Private (uncrewed) suborbital flights to start this year.

I think that's mostly because it ("agile design") arose first in software (mostly game & web design) and consumer products where there in intense, rapid competition and the risks of safety and failure are low. That's not really the case in aerospace.

So the applications of the concept isn't going to be the same in different industries. The same idea is there, its just a lot more complicated and a lot more structured, compared to a bunch of hackers or marketing people sitting around a box of pizza one night.

The closest thing to an agile project in space has been the ISS, as its mutated from its original incarnation and dealt with changes in budget, and political property, etc. Also you could argue that the Apollo program was also "agile" before it became cool in that they rapidly developed the hardware and systems based on the lessons learned from the Gemini flights.

When commercial space takes off you will probably see the application of "agile" or rapid design accelerate. Mostly I imagine to quickly solve engineering problems encountered or to incorporate running system improvements. Because of competition but also because time == money.

I actually did a talk at the University of Texas, Arlinton earlier this week titled "Iterative and Incremental: A Software Approach to Aerospace Engineering". Due to the crunch for the tube rocket, it wasn't as polished as I'd like, I know I lost some of the audience.

The crux of it is being incremental and iterative improvements in subsystems, but also being willing to do it at full system level. Which is much easier if you start small and develop principles (like "for reusability, nontoxic and fully volatile propellants are best") and apply that lesson as you build larger vehicles.

Just saw this:

Blue Origin carrying out "rocket launch activity".
"NOTAM Text:
"FDC 1/0432 ZAB NM.. TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS VAN HORN TX.
EFFECTIVE 1105051200 UTC UNTIL 1105051900 UTC. PURSUANT TO 14 CFR
SECTION 91.143 TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS ARE IN EFFECT DUE TO
ROCKET LAUNCH ACTIVITY WITHIN A 17 NAUTICAL MILE RADIUS OF 312706N/
1044546W OR THE SALT FLAT /SFL/ VORTAC 125 DEGREE RADIAL AT 24.3
NAUTICAL MILES, SFC TO 10,000 MSL. BLUE ORIGIN LLC, 805-598-9309 IS IN
CHARGE OF THE OPERATION. ABQ ARTCC /ZAB/ 505-856-4500 IS THE FAA
COORDINATION FACILITY."
http://hobbyspace.com/nucleus/?itemid=29314


Bob Clark

Armadillo was set to make their first test flight to 100,000 ft, 30 km, in April, but an unauthorized person, a hunter, in the launch zone caused them to scrub the launch:

Armadillo Aerospace's "Tube Rocket" 'Stig' completed.
Industry News by BEN BROCKERT, Armadillo Aerospace
SUNDAY, APRIL 03, 2011
http://www.rocketryplanet.com/content/v ... z1M6apKJvr

Unfortunately, White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) which is next door to the launch site at SpacePort America has not granted a right to launch since it was canceled in April.


Bob Clark

Just saw this today from Masten Space Systems:

Xaero 20110512 Tether Flight.mov
"Uploaded by mastenspace on May 12, 2011
"Here is a glimpse of our tethered test sequence. With the tied down
(or tied up) tests completed, this is the next step in qualifying our
Xaero rocket vehicle for flight. In addition to testing the various
aspects of the hardware and shaking out bugs in the software, we are
also refining our crew operations. Today (05.12.11) we completed 3
tethered flights. Yesterday, we ran 5 tethered flights. It shouldn't
be long before the chains come off and the free flights begin. Stay
tuned for more updates. Media: contact Masten Space Systems for higher
resolution video."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCVpfZ351FQ


Bob Clark

Copenhagen Suborbitals is shooting for a Thursday, June 2nd test flight:

Copenhagen Suborbitals Upcoming Launch Attempt in June.
by Nancy Atkinson on May 30, 2011
http://www.universetoday.com/86097/cope ... t-in-june/

Their first attempt was scrubbed in August last year due to a stuck LOX valve:

Danish rocketeers postpone launch.
5 September 2010 Last updated at 09:43 ET
By Jonathan Amos, Science correspondent, BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11178034


Bob Clark

Some reports are that Virgin Galactic is having difficulty scaling up the hybrid engine on SpaceShipOne to the size needed for SpaceShipTwo:

So Sir Richard: How’s the Engine Coming?
Postedby Doug Messieron May 23, 2011, at 7:07 pmin News.
http://www.parabolicarc.com/2011/05/23/ ... ne-coming/

So How’s The Engine Coming?
http://www.transterrestrial.com/?p=34067

There is also speculation there that they may consider switching to a liquid fueled propulsion system.
There was a report that by using a cryogenic (hydrogen) engine, that SpaceShipTwo could be single-stage-to-SUBorbit:

SpaceShipTwo could be single stage to suborbit says ESA firm.
By Rob Coppinger on April 29, 2010 4:24 PM
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/hyper ... gle-s.html

The Vinci engine considered in the study is still under development by the ESA. However, already in service engines might be comparable to the Vinci:

Vinci(rocket engine).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinci_(rocket_engine)

Some of the comments at the two blog pages above on the SpaceShipTwo hybrid engine mentioned that hybrids are not as "safe" as claimed by Virgin Galactic. For instance the claim that hybrids can not explode. This is not literally correct since the nitrous oxide (N2O) used as oxidizer can literally explode under some circumstances. One commenter at the parabolicarc.com blog suggests this is what happened in the 2007 nitrous accident at Scaled Composites.
A team working towards a rocket-propelled land speed record decided against using nitrous for these safety reasons:

Land speed record bid could make space flight safer.
16:20 27 May 2011 by Paul Marks
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2 ... tml?page=1


Bob Clark

Thanks for the updates Bob.

If your interested in the SSC project here are some shots during the time I got involved with the project. It is stalled as far as I know. I still have a chunk of propellant sitting here from that project. No test have been made using the Cosworth the pump has been tested with water only. The test in Mojave was 400psi not the 800psi needed for full power. The catalyist pak bowed under the strain and will need a redesign. The cosworth needs a rebuild as it cant sit very long the valve springs have to be replaced. Guess what funding problems.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 3171526223

Monroe

Armadillo Aerospace is hoping to make a free flight test later this week:

http://twitpic.com/5825wf

I can't tell from this twitter post by Ben Brockert of Armadillo if this is to be just a free hover test or a flight to high altitude.


Bob Clark

Note that there is an official [url="http://www.bloodhoundssc.org.uk"]Bloodhound SSC website[/url] as well, and the [url="http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/news/latest_news.cfm?widCall1=customWidgets.contentItem_show_1&cit_id=5072"]latest news update[/url] has a lot of detail about the status of the project.