When blue gives way to black

SATELLITES When blue gives way to black The UKs first sovereign satellite launch lot has been going into space recently. Two new Rovers studied Mars, astronauts reached the International Space station (ISS) aboard a giant Tesla, and millionaires queued up for brief, suborbital highs. Less visibly, growing constellations of small, commercial satellites sweep by The first British satellite, Ariel 1, launched from Cape Canaveral in 1962. The UKs first rocket, Black Arrow, launched the Prospero satellite from Australia in 1971; long defunct, its orbit is expected to decay around 2070. Britain has never launched from home shores or been a major space player until now. This summer is expected to bring the UKs first sovereign satellite launch, by Virgin Orbit from Spaceport Cornwall. It will be part of the New Space revolution first covered by The Log in winter 2018. By Captain Robin Evans, Senior Log Contributor Small sats; big data Satellites used to cost millions and be car-sized; now, they can approach car cost and are toaster size. With off-the-shelf microelectronics in multiples of a 10cm3 box inspired by the Beanie Baby toy, Californian professors introduced an arbitrary global standard in 1999: the CubeSat. Traditional, multi-sensor satellites might be in development for a decade, with a lifespan of decades venerable, if outdated, technology. Focused upon single tasks, CubeSats can be deployed in constellations, offering greater redundancy and coverage. Low Earth orbit (the closest orbital ring, up to 2,000 kilometres) permits lower power output but shorter lifespan (the ISS periodically reboosted around 400 kilometres altitude because of residual atmospheric drag). Built to ablate on re-entry, CubeSats are constantly replaceable, no longer requiring huge launch infrastructure. Outside California, the nation that makes most satellites is Scotland England not far behind with space clusters in Oxford and Surrey. Politically, the UK joins a growing list of nations recognising the importance of the space domain (now considered alongside land, sea and air) by appointing a Space Command. There is growing demand for orbital data; in December 2001, Euroconsult forecast 1,700 satellites launched annually by 2030, a fourfold increase. The market no longer revolves around historic space powers, with even NASA contracting to private-sector disruptors. Nations increasingly want their own space assets and data sovereignty affordable, flexible launching is the current bottleneck. The withdrawal of access to Baikonur Cosmodrome also throws launch dependency into sharp focus. The first space casualties of the Ukraine conflict were 36 OneWeb observation satellites and the 26-month orbital alignment window of the Franklin Mars Rover. Think horizontal While Virgin Galactic has collected most press interest, its less visible sister outfit has raced ahead in a period when commercial aviation went backwards. Last year was Virgin Orbits Space Odyssey, making the first air launch of an orbital-class, liquid-fuelled rocket in January, with commercial launches following in July and January 2022. This trio launched 26 new satellites, representing universities and commercial clients as much as governments. The Space Barons are all children of the Apollo era, but unlike his two fellow tycoons Sir Richard Branson is more serial business disruptor than engineer. With more immediate earthly goals, the business disruption of communications and transport naturally appeal to the Virgin Group. The massive shrinking of satellites enables horizontal launch, using a carrier aircraft to bypass 75% of atmospheric drag. Piggybacking has established history, the US Navy making the first airborne launches of a rocket carrying a hockey-puck-sized satellite in 1958. More weather tolerant, it offers a quicker turnaround and any runway becomes a potential launchpad. The ridesharing of multiple payloads enables economies of scale and higher launch frequency. Vertical launch remains competitive: in 2021, SpaceX deployed a record 143 satellites of various sizes, a third for San Franciscan imaging firm Planet. Until recently, Northrop Grummans Stargazer was the sole horizontal launcher in commercial use. Launched 44 times since 1992, the ex-Air Canada L-1011 (believed to be the last operating model) carries a 23-tonne, solid-fuel, three-stage Pegasus XL rocket fitted between the fuselage load-bearers. Virgin Orbit considers itself the successor to this legacy setup. Virgin Galactic originally intended its White Knight Two to launch passenger and satellite payloads. The accelerating market dictated a larger asset, freed up by Virgins introduction of the 787. Aptly named Cosmic Girl, 747-400 G-VWOW flew with Virgin from 2001 until 2015. The 747s ace is its fifth pod on the port wing root, intended for engine ferrying, but also serving as a mount for any large, aerodynamic object even 21-metre, 23-tonne rockets. Throughout 2016-17, Virgin consulted with NASA, the US Air Force and Boeing, with all structural modifications made by L3. The new registration N747VG refers to this work beginning before Orbit was spun-off from Galactic in 2017. Test and launch Initially tested separately, aircraft and rocket were first flown captive carry in late 2018, with inert drop tests in 2019. Rockets were first filled with water, then liquid nitrogen and, finally, liquid oxygen. Evolving from static range firing, a year and a half was spent refining rocket procedures; 1,300 failure cases streamlined to around 100, managed by two launch engineers on the upper deck. Compared to their human counterparts, satellite payloads place additional demands on environmental control. Below 10,000 feet and especially at humid launch sites this is done via helium-nitrogen gas pallets in the forward cargo hold. The wing root pylon contains three hydraulic drop hooks latching to the rocket, with additional mechanical interlocks retracted before launch. The inboard, aft canoe fairing has been removed to avoid contacting the rocket; in the event of an aborted launch, landing is with flaps 10. LauncherOne arrives on the runway at Long Beach Airport for a fit check with Cosmic Girl in October 2018 Satellites used to cost millions and be car-sized; now, they can approach car cost and are toaster size Left-seat pilot flies Cosmic Girl into a final racetrack, both pilots crosstrained and the commander taking either role. Final checks are made in a cold pass, autopilot and autothrottle disengaged. Right-seat pilot operates the Launch Release Control Avionics (LRCA) panel, mounted on the glareshield. This follows dark panel convention and commands the Rocket Avionics Control UNit (RACUN) in the avionics bay to actuate the release hooks. The autonomous abort and telemetry are confirmed live, relaying data to the onboard engineers and mission control. Going into a terminal count, engine chilldown begins, priming with liquid oxygen for the rapid cryogenic flow of oxidiser. With upset recoveries highly topical, Cosmic Girl is pulled into a 32.5 pitch. Operating at nearly half the conventional MTOW is key to the high alpha release, stripping all internal cabin fittings, liberating an equivalent weight to the rocket. The lofting manoeuvre was proven by lengthy, iterative simulation of attitudes, altitudes, weights and lateral CG. Drop confirmation comes as: Release Release Release. Tactically balanced halfway by fuelling, the sudden weight asymmetry aids a 45 right roll for pitch recovery. Aerodynamically, rocket flight has four stages: separation, ignition, subsonic-supersonic and hypersonic. With liquid fuel carried in a rocket held horizontally, an initial blast of propellant settling thrusters primes the main engine. After five seconds of freefall, the first stage NewtonThree engine ignites 73,500lbs of thrust 128% of one of Cosmic Girls General Electric engines. The call Max Q Alpha marks the greatest collective dynamic pressure (Q) and attitude. Streamed from an onboard camera, blue skies quickly give way to black. Main Engine Cutoff (MECO) occurs after three minutes, around 100 kilometres: the Krmn Line some authorities use to define space. The second stage separates and Second Engine Start 1 (SES-1) of NewtonFour begins, offering six minutes of multiple burns. Established in orbit around 200 kilometres up, a Barbecue Roll equalises temperatures, with additional burns modifying the initial parking orbit. Payloads are ejected from sprung canisters inside the clamshell fairing. By this point, Cosmic Girl has landed, celebrations occurring earlier for Flight Ops than Mission Control. Satellites departing Cornwall this summer include Scottish firm Clyde Spaces Amber-1, the first of a constellation for policing non-transponding dark shipping. Cardiff-based startup Space Forge will investigate sterile, sub-zero microgravity for crystal formation in alloy and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Oman will become a space-faring nation with a satellite for climate change data collection and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) adds two Prometheus-2 satellites, designed by Airbus Space and built in Hampshire. How and why Cornwall? The Department for Transport began shortlisting in 2014, applicants favouring sites on the north or west coasts of the UK. Years of assessment boiled down to Cornwall as horizontal launch frontrunner, with Scottish vertical sites also now under construction. Akin to the high-altitude head start of air launch, Spaceport Cornwall had an infrastructure head start, though the airport was hit hard early in 2020, with the loss of Flybe. Almost the westernmost point of the westernmost country of the Eurasian landmass, it offers direct Atlantic access. It has an established partnership with nearby Goonhilly Station, involved with space comms since the 1960s, and Newquay airports 2,744 metre runway inherited from RAF St Mawgan. Cornwall Council contributed 12m to ready its new asset, intended as a year-round space cluster, keeping jobs in-county. The 2021 G7 summit showcased the host countys ambition as Europes first spaceport and a giant leap in UK space capability. Regulations for the nascent sector required the collaboration of regulator, the various applicants and stakeholders, including the MoD and FAA. Risks and mitigations of exclusion zones, liquid oxygen and rocket propellant supply and storage, launches crossing international borders and providing an integration facility all have to be considered by applicants. Spaceports are also under way in Brazil and Japan, the launch aircraft travelling between them according to client demand for particular orbits. Spaceports will seek to work with many operators, just like their airport counterparts. NATS coordination will balance Atlantic airspace with the polar orbits demanded by launch clients from Cornwall. Launch precision (1.5 azimuth and 10 seconds) is critical to slot satellites into approved windows, the threat of conjunctions only set to grow as orbits become congested. Glasgowbased Spire Globals Adler-1, launched on Orbits January 2022 mission, is part of a growing movement to explore space sustainability. It uses radar and impact sensors to plot the energy of micro debris, such as paint flakes, beneath existing tracking sensitivity. Max Q Alpha The sustainable management of low Earth orbit is a good parallel for life below. If sub-orbital, joyriding millionaires offer little value for Earth, the data from small satellites, particularly towards a space-enabled net zero, will. Our Space Barons serve as the catalyst, fuelling an industry in their slipstream. Virgin Orbit is assessing three-stage rockets and reusable first stages, L3 recently contracted to modify a second 747 with cargo capability to transport its own launch infrastructure. Also a product of the original Space Race era, the 747 just will not quit, only recently relegated to niche operations. For such an evergreen type, it does not turn over a new leaf: what it did for mass travel it now repeats for higher altitudes and purposes. Debut launch is due this summer, date to be announced. Expect a launch festival and Virgin Orbits livestream on the day. Cosmic Girl during Virgin Orbits first taxi tests with a mated LauncherOne in November 2018 SatRevolution s STORK-4 satellite is fitted into a dispenser before Virgin Orbit s Tubular Bells, Part One mission. May 2021 Launch engineers monitor data on the stations aboard Virgin Orbit s carrier aircraft Cosmic Girl. April 2020 LauncherOnes Stage 1 hotfires for full thrust and duration in May 2019 An aerial view of Virgin Orbits Long Beach manufacturing facility. May 2020. A camera nestled in LauncherOnes fairing captured this glimpse of the companys first customer payloads shortly before deployment. Mission: Launch Demo 2. 17th January 2021 Above the clouds Cosmic Girl flies with a mated LauncherOne for the first time in November 2018 Cosmic Girl releases LauncherOne mid-air for the first time during a July 2019 drop test A team photo of the Virgin Orbit staff in October 2018 Virgin Orbits LauncherOne rocket ignites moments after being released by carrier aircraft Cosmic Girl for the companys Launch Demo 2 mission