#space symposium

[jami-c]

2018 was pretty amazing. i am so thankful i was able to be so immersed in this world. <3

[for-all-mankind]

Orbital ATK unveils further details on Next Generation Launch System at 34th Space Symposium. Using the 34th annual Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado as its platform, Orbital ATK announced further details on its heavy-class rocket currently under development for Air Force contracts. 

Officially unveiled Monday as Omega, the launch vehicle is comprised of technology that Orbital ATK has flight proven for decades. The first two stages of the three-stage vehicle, Castor 300 and 600 respectively, will comprise of a single-nozzle solid-fuel motor based off of the Castor 120 motor used on the company’s Antares medium-class launch vehicle. Orbital also announced at the symposium the selection of Aerojet Rocketdyne’s RL-10 engine as the third stage engine. Twin RL-10C engines will power the liquid-propellant upper stage and is capable of placing payloads in a variety of different orbits. Currently, the RL-10C is flying on the Centaur upper stage of the Atlas V and the Delta Cryogenic Second Stage of the Delta IV. Up to six GEM-63XL solid rocket motors can be attached to the first stage for additional thrust as mission requirements dictate. Orbital ATK currently uses GEM-60 motors on the Delta IV and Delta II vehicles, having flown over 1,000 times with 100% success. 

Cutaway diagram of Orbital ATK’s newest launch vehicle, Omega. Credit: Orbital ATK.

Two variants of the rocket will be developed, the Omega 500 and Omega 500XL. Although Orbital did not specify exact launch specifics for each variant, they stated that Omega will be capable of launching up to 10,100 kilograms to Geostationary Transfer Orbit and 7,800 kilograms to Geostationary Equatorial Orbit. By comparison, the Atlas V can launch up to 8,900 kilograms to GTO, whereas SpaceX’s Falcon 9 can loft up to 8,300 kilograms.  Orbital ATK spokesman Barron Beneski stated at the symposium that Omega is “on schedule to complete propulsion system ground tests in 2019 and to conduct its first launch in 2021. Omega will be certified for operational missions in 2022. Heavy configuration flights (Omega 500XL) would begin in 2024.”

Omega’s future will largely be determined by the outcome of the latest EELV contract which the Air Force will award in July 2018. Three vehicles will be chosen for continued development and ultimately missions. Orbital could still choose to develop Omega independently of the Air Force contract, as the company intends the vehicle to be a ‘book end’ of its launch service options. ULA’s Atlas V Delta IV, and Vulcan, SpaceX’s Falcon 9, and Blue Origin’s New Shepard are also under EELV contract consideration.

Orbital ATK’s launch vehicle family; from left to right, the small-class Pegasus, Minotaur 1, Minotaur V and Minotaur C, the medium-class Antares, and the heavy-class Omega 500 and Omega 500XL. Credit: Orbital ATK.

P/c: Orbital ATK.

[everythingspacex]

SpaceX gaining substantial cost savings from reused Falcon 9 - SpaceNews.com

SpaceX saw significant cost savings by reusing a Falcon 9 first stage in a launch last week, a key factor for the economic viability of reusable launch vehicles.

[stellarskyes]

Moon Rovers & Lunar Landers: What's New at the Space Symposium

The 41st annual Space Symposium is bigger than ever, with 72 new exhibitors and six new outdoor exhibits. The event at The Broadmoor gives y

[davidrussellschilling]

Bezos' Vision of a Space Boom

Bezos’ Vision of a Space Boom

C O N T E N T S:

KEY TOPICS

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has laid out a vision of bringing down the cost of rocket launches so âthousands of entrepreneursâ can bring about a space boom akin to the ecommerce revolution.(More…)

Colorado Springs’ Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos’ ambition in space is the same as that of United Launch Alliance, Elon Musk and the U.S. Air Force, but one thing his Blue…

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[astronautfilm]

We have arrived. #astronautsBRO

[spacegeneration]

Welcome to the SGAC Blog!

Greetings from the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, CO, USA! We are presenting our very first Tumblr post live from the 2014 Space Generation Fusion Forum (May 18-19). The event--held in conjunction with the 30th Space Symposium and hosted by the Space Foundation--brings together top young minds in government, industry, and academia from the United States and around the world to gather the perspectives of tomorrow's space leaders on today's biggest space issues. The 2014 Theme is Disruption: How the business of utilizing space is changing.

To track the panels and speakers for the event, follow us on witter (@SGAC), Facebook, Instagram, and of course, now Tumblr!

Special thanks to our sponsors Lockheed Martin, Secure World Foundation, United Launch Alliance, Moon Express, The Aerospace Corporation, Sierra Nevada Corporation, and our official media sponsor, Space News.