N-Prize Teams - Update

Would any of the teams pursuing the N-Prize care to give an update to their current status? Active, Not Active or No longer Running.

If Active, please include a short report on things like possible date for an attempt at the prize, challenges, etc.

I, for one, am very curious to the current standing of the challenge.

Active.

We will attempt next year for 50+ orbits.

Molesats

The complexity of an orbital launch is far greater than something you can put in a post. Our effort is a 40 page document to outline the project. A detailed document is being created and it's over 200 pages.
Still manuals and check list for each part of the mission are to be created so I don't expect you can get much of an idea from a post.
Still this documentation lacks complete form because it has been geared to cover several possible mission scenarios we may effort.

I will not disclose our particular mission documentation at this time but if you want to see a good source for a start of your own. Look up the Vanguard mission report. It's a good place to start.

Documentation of this type is always in flux until just before a mission actually takes place. Now I suggest is a good time to start yours it took 3 years just to get a good idea of a rough outline.
The Vanguard mission report leaves out a good deal of resent relevant information so have a look at that and then think about doing an orbital mission. Then think about UN, FAA, DOD, FCC, BATF, DOT ect... and figure out what documentation your going to need from all of these.

Think about your launch site State and Local regulations. Before you even look at the federal and UN regulations.

Then tell me just how important the rocket really is in all this. The rocket is nothing compared to what it takes to launch it.

At this point how much sense is it going to be to launch for the N-Prize? Or are you going to go with at least a Cubesat launcher?

If something falls together for an N-Prize attempt sure we will do it. But at this point we have to focus on why attempt it when a cubesat launcher can make money.

It's so easy to launch any type of solid rocket even to sub orbital space in comparison.- if orbit is your goal any other rocket experience is of negligible help.

That is why you don't see Team Prometheus wasting money on rocket launches. Most of that work can be done with balloon drop missions testing hardware much cheaper.

To fill this out just a little more what about tracking, telemetry and guidance? These are far more important than a rocket. You need these things first.

As I've said Team Prometheus has focused on these things rather than rocket launches. You need a foundation rather than start from the top floor- There are lot's of rocket jocks to be had when you have built your foundation.

If you can prove you have the foundation I also expect then you might get your funding.

The rocket cost nothing for the N-Prize if you can get donated materials and parts (and you can) it's in the rules and if you insistent on winning the N-Prize you going to have to take full advantage of that.
Also you are going to need at the very least a non-profit organization to handle the legal load.

Best of luck!

Monroe

Thanks for the feedback Mr King.

Any other teams still in the running? (We have had feedback from two to date; Prometheus and UPStart).

Btw: you don't need to disclose any sensitive information. The goal is to establish the current status of the N-Prize.

Don't forget Potent Voyager.

Hi all,

WikiSat are still Active even we have got problems with our official web

We were renewing the team. Old students gone and we are in a Call for Partners right now because the engine development program has experienced a lot of problems and delay. Our engines explode very often due to the huge power but we are still in the N-Prize budget.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlRSAT0ghIo

Our GranCanaria spaceport worked fine. Qualification launches were done as expected providing many media impact. This launching place, better than Zuera desert one, have many advantages. The main one is that are legal launches coordinated with the Spanish Airworthiness Authority.

A good new is that we have some improvements related to the WikiLauncher Vector Control that was another issue. We will post in our YouTube channel in few days.

Good luck to every N-Prize team.

Best,
Joshua

Joshua
I think it's Awesome your working with the Spanish Airworthiness Authority and have a good launch site. Very important to establish those relationships! What you do now will lead to more possibilities for your future. That's the best news I've heard in a long time. Press on!

Monroe

WildSpace still active - still experimenting - still working on it!