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The worst thing to do… Recent growth in China’s advanced sectors has been driven by the country’s increasing deployment of satellite megaconstellations, Shell said. China’s space industry is about to launch megaconstellations to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service, signaling that if the country doesn’t stop the practice it will destroy an already crowded space. Chinese constellations such as Guowang and Spacesail are usually at high altitudes, more than 800 km, and China may launch 1,000 or more rockets over the next decade to support these constellations. It’s a lot of new problems if this trend continues.
DARPA, the Voyager team develops solid rockets. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded Voyager Technologies a $16.5 million contract to continue development of rocket motor control technology designed to make missile systems capable of adapting to various systems and weapons, Space News reports. The deal is part of DARPA’s “Burn n’ Go” program. Solid rocket motors are used in a variety of applications, from smart missiles to space launch vehicles. The downside of solid rocket motors is their reliability and design. Solid rocket motors can vary their thrust, but this propellant thrust is predetermined by the propellant grain and motor size. In other words, the thrust profiles are locked in when the engine is built. Unlike water-powered rocket engines, solid-state rockets cannot be pushed up or down in flight.
It’s in the propellant… Voyager is working with DARPA on a new “integrated” system to control the power of the rocket motors after they are developed. The latest agreement is for Phase 2 of the Burn n’ Go program. In Phase 1, Voyager worked on basic architecture and design. Voyager’s Phase 2 contract will culminate in a “fired SRM demonstration,” the company said in a press release. “This award demonstrates confidence in our ability to translate advanced technologies into field-ready capabilities that support US preparedness and deterrence,” said Matt Magaña, President of Space, Defense, and Security Programs at Voyager. “Our approach was designed not only to demonstrate the success of the system, but also to establish a reliable approach to industry that will revolutionize the way solid rockets are designed, mission compatible and controlled.”
