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What is the status of Kistler?
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Space Walker  
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2004 3:17 pm
Posts: 243 Location: So Cal, baby! 
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 Posted on: Thu Feb 15, 2007 7:51 pmRocket Scientist wrote: Andy Hill wrote: IMO NASA giving Kistler the COTS contract was a mistake, I will be surprised if anything is ever launched. The only proven tack record that Kistler have is in spending money. A bit harsh possibly but thats how I see it, they need to actually produce something before I could take them seriously. I tend to agree. Kistler has been in business over 10 years now and haven't shown anything. Rotary Rocket Co., Blue Origin, Scaled Composites, SpaceX, and Masten Space Systems have either build test vehicles or are testing major spacecraft subsystems in a fairly short time period. I was very surprised that Pioneer Rocketplane bought Kistler given that Kistler was still in bankruptcy limbo. Ditto. I also think Rocketplane is a pipe dream. Stick a high-performance rocket motor inside a bizjet fuselage? That's freakin' insane! They're gonna hafta retrofit the hell outta that thing and it'll cost a fortune. Then it won't represent anything close to the concept which was intended to be practical and affordable by exploiting known hardware... I suppose politics is part of the landscape when tax dollars are being spent. I was glad to hear SpaceX got COTS money, but RPK seems like a waste. |
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Space Walker 
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:28 am
Posts: 189 Location: Northern California
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Posted on: Thu Feb 15, 2007 9:43 pm SawSS1Jun21 wrote: Rocket Scientist wrote: Andy Hill wrote: IMO NASA giving Kistler the COTS contract was a mistake, I will be surprised if anything is ever launched. The only proven tack record that Kistler have is in spending money. A bit harsh possibly but thats how I see it, they need to actually produce something before I could take them seriously. I tend to agree. Kistler has been in business over 10 years now and haven't shown anything. Rotary Rocket Co., Blue Origin, Scaled Composites, SpaceX, and Masten Space Systems have either build test vehicles or are testing major spacecraft subsystems in a fairly short time period. I was very surprised that Pioneer Rocketplane bought Kistler given that Kistler was still in bankruptcy limbo. Ditto. I also think Rocketplane is a pipe dream. Stick a high-performance rocket motor inside a bizjet fuselage? That's freakin' insane! They're gonna hafta retrofit the hell outta that thing and it'll cost a fortune. Then it won't represent anything close to the concept which was intended to be practical and affordable by exploiting known hardware... I suppose politics is part of the landscape when tax dollars are being spent. I was glad to hear SpaceX got COTS money, but RPK seems like a waste. I was very surprised that Kistler got COTS money. Why not t/Space or some other company? I read an article about the Pioneer business jet refurbished airframes. It's wouldn't be that expensive to design a new composite airframe structure. Certainly having to refurbish a bizjet airframe for space travel can't be that low cost. _________________ Something is impossible until it isn't! |
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Moon Mission Member  
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2004 6:15 pm
Posts: 1233 Location: London, England
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Posted on: Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:40 pm I would have much rather have seen SpaceDev get a COTS contract but I think Kistler got it through their NASA connections.
Anyone know how they are doing with meeting their first milestone, I believe they had to raise something like $10m by a certain deadline. Has the deadline past or have they still got some time left? _________________ A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. |
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Space Walker
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:28 am
Posts: 189 Location: Northern California
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Posted on: Fri Feb 16, 2007 7:08 pm Andy Hill wrote: I would have much rather have seen SpaceDev get a COTS contract but I think Kistler got it through their NASA connections. Anyone know how they are doing with meeting their first milestone, I believe they had to raise something like $10m by a certain deadline. Has the deadline past or have they still got some time left? I've looked for some recent status reports on the Kislter K-1 but I can't find any. I do know they have claimed that the K-1 is "75% complete" for at least five years. That last 25% must be a real boondoggle.  _________________ Something is impossible until it isn't! |
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Moon Mission Member 
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2004 5:38 pm
Posts: 1361 Location: Austin, Texas
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Posted on: Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:09 pm SawSS1Jun21 wrote: Stick a high-performance rocket motor inside a bizjet fuselage? That's freakin' insane! |
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Spaceflight Trainee  
Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2005 1:25 am
Posts: 35
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Posted on: Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:38 pm Thought this might be of interest ... http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/feb/HQ_0746_COTS_milestones.html
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Spaceflight Trainee
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 7:15 pm
Posts: 40 Location: Houston
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Posted on: Sat Feb 17, 2007 1:16 am Thanks for the link. Found this tidbit in the press release:
Quote: On Feb. 6, Rocketplane Kistler of Oklahoma City established the requirements for interfaces between its two-stage K-1 reusable cargo transportation system and the International Space Station. The requirements review was the third of numerous milestones NASA will use to measure the company's progress toward a full demonstration of its launch capability. Both the first and second stages completed critical design reviews before Rocketplane Kistler joined the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Project. Those vehicle components are being transported to NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to begin the assembly phase. Guess they really do have some hardware built.  _________________ Enthusiast |
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