SFS News: ARCA - Haas Orbital Rocket Launcher for Google Lun

December 23, 2008 - RAMNICU VALCEA
Haas, ARCA's orbital rocket launcher unveiled today. A series of media events, scheduled for next year, will be announched in short time.

Download 3.1Mb brochure.
http://www.arcaspace.ro/orbital/images/ ... uncher.pdf

Photo gallery.
http://picasaweb.google.com/arcaorbital ... t_launcher



Stabilo-ELL engine on test stand. Stabilo-ELL will be launched using hybrid engine technology instead of monopropellant technology.

Photo gallery.
http://picasaweb.google.com/arcaorbital ... rid_engine



"As I promised in May, we intended to launch STABILO-ELL vehicle in autumn of 2008. There were several events that forced us to delay the launch.



First, we are switching from monopropellant to hybrid propulsion. Inevitable, this lead to delays. The hybrid propulsion is the one that we are using for the Google Lunar X Prize Competition. STABILO was designed to become the ELE’s first stage and we planed to use hybrid propulsion for this launch.

Second, when we were about to start the propulsion tests, a personal health problem prevented me to work within the team. The tests were put on hold. I wasn’t available for about three months.

Finally, the team focused on the Haas orbital rocket launcher and on our governmental programs.

The team resumed the work on the Stabilo-ELL suborbital vehicle two month ago, after my return. We rescheduled the Stabilo-ELL launch for the begining of 2009. We hope to avoid further delays. For this end of the year I just hope that you will enjoy the Haas vehicle. We wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" - Dumitru Popescu, ARCA Team Leader

Please feel free t discuss this topic further...

What an amazing looking rocket!

It's huuge! I really thought that something launched from a balloon would be a bit smaller.

One question though: did I miss something? how are they going to steer that thing? I don't see any gimbal/vanes/differential throttling abilities/reaction control system (thrusters)?

I'm interested in how their extendable nozzles are going to work out, more so how they are going to set them up etc. also their staging attachment points, which is the next stage nozzle I gather.....


Iain
------------------
http://kiwi2space.blogspot.com

you can't find them since it's only a fundraising "papier rocket" (good for the "Carnival of Space") designed by an experienced team of sex-toys' engineers...

.

grow up

The whole thing is made out of composites? Thats impressive.

Hi guys,

Haas will be launched much later and yes, there will be thrusters. For Haas we are testing the technology for this size but for Stabilo we are already testing the engine.

All our efforts are focused on the next launch.

Thanks for the update Bogdan!

Best wishes to you and your team!

Rob

There is a mission 3 video up on youtube for those that have not seen it already
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qVuVix5kCE

Very cool, be awesome if they pull it off with no problems!!!
Due to launch very soon I take it!

Good luck guys


Iain

That is how videos should be done.



I suppose it gets around the Pendulum Fallacy by being non-rigid? Interesting.

Yes, this is the point. By building a non-rigid structure, we create 2 systems: the rocket (for instance stage 1) and the rest (cables, next stages and capsule). This second system is connected with 4 cables that converge to a point below the first system. The first system is rigid. If this system has let's say a 5 degrees angle left from the vertical, the tension in the 4 wires will be different. The non-rigid system below will not have this 5 degrees angle from the vertical. Therefore, the tension on the wires that are connected closer to the right side will be much higher then the tension from the wires that are connected closer to the left side. If we decompose this forces, we get a small horizontal force applied at the bottom of the first system, oriented towards the left. This will tend to stabilize the rocket.

The math is complicated, there are lots of variables. We will encounter oscillations in the cables, shocks when starting the engine, other effects because there is still a thin atmosphere out there. However, it works in our simulations. Very soon we'll see how it works for real.

This is our Popescu-Diaconu stabilization method. Stay with us...

And, do you believe Robert Goddard (and so many early rocket experimentalists) was so idiot that he did not realize (after his failed test from 1926) that a non rigid structure, a rocket composed from two parts tied to each other with ropes would fix his instability problems?

Come with facts people from ARCA, prove using Newton's laws that your Popescu-Diaconu method is not a fallacy.

I cant find the dates for their launches.
Has anyone got a link to the press release suggesting launch dates?

1) The launch will be in October 2009. The exact date is not known.
2) ARCA should postpone the launch and rethink the stabilization mechanism of Helen rocket. Otherwise, it will simply crash.
More details can be found at the following link::
http://www.googlelunarxprize.org/forum- ... &start=105