 | |
| Company type | Non Profit |
|---|---|
| Industry | Astronautics |
| Founded | May 1, 2008 |
| Headquarters | Refshaleøen, Copenhagen, Denmark |
Key people | Peter Madsen (Founder) Kristian von Bengtson (Founder) |
| Products | Sub-orbital spaceflight Rocket launch |
Number of employees | > 22 - All volunteering [1] |
| Website | www.copenhagensuborbitals.com |
Copenhagen Suborbitals is a suborbital space endeavor, based entirely on private donaters, sponsors and part time specialists.
Their mission is to launch human beings into space on privately build rockets and spacecrafts.
The project is both open source and non-profit in order to inspire as many people as possible, and to envolve relevant partners and their expertise.
They aim to show the world that human space flight can be different from the usual expensive and government controlled project.
They are working fulltime to develop a series of suborbital space vehicles - designed to pave the way for manned space flight on a micro size spacecraft.
The mission has a 100% peacefull purpose and is not in any way involved in carrying explosive, nuclear, biological and chemical payloads.
They intend to share all of their techninal information as much as possible, within the laws of EU-export control.[2]
Key Personnel edit
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Lecture by Kristian von Bengtson, from 47m30s |
- Kristian von Bengtson, responsible for the design and construction of the spacecrafts.
He is a architect and has participated in various space projects, design of new moonrovers and co-author of NASA's new design manual HIDH.[3][4][5][6]
- Peter Madsen, responsible for the rocket engines.
He is a inventor, artist and entrepreneur. Before forming CS, he built 3 submarines; Freya (2002), Kraka (2005) and UC3 Nautilus (2008).[7]
In addition, the group includes, as of Aug 2011, 22 people with various skills.[8]
Rocket Engines edit
Propellant edit
The Group has decided to use a Hybrid rocket, using LOX as oxidizer and
originally HEAT was to have been fuelled with paraffin wax, but a ground test 28 February 2010 revealed that some of the paraffin wax had only partially melted, instead of evaporating.
The result was that HEAT-1X had less power than expected. A ground test firing of HEAT-1X-P (P for polyurethane) was conducted 16 May 2010. It was positive, the Polyurethane had the right power but showed heavy oscillation.
A complete list of ground test can be found here
HATV (Hybrid Atmospheric Test Vehicle) edit
The HATV is a powerful, yet crude, 220 mm diameter hybrid booster. It produces some 12 kN thrust with a combustion time of 20 seconds. The HATV rocket is 1/3 size of the final rocket, HEAT.
HEAT (Hybrid Exo Atmospheric Transporter) edit
Stabilisation of the rocket is by rollerons, a rather simple mechanism also used by missiles.
MicroSpaceCrafts edit
Tycho Brahe edit
The first ship was named after Tycho Brahe
MAX-1 edit
Launch Campaigns edit
The Group originally focused on launching from a landbased Spaceport like Andøya, Kiruna or Iceland[9]
The focus however turned towards a Sea Launch, just outside the Territorial Waters of Denmark.
A permission to launch was given by Danish authorities, but the first option, the North Sea, a possibility that the Danish Civil Aviation Administration (Statens Luftfartsvæsen) suggested, was rejected in 2009 by the Danish Maritime Authority (Søfartsstyrelsen). They preferred another area and then gave a formal and written permission to launch from a firing range, on the position 55°02′57″N 15°36′11″E / 55.04917°N 15.60306°E in the Baltic Sea.
It is just outside Nexø on the danish island of Bornholm and are therefore nicknamed Spaceport Nexø.
The Rocket Group then had to build a floatingMLP, they did and called it Sputnik.
At first, MLP-Sputnik had to be towed, but later it had two diesel engines installed, and now sails under her own power.
2010: HEAT 1X Tycho Brahe edit
The first full-scale test-launch to 30 km was planned to be off the coast of Bornholm between 30 August and 13 September 2010.[10] The vehicle carried a crash test dummy "Rescue Randy" instead of a human pilot, with manned flight still some years away. The success criteria was the completion of the sea voyage and countdown with launch and recovery planned as a bonus.[11]
On Tuesday 31 August 2010, the privately-built Danish submarine UC3 Nautilus pushed the launch platform Sputnik carrying the rocket and spacecraft from Copenhagen towards the launch area near Nexø, Bornholm.[12]
A launch attempt was made on Sunday 5 September 2010 14:43 CEST,[13] but the motor could not be started due to a failure of the LOX valve which is assumed to be caused by insufficient heating of the valve.
The Group promised to come back the year after to attempt the launch again.[14]
2011: HEAT 1X Tycho Brahe edit
Having done updates on the Rocket, and the valve, MLP-Sputnik, now under her own power, and a support vessel, sailed again for Spaceport Nexø on may 28th at 0450 a.m.
They again met up with MHV Hjortø, a Naval Home Guard vessel who serves as Mission Control and recovery vessel.
The maiden flight took place 3 June 2011, at 10:32 a.m. EDT (14:32 GMT), 16:32 CEST (local time). The Heat-1X rocket lifted off and ascended to an altitude of only 2.8 km, because Mission Control had to shut the engine off after 21 seconds.[15] Although there were problems with the parachutes, the Tycho Brahe was recovered and the flight produced useful data for subsequent development of the programme.
Future plans and concept vehicles edit
Orbit Capsule with LES Tower edit
LEO (Low Earth Orbit): The group has expressed interest in doing a LEO mission some time in the future.
SuperMLP: Peter Madsen has talked about building a bigger SEA Launch platform, to accomodate bigger rockets and longer sea travels.
Super HEAT: Peter has mentioned the possibility to cluster seven HEAT rockets, to be able to lift more payload.
Liquid propellant Engines: The Rocket group has made some small scale testing.
Facilities edit
CS started on a barge called M/S Halfmachine in Port of Copenhagen.
On 01 August 2009 they relocated to its base and office on Refshaleøen, the old Burmeister & Wain shipyard, in Copenhagen.
Their main workshop is in the HAB(Horisontal Assembly Building) and they have recently added a VAB to their structures.
Support Group edit
By October 2010 a fundraising organisation with some 220 paying members was started. CS decided early that many small sponsors, joining just for fun, were better than a main sponsor with demands and pressure.[16]As of July 7th there are 483 members, the Members of Copenhagen Suborbitals Support now pays the fixed costs of continuing the project.[17]
References edit
- ^ http://www.copenhagensuborbitals.com/faq.php
- ^ http://www.copenhagensuborbitals.com/mission.php Mission Statement from Copenhagen Suborbitals website
- ^ Connolly, Janis et al. Human Integration Design Handbook (HIDH) NASA, 27 January 2010. Retrieved: 5 September 2010.
- ^ http://ing.dk/artikel/87969-dansk-arkitektur-skal-forhindre-hallucinationer-i-rumfartoejer Ingeniøren.dk's homepage. Article about architecture in space living. Danish language.
- ^ Bibliography Space Architect. Retrieved: 5 September 2010.
- ^ Members Space Architect. Retrieved: 5 September 2010.
- ^ http://www.uc3nautilus.dk/ UC3 Nautilus's webpage.
- ^ http://www.copenhagensuborbitals.com/personel.php Copenhagen Suborbitals homepage.
- ^ http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=da&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fing.dk%2Fartikel%2F97766-ground-launch-site-den-onde-joker&act=url Translated danish blog
- ^ http://www.copenhagensuborbitals.com/campaign.php Copenhagen Suborbitals homepage. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ^ Andersen, Kasper Brøndgaard. Experienced rocket builder doubts success Ing.dk (Danish), 31 August 2010. Retrieved: 31 August 2010.
- ^ Jensen, Mette Buck. Reaching Nexø Ing.dk (Danish), 1 September 2010. Retrieved: 1 September 2010. Pictures
- ^ [1] Ing.dk, 5 September 2010. Retrieved: 5 September 2010.
- ^ http://ing.dk/artikel/111713-vi-er-stolte-vi-er-glade-vi-gir-aldrig-op
- ^ Astrup, Søren; Lindqvist, Andreas (2011-06-03). "Flyt jer lige lidt, Nasa: Her kommer Danmark" (in Danish). Politiken. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
- ^ Jensen, Mette Buck. Only money for rent this year Ing.dk, 22 September 2010. Retrieved: 22 September 2010.
- ^ http://raketvenner.dk/ Copenhagen Suborbitals Support homepage.
External links edit
- Copenhagen Suborbitals official website
- Danish blog written by the people of Copenhagen Suborbitals
- Copenhagen Suborbitals Support
- HEAT1X-Tycho launch highlights on YouTube
Articles edit
Category:Aerospace companies of Denmark Category:Private spaceflight companies Category:Companies established in 2008