Posted on 04/13/2015 6:44:51 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
(Reuters) - The company that launches most of America's satellites unveiled on Monday a reusable rocket named "Vulcan" that is slated to take off in 2019 and end U.S. dependence on Russian-built rocket engines.
United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) and Boeing Co (BA.N), said more than a million people voted in an online contest to name the rocket after the home planet of Spock from the television show "Star Trek."
The rocket’s first stage will be powered by a pair of liquid-oxygen and liquefied methane engines under development by Blue Origin, a space company started by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos.
The design should save money and help ULA compete with upstart Space Exploration Technologies Corp, or SpaceX.
Russian-made RD-180 engines currently power ULA’s Atlas rocket, but the U.S. Congress banned further imports as part of trade sanctions enacted after Russia invaded Ukraine last year.
ULA Chief Executive Officer Tory Bruno told a news conference at the annual Space Symposium in Colorado that the engines will be designed to return to Earth, so they can be refurbished and reflown.
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...
I think you name is somewhat appropro for the story. It’s a revenge story on Russia.
I am more derivative of societal ‘norms’.. and the damage done. Cheers!
but I hear ya. :-)
4 years...really??? I hope it would be less...
From 1985
http://www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/blog/?p=1173
\The five STMEs for the core stage were contained in a recoverable propulsion & avionics module, which would splash down for recovery, refurbishment and reuse.
The early-1960s era Corona reconnaissance satellite returned delicate film capsules to Earth that required mid-air retrieval by a JC-130 Hercules & HC-130 airlifter. These aircraft were manned by a crew of 10 personnel. The crew consisted of two pilots, one flight engineer, two telemetry operators, one winch operator, and four riggers. The telemetry operators would acquire the location of the satellite and relay the info to the pilots. Once visually acquired the pilots would head on course to the satellite descending towards the Pacific Ocean. One could visually acquire the satellite and its parachute at an altitude of approximately 50,000 ft. The winch operator and the riggers would deploy the retrieving apparatus called the "Loop", which consisted of high quality nylon rope with a series of brass hooks spliced into the apparatus. The whole snatching operation by the pilots was done visually. The winch operator and the four riggers would deploy the loop. Once contact was made between the parachute and the loop the winch line would pay out and stop. The winch then was put into gear and the retrieval process commenced. Once on board, the aircraft flew back to Hickam Air Force Base, where they were stationed and offload the satellite or the canister onto a truck and then loaded immediately onto a running C-141 airlifter and then transported to a location, in Maryland, for analysis. The crews acquired these skills by practicing almost daily on practice missions, carried out with other aircraft dropping dummy bombs with chutes attached. The weights were 200 lb. in the early 70s and later to the conical parachute system which weighed in at 1,100 lb.
People do the name Vulcan predate star trek... he a Roman god...The US has a tradition of naming rockets after old Roman gods.. Saturn ...Atlas.. Titan
People do know the name Vulcan predate star trek... he a Roman god...The US has a tradition of naming rockets after old Roman gods.. Saturn ...Atlas.. Titan
Where’s Romulus and Remus when you need them?
Vulcan is blacksmith to the Gods. He forges thunderbolts for Zeus
“Russian-made RD-180 engines currently power ULA’s Atlas rocket”
Why can’t the US manufacture clones of the Russian design? The Russians and Chinese have copied our technology for decades. It is time to return the favor!
"US Manufacture"? What is this term you use? It sounds offensive to the Lords of EPA.
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