5 that had recovery of the most valuable parts to save $$$

The Saturn 5 would be nice to have now for Mars missions.

[NormsRevenge]

on tiny wings and fairy glow..

[SunkenCiv]

:') SpaceX wins on account that they've reduced the price per pound to orbit by 90 percent, and expect to cut it another order of magnitude by perfecting the butt-first automated landing of the boosters. They're using an engine design in their spacecraft that is made by 3d-printing. Hmm, I think this is the right vid:

[YouTube] SpaceX SuperDraco Thruster Firing

[SunkenCiv]

I wholeheartedly agree — the Saturn V was going to be VonBraun’s Mars mission booster, but of course LBJ’s huge-assed war in Vietnam and fake war on poverty blasted that idea to hell. There’s been intermittent interest in restarting F1 production, including recently, and I’d love to see that. 1.5 million pounds thrust at sealevel (per engine), developing to 1.7 million while under way...

[Vince Ferrer]

It was a joke about the animations:

Meet Adeline, Airbus' Answer to SpaceX Reusability

vs.

SpaceX Reusable Launch System

[SunkenCiv]

hence the smiley. :’)

[null and void]

Soooooo what happens to the fuel and oxidizer tanks?

Do they make it to LEO where they could be re-purposed as living volume, or do the fall back to earth and burn up uselessly?

[SunkenCiv]

While most of the rocket's fuselage goes unrecovered after launch, the bottom portion of the rocket housing the main engine (most expensive part and arguably the most important) is designed to safely return back home. The design calls for the first stage of the rocket to come equipped with wings and propellers, allowing it to travel back to Earth like a small plane and land gently on a runway.

The rest of it tumbles back / burns up / smashes into the ocean.

[null and void]

It doesn't actually say the tanks burn up...

(I'm inclined to make the same inference)

[Vince Ferrer]

hence the smiley. :’)

Carry on then.

[Spktyr]

PWC is moving ahead with the F-1B to replace the Russian NK33s, last I heard.

[Doug Loss]

Ah yes, another viewgraph spaceship. Pictures are easy; flying hardware is hard. Come back when you’re bending tin and blowing stuff up with it.

[SunkenCiv]

Virgin Galactic topics:

• A glimpse at the future of commercial space mining, as the SPACE Act passes House of Representatives
• New photos reveal mammoth structure of Paul Allen's six-engine Stratolaunch
• Virgin Galactic pilot gives first account of SpaceShipTwo's destruction
• Virgin Galactic Crash Probe Focuses on Possible Structural Failure
• #EndTheWarOnScience
• 'We fell short' Emotional Richard Branson vows space mission WILL go on despite crash
• Update: One Survivor, One Fatality in Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Flight Accident [2 minutes in]
• Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Has Crashed, Possible Casualties
• Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Crashes During Flight Test
• California vies for new space industry
• Space-tourism firm Virgin Galactic goes supersonic in rocket test
• SpaceShipTwo Moves Forward to First Powered Flight
• Capitalism In Space
• Branson says Kutcher is space line's 500th client (FLAGRANT REDUNDANCY ALERT)
• Virgin Galactic's first commercial spaceship to test-fly this year
• Back to the Moon -- For a Fraction of the Old Price: Gingrich is right...
• Virgin Galactic spacecraft makes 1st crewed flight
• Virgin Galactic unveils SpaceShipTwo, the world's first manned commercial spaceship
• The next frontier
• SpaceShipTwo motor passes test
• Space tourism: Galactic Gamble -- Is the market Virgin's to lose?
• WhiteKnightTwo soars to new heights
• VIDEO: SpaceShipTwo Revealed
• Virgin Galactic's White Knight II to roll out in May
• Virgin Galactic Unveils Spaceship Designs
• Space tourism closer (Mojave's the place)
• SpaceShip Two unveiled -- Clever spacecraft design allows for training and 'safer' return to Earth.
• Virgin's Branson unveils commercial spaceship model (SpaceShipTwo)
• PICTURE: First images of Spaceport America revealed
• Virgin Galactic spaceship designer reveals changing ideas
• Virgin Galactic pushes test dates back
• Scaled Composites tragedy review begins
• Mojave test explosion {follow-up}
• Pratt & Whitney Canada selected for White Knight II engines
• The Path Not Taken
• Virgin Galactic: Anatomy of a Business Model
• Market for space odysseys growing astronomically
• Space travel may help Earth
• Rutan Faults NASA on Apollo-Style Capsule
• Ashburn bill seeks loan OK for Mojave spaceport
• First Dubai Founder Astronaut!
• Virgin Galactic Customers Parting with Their Cash
• Beam Me Up -- Space Travel For Beginners (Virgin Galactic)
• Philippe Starck to design Virgin Galactic spaceport
• Virgin Spaceport to Be Built in N.M.
• U.S. Okays Virgin Galactic Spaceship Plans
• Red Tape For SpaceShipTwo
• Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics Hearing Charter: Future Markets for Commercial Space
• Volvo and Sir Richard Branson Unveil Winner of Trip to Space
• Virgin boss unveils space trips
• SpaceShipTwo Won't Be Like SpaceShipOne (awesome Rutan quote on taking risks)
• One small step for space tourism
• Saskatchewan town prepares for launch of Canadian rocket
• The Birth of SpaceShipTwo

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks, good idea for a separate topic, as well.

New F-1B rocket engine upgrades Apollo-era design with 1.8M lbs of thrust
http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/04/new-f-1b-rocket-engine-upgrades-apollo-era-deisgn-with-1-8m-lbs-of-thrust/

Saturn V F-1 Engine Gas Generator Testing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3O43J7JFTY

images:
http://www.google.com/search?q=f1-B+engines&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&tbm=isch

[Moonman62]

The key difference between SpaceX’s first stage recovery concept and the one Airbus is pitching is fuel consumption.

...

The key difference is SpaceX is actually doing it. It’s more than vaporware.