[AR] Re: DARPA responsive launch challenge
- From: Henry Vanderbilt <hvanderbilt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2018 20:35:01 -0700
On 4/23/2018 5:47 PM, Paul Mueller wrote:
It does seem like the solicitation is written for the one company (that
I'm aware of) that has a road-trailerable orbital rocket concept,
Vector. Are there others? Would air-launched rockets such as Virgin
Orbit's fit DARPA's requirements?
If it's written for one company, why have three substantial prizes in
the final round? Honestly, I've lost track of all the smallsat-launch
startups, but I'm pretty sure this contest is aimed at as many of them
as possible. Rocket Lab? The revived Firefly? Who else is out there...
I'd tend to assume that any company not developing its vehicle right
alongside its sole launch site already must be to some extent mobile.
At that point the development vector delta to meet the DARPA contest
rules may not be that large.
As for air launch outfits also being eligible, I'd think so, at least by
the spirit of the thing. (The letter of the rules of course being up to
DARPA.)
But given that the obvious purpose of this prize is (well, seems to me)
DARPA trying to influence smallsat launch companies in general to put
more emphasis on the flexibly-based launch aspect of their operations,
I'd be amazed if DARPA sets things up to exclude the air-launch outfits.
There's Launcher One, Generation Orbit, Stratolaunch, and..?
An air-launch suitable licensed spaceport would of course need an
adequate runway. The carrier aircraft can then fly the launcher there.
Then if I'm reading the contest outline right, the company or companies
would need to be set up to do payload integration, propellant loading
and range support as a road show at any such site.
Again, the business decision to take part would depend on how far that
is from what a given company plans to do anyway, I would think.
Henry
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