Descrizione del progetto
Nuovo veicolo di micro-lancio per piccoli satelliti
Il mercato dei piccoli satelliti (smallsats) è in rapida crescita, così come il settore dei servizi di lancio nello spazio, con quest’ultimo che dovrebbe raggiungere i 2,52 miliardi di dollari entro il 2022. Un grande svantaggio per i piccoli satelliti è la loro dipendenza dal ridesharing in un grande lanciatore, il che comporta problemi con lo spazio disponibile e la programmazione. PRIME è un progetto di Fase 2 che sviluppa un veicolo di micro-lancio orbitale con sede nell’UE, basato su propellenti criogenici doppi, che riduce sia la massa inerte di veicoli simili sia il loro impatto ambientale. Oltre a consentire una maggiore flessibilità nella programmazione, il progetto introdurrà un micro-lanciatore europeo nel mercato globale con un vantaggio competitivo e costi notevolmente ridotti.
Obiettivo
Small satellites (smallsats) are playing an increasingly significant role in space. Smallsats currently fly to space via ridesharing – taking spare capacity on a large launcher. Rideshare has numerous issues, including lack of availability, severe launch delays, and unsuitable orbits. Orbex is developing an EU-based orbital micro-launch vehicle with a uniquely innovative advantage that eliminates the issues of rideshare and mitigates the cost of a dedicated launch for smallsat operators. The vehicle exploits the properties of dual-cryogenic propellants to create an innovative, lightweight, low-cost tanking
arrangement that reduces the inert mass of the launch vehicle by as much at 30% over traditional designs, and enable the world’s first environmentally-friendly rocket fuel strategy, with a 90% reduction in environmental impact. The small satellite launch market is well established and growing rapidly. The market for smallsat launch services is projected to grow US$2.52B p.a by 2022, a CAGR 23.2%. The benefits of developing this tanking system for a European micro-launch vehicle include:-
• Lowering cost of space access, including logistics/integration
• Reduced delay in time-to-market
• Enabling faster revenue generation for smallsat business models
Orbex staff have designed & realized a prototype tank, and subsequently drafted patents for the technology. The tank was instrumented, hydrostatically pressure-tested and then used to prove the concept in cryogenic conditions. The objective of this SME Instrument Phase 2 project is to build on a prior SME Instrument Phase 1 feasibility study of the materials, suppliers and production processes required to implement this novel fuel tank concept using European materials and techniques at full scale. This Phase 2 project allow a European company to compete for this large, global market with significant, sustainable cost and operational advantages over global competitors.
Campo scientifico
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Invito a presentare proposte
Vedi altri progetti per questo bandoBando secondario
H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-2
Meccanismo di finanziamento
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinatore
N7 9DP London
Regno Unito
L’organizzazione si è definita una PMI (piccola e media impresa) al momento della firma dell’accordo di sovvenzione.