Team Conducts First Flight Test of Prototype Reentry
Break-up Recorder Hardware
California State University
, Long Beach (CSULB) and industrial partner Garvey Spacecraft
Corporation (GSC) recently conducted the first flight test of
a prototype configuration of a proposed Reentry Break-up Recorder
(REBR) for spacecraft and launch vehicles. Developed by The
Aerospace Corporation (Aerospace) under its Independent Research
and Development program, the Launch Hardware Tracker (LHT) experiment
evaluated the use of the Iridium satellite network for transmitting
vehicle flight dynamics data during the 29 April 2006 flight
of the Prospector 7 (P-7) prototype reusable launch vehicle
(RLV). This was the third flight for the P-7, which features
stage elements that are of the same scale as a potential nanosat
launch vehicle that could deliver up to 10 kg to a low Earth
orbit.
P-7C accelerates on the launch rail
Prospector-7's third flight test
Flight test
videos:
Originally developed
by the GSC/CSULB team under a Phase I SBIR project with the
Air Force Research Laboratory's Propulsion Directorate (AFRL/PR),
the P-7 was previously utilized to conduct two launches within
3.5 hours on 29 October 2005 in a demonstration and evaluation
of fast turn-around RLV operations. For this LHT flight test,
several modifications were made to accommodate the LHT's dual-band
antenna assembly and to reduce landing area dispersion associated
with wind drift during descent. The LHT package itself consisted
of the antenna system, an integrated GPS receiver and Iridium
data modem and a custom data acquisition unit developed by Aerospace.
The Iridium link was established prior to launch from the test
site in the Mojave desert to a user team in Aerospace's offices
in Colorado Springs , CO . The system successfully transmitted
real-time data throughout the boost phase, the subsequent coast
to apogee (slightly over 4,000 ft), several parachute deployments,
descent and even landing.
CSULB/GSC/Aerospace Corp./SMC/MSU team
This third P-7 mission
was also supported by the Strategic and Developmental Planning
Directorate of Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC/XR).
It provided SMC an early pathfinder opportunity to assess Operationally
Responsive Space (ORS) concepts being investigated through its
Generic Approach to Launch Transformation (GALT) initiative.
Lessons learned from this and other Prospector vehicle flights
are contributing to small launch vehicle activities that include
the Air Force / DARPA FALCON program as well as SMC's Hybrid
Launch Vehicle project that is now getting started.
The P-7 is already undergoing
refurbishment in preparation for its fourth flight later this
summer. Sponsored jointly by SMC and AFRL/PR through a Phase
II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project, the next
P-7 flight will continue the GALT pathfinding of austere launch
site operations. In parallel, Aerospace is reviewing future
flight opportunities for manifesting the next iteration of the
LHT experiment package.
For further information
about The Aerospace Corporation's REBR program or the SMC GALT
initiative, please contact:
Dr. David Garza
The Aerospace Corporation
(310) 336-5077
david.garza@aero.org
Lt. Daniel Hall
Air Force Space and
Missile Systems Center
(310) 653-9076
daniel.hall@losangeles.af.mil
For additional information about
either the CALVEIN project and/or the cooperative program between
CSULB and Garvey Spacecraft Corporation, please contact the following
project representatives:
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