CSAT Mission Developments

[Orion]

Throughout the course of this thread, I will be reporting on the activities of STAR, Space Technologies and Research, as they launch missions to LEO, the Moon, and beyond. I will also be asking for votes on what missions should be kept or thrown away (simulating budget cuts), and mission proposals.

 

[Orion]

STAR will be changing their name to CSAT, Center for Space, Aeronautics, And Technology. They are also introducing a new logo, attached:

 

[Orion]

Minor logo update:

 

[Lemniscate Biscuit]

Lovely.

 

[Orion]

Lovely.

Thank you! I'm interested to see what planet pack CSAT will be operating in.

 

[Orion]

Final logo:

 

[Orion]

ACSS 2.0 it is. I'll start posting missions when it releases! Until then, I'll post some of my successes in TTSS realistic, getting some practice in for ACSS.

 

[Orion]

2 updates:

1) CSAT will be launching the Arrow LV on its inaugural flight past the Karman line. The Arrow LV is a repurposed ICBM that will be used to launch CSATs suborbital science payloads before later versions begin orbital missions.

2) CSAT is working on a supersonic aircraft using Altäir's gliding heat sheilds mod and Picospace's utility parts pack (for wheels).

 

[Lemniscate Biscuit]

2 updates:

1) CSAT will be launching the Arrow LV on its inaugural flight past the Karman line. The Arrow LV is a repurposed ICBM that will be used to launch CSATs suborbital science payloads before later versions begin orbital missions.

2) CSAT is working on a supersonic aircraft using Altäir's gliding heat sheilds mod and Picospace's utility parts pack (for wheels).

noice

 

[Orion]

Yeah, so that plane is gonna be more like a sideways launched rocket.

 

[Lemniscate Biscuit]

Yeah, so that plane is gonna be more like a sideways launched rocket.

Uhh. Ok

 

[Orion]

T-00:30:00 to Arrow launch with a small payload (~200kg) on a suborbital trajectory into space! CSATs first launch!

The science payload will consist of various short duration zero-g experiments.

 

[Orion]

Arrow 1 has been launched!
Pictured here on the launchpad:

Just after takeoff:

1st stage SRB burnout:

The 2nd stage has about 2t of liquid propellant to carry the Arrow 1 the rest of the way to space.

CSAT has reached space! The payload has been deployed, and will perform experiments for the next half hour before reentering the atmosphere. The data gathered will inform us on things like radiation, essential knowledge for future manned missions.

 

[Lemniscate Biscuit]

Arrow 1 has been launched!
Pictured here on the launchpad:
View attachment 108702

Just after takeoff:
View attachment 108703

1st stage SRB burnout:
View attachment 108704

The 2nd stage has about 2t of liquid propellant to carry the Arrow 1 the rest of the way to space.

CSAT has reached space! The payload has been deployed, and will perform experiments for the next half hour before reentering the atmosphere. The data gathered will inform us on things like radiation, essential knowledge for future manned missions.
View attachment 108705

Awesome

 

[Orion]

Update:
A prototype jet has been developed and tested, the Excalibur 2:

Early test flights have achieved a top speed of 310 m/s (1116 km/h) in level flight, close to Mach 1.

At some of it's faster points, the Excalibur 2 can fly with almost no angle of attack. I think it's safe to say I made a successful jet.

Not only that, it handles well enough to land horizontally under power!

 

[Orion]

Excalibur 2 2nd test flight:
Excalibur 2 has broken the sound barrier!

Clocking in at about 1263 km/h, or 1404 km/h during an unrecorded test flight.
Test went without a hitch, pilot landed safely.

You may ask, what's next for excalibur? Sending it higher, faster, and closer to space.

 

[Lemniscate Biscuit]

Cool

 

[Orion]

CSAT has launched another suborbital mission very similar to the first, but with a modified payload. This mission was kaunched to a higher altitude to better understand the radiation around earth.

Stay tuned, because a variant of the Arrow called the Arrow II is being designed. More information will follow.

 

[Orion]

Today we bring you three updates:

1: A new suborbital mission to study the radiation around LEO level

2: The Excalibur 4, the latest in the aerospace industry

Powered by 2 ramjets with jet assisted takeoff, this aircraft is capable of mach 1 cruising and speeds of up to mach 5. The Excalibur series of experimental aircraft will lead the way to CSATs planned HTOL spaceplanes.

3: The first orbital mission carrying a small demonstration satellite to LEO will launch using the arrow II:

Stage specification
Stage 1:
SRB
Burn time: 58.6s
Δv: 1353.3 m/s

Stage 2:

LOX/RP-1
Burn time: 3m 16s
Δv: 2410 m/s
The little silver canister is Helium to replace the RP-1.

Stage 3:

LOX/LH2
Burn time: 4m 19s
Δv: 5313 m/s

Total Δv: 9076.3 m/s

 

[Orion]

CSAT has launched the first satellite to orbit!
Prospect 1, the first manmade object to orbit the earth, has been launched! Prospect 1 will measure radiation levels and atmospheric characteristics of the space from 124.9km to 1066.6km (vital for manned missions), sending information to Mission Control approximately every 82 hours.
Prospect 1 on launchpad:

Liftoff!

Stage 1 burnout & detach

Stage 2 burnout and assisted detach

Prospect 1 fairings deployed; the first manmade satellite comes into view

Stage 3 has completed its job: Prospect 1 is now in orbit around Earth with a perigee of 124.9 km and an apogee of 1066.6 km, allowing the study of a wide range of orbital heights.

 

[Orion]

CSAT is opening up the first contract!

This contract will be for a 1-2 astronaut capsule, <5t, as an alternative to the 2 single occupant capsules currently in development at CSAT:

In other news, we are also developing another rocket for the Arrow family, the Arrow III. The Arrow III has the eventual goal of launching humans into space, with a LEO payload of 5 tons.

 

[Orion]

Altaïr could you rename this thread "CSAT Mission Developments" please?

 

[Lemniscate Biscuit]

This is so cool!

 

[Orion]

This is so cool!

Thanks!

 

[Altaïr]

Altaïr could you rename this thread "CSAT Mission Developments" please?

Sure. Done