HEAT 1X Tycho Brahe

Last updated

HEAT 1X Tycho Brahe
Copenhagen Suborbitals HEAT 1X Tycho Brahe at Nexo 03-09-2010.jpg
HEAT 1X/Tycho Brahe on the floating launchpad "Sputnik".
Manufacturer Copenhagen Suborbitals
Country of origin Denmark
Size
Height9.38 metres (30.8 ft)
Diameter64 centimetres (25 in)
Stages1
Capacity
Payload to Suborbital
MassOne passenger/Crash test dummy
Launch history
StatusCancelled
Launch sitesNexø spaceport
Total launches1
Failure(s)1
Boosters – HEAT 1X
Propellant LOX/Polyurethane
[ edit on Wikidata]

HEAT 1X Tycho Brahe [1] was the first rocket and spacecraft combination built by Copenhagen Suborbitals, a Danish organization attempting to perform the first amateur suborbital human spaceflight. The vehicle consisted of a motor named HEAT-1X and a spacecraft Tycho Brahe. Its launch location was a floating platform named Sputnik. The rocket was test launched twice: In 2010 a power shortage caused a valve to freeze shut, which prevented launch. In 2011 the rocket was successfully launched, reaching an altitude of 2.8 kilometres (1.7 mi) before the engine was remotely shut off due to a wrong trajectory.

Contents

Micro Spacecraft Tycho Brahe

Tycho Brahe Copenhagen Suborbitals MSC 1.jpg
Tycho Brahe

The Micro Spacecraft (MSC) had a steel pressure hull, and room for one passenger designed and built by Kristian von Bengtson who co-founded Copenhagen Suborbitals. The passenger was able to view the outside through a perspex dome. [1] The occupant flew in a half-standing/half-sitting position, in order to decrease the diameter of the spacecraft. The passenger sat in a specially designed seat, and would have worn anti-G trousers to avoid blackout. The heat shield was made of floor cork. Life support would have consisted of a diving rebreather derived CO2 scrubber and breathing O2 system. Another compartment contained both the high-speed drogue parachute and the low-speed main parachutes for deceleration. The sheer volume of the MSC provided the buoyancy in the water. Pressurized nitrogen would have been used for attitude control. The attitude thrusters were part of the non-pressurized volume of the spacecraft.

The first MSC was christened "Tycho Brahe 1" and its first flight was uncrewed using a crash test dummy. [2] The human-rated Tycho Brahe would have maintained the 640-mm diameter.

The ship was named after Tycho Brahe, a Danish nobleman known for his accurate and comprehensive planetary and other astronomical observations, such as the 1572 supernova.

The rocket HEAT 1X

Tycho Brahe HEAT-1X-P in flight after first launch on 3 June 2011 Copenhagen Suborbitals HEAT 1X Tycho Brahe in flight 20110603.jpg
Tycho Brahe HEAT-1X-P in flight after first launch on 3 June 2011
The engine nozzle of the HEAT-1X booster before a static fire test 28 February 2010. Copenhagen Suborbitals HEAT-1X test bed 1.jpg
The engine nozzle of the HEAT-1X booster before a static fire test 28 February 2010.

The actual rocket development resulted in numerous successful tests of the solid fuel epoxy and the liquid oxidizer nitrous oxide, which was used in their hybrid rocket HATV (Hybrid Atmospheric Test Vehicle). The HATV rocket was only 1/3 size of the final rocket, HEAT. [3] This HEAT rocket (Hybrid Exo Atmospheric Transporter) with liquid oxygen and polyurethane, would carry the MSC (the micro-spacecraft) above the 100 km boundary and into space. The MSC was named after Tycho Brahe, and the combination was known as the HEAT-1X TYCHO BRAHE.

Gravity would then pull the MSC back to the atmosphere, where the MSC landed on water using parachutes. [4] The first HATV rocket was tested in a test stand on 8 March 2009. [5]

Originally HEAT was to have been fueled with paraffin wax but a ground test 28 February 2010 revealed that some of the paraffin wax only partially melted, instead of evaporating. The result was that HEAT-1X had less power than expected. A ground test firing of HEAT-1X-P (P for polyurethane) was conducted 16 May 2010.

Stabilization of the rocket was by rollerons, a rather simple mechanism also used by missiles.

Static rocket engine tests

DateEngine typeOxidizerFuel
2008-10-19XLR-2LN2OEpoxy
2008-11-16XLR-2LN2OEpoxy
2009-02-07XLR-2LN2OEpoxy
2009-03-08HATVLN2OEpoxy
2009-06-14HATV LN2O Epoxy
2009-08-07BabyHEATLOXParaffin wax
2009-09-04BabyHEATLOXParaffin wax
2009-09-05BabyHEATLOXParaffin wax
2009-09-05BabyHEATLOX Paraffin wax
2009-09-11BabyHEATLOXParaffin wax
2009-09-11BabyHEATLOXParaffin wax
2009-09-20BabyHEATLOXParaffin wax
2009-10-17HATVLOXParaffin wax
2009-12-13HATVLOXParaffin wax
2010-02-28HEAT-1XLOXParaffin wax [6]
2010-03-05HATVLOX (blowdown)
2010-03-20HATVLOX Polyurethane
2010-05-16HEAT-1XP LOX Polyurethane

Rocket

Texan Ben Brockert, rocket builder of Armadillo Aerospace and formerly of Masten Space Systems, prefers the liquid oxygen in HEAT-1X over the nitrous oxide in Virgin Galactic's rockets. [7]

The first version of the HEAT hybrid rocket booster, was built from ordinary construction steel, with the exception of the cryogenic liquid oxygen tank, which was made of AISI 304 stainless steel. The fuel was a polyurethane synthetic rubber, and the oxidizer was liquid oxygen. The oxygen was pressurized with helium gas. The booster could be (and was) shut down by radio signal from earth. Total cost was around $50,000. [8]

Lead-acid batteries were used as weight was not an issue on first launch, and proven robustness were deemed more important the low weight of LiPo. Four 12V 7Ah batteries were divided into two banks; two in parallel supplying 12V circuits redundantly, and two in series for the 24V Weibel radar transponder [9] sending to a Continuous Wave radar on the deck of Hjortø. The combination of transmitter and radar meant that several objects could be tracked in motion as well as being stationary. The budget did not allow for an inertial measurement unit to compensate for ship movement, but an infrared camera on the radar allowed operators to track the rocket. [10]

Offshore launch attempts

Heat 1X Tycho Brahe - lift-off at 3 June 2011 Heat 1X Tycho Brahe - lift-off at june 3rd, 2011.jpg
Heat 1X Tycho Brahe - lift-off at 3 June 2011

The permission to launch was given by Danish authorities, but the first option, the North Sea, was a possibility that the Danish Civil Aviation Administration (Statens Luftfartsvæsen) opened, but it was rejected in 2009 by the Danish Maritime Authority (Søfartsstyrelsen). [3] They preferred another area and then gave a formal and written permission to launch from a firing range in the Baltic Sea. Launches have been performed from a platform built for the purpose.

2010

The first full-scale test-launch to 30 kilometres (19 mi) [3] was planned to be off the coast of Bornholm sometime between 30 August and 13 September 2010 [11] depending on the weather. [12] The launch carried a crash test dummy "Rescue Randy" instead of a human pilot, since crewed flight is still some years away. Success criterion was stated to be completing the sea voyage and counting down - launch and recovery being bonuses. [13] On Tuesday 31 August 2010, the UC3 Nautilus pushed the launch platform Sputnik carrying the rocket and spacecraft from Copenhagen towards the launch area near Nexø, Bornholm. [14] A launch attempt was made on Sunday 5 September 2010 14:43 CET, 12 UTC+02:00, [15] but this was a failure due to a stuck LOX valve.

A test flight was attempted on 5 September 2010, using the HEAT-1X rocket. [16] The vehicle on board launch platform Sputnik, sometimes pushed by homebuilt submarine UC3 Nautilus and sometimes towed by M/V Flora, moved from Copenhagen on Tuesday 31 August 2010 [8] [17] to Nexø on Wednesday 1 September 2010. [18]

Launch was initiated Sunday 5 September 2010 from Home Guard vessel Hjortø at co-ordinates: 55°02′57″N15°36′11″E / 55.04917°N 15.60306°E / 55.04917; 15.60306

The oxygen tank was filled, and the rocket was nearing launch. [19]

First attempt did not fire, attention was focused around oxygen valve and electronics. [20] The oxygen valve jammed. It had not been tested, the previous one was stolen along with the oxygen tank at the construction yard in June 2010. [21] The next launch attempt was pushed to June 2011, beyond the launch window ending 17 September 2010, because the rocket might have needed to be taken apart to check the LOX valve, and ignition rods and LOX needed to be replaced. [22] Power to the hairdryer was supplied by Nautilus until the platform was evacuated, but the 20 minutes from then to launch drained the batteries and left the LOX valve unheated so it froze. [23]

2011

The new launch attempt was on 3 June 2011. Hjortø was once again used for Mission Control. The submarine was left behind as the Sputnik had been outfitted with its own diesel engines during the winter 2010–11. After again experiencing a technical problem with the auto-sequence, the rocket and spacecraft went up in the air. After lift-off, HEAT 1X Tycho Brahe achieved supersonic speed but its flight path deviated from the vertical, so Mission Control had to shut the engine off after 21 seconds. Maximum altitude was estimated to 2.8 km and the ground track was 8.5 km. Booster and spacecraft separated but a parachute was torn off the booster due to excessive air drag. Tycho Brahe's parachutes didn't unfold correctly either, so the spacecraft received a large bulge at the 26 G impact. It is reported that it was water-filled when it was salvaged. The booster sank to a depth of 80–90 meters in the Baltic Sea [24] [25] A film of the launch from the pilot's point of view has been released. [26]

Goal

A crewed launch was at the time estimated to be 3–5 years away, [8] but if successful, Denmark would be the 4th nation to launch humans into space, after the USSR (Russia), USA, and China. [27]

In November 2010, an experimental liquid rocket engine called XLR-3B exploded during its 12th ground test. A similar liquid rocket named TM-65 Tordenskjold (Thunder Shield), after the Dano–Norwegian naval hero Peter Tordenskjold, with 65 kN thrust was constructed, [28] however this design failed and caused a fire during its final static test in 2014. As of December 2014, work on a third design concept is underway at Copenhagen Suborbitals, [29] while an alternative program more similar to HEAT-1X has been started by the original designer Peter Madsen. [30]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Project Mercury</span> Initial American crewed spaceflight program (1958–1963)

Project Mercury was the first human spaceflight program of the United States, running from 1958 through 1963. An early highlight of the Space Race, its goal was to put a man into Earth orbit and return him safely, ideally before the Soviet Union. Taken over from the US Air Force by the newly created civilian space agency NASA, it conducted 20 uncrewed developmental flights, and six successful flights by astronauts. The program, which took its name from Roman mythology, cost $2.68 billion. The astronauts were collectively known as the "Mercury Seven", and each spacecraft was given a name ending with a "7" by its pilot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energia (rocket)</span> Soviet launch vehicle

Energia was a 1980s super-heavy lift launch vehicle. It was designed by NPO Energia of the Soviet Union as part of the Buran program for a variety of payloads including the Buran spacecraft. Control system main developer enterprise was the Khartron NPO "Electropribor". The Energia used four strap-on boosters each powered by a four-chamber RD-170 engine burning kerosene/LOX, and a central core stage with four single-chamber RD-0120 (11D122) engines fueled by liquid hydrogen/LOX.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hybrid-propellant rocket</span> Rocket engine that uses both liquid / gaseous and solid fuel

A hybrid-propellant rocket is a rocket with a rocket motor that uses rocket propellants in two different phases: one solid and the other either gas or liquid. The hybrid rocket concept can be traced back to the early 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hypergolic propellant</span> Type of rocket engine fuel

A hypergolic propellant is a rocket propellant combination used in a rocket engine, whose components spontaneously ignite when they come into contact with each other.

Human spaceflight programs have been conducted, started, or planned by multiple countries and companies. Until the 21st century, human spaceflight programs were sponsored exclusively by governments, through either the military or civilian space agencies. With the launch of the privately funded SpaceShipOne in 2004, a new category of human spaceflight programs – commercial human spaceflight – arrived. By the end of 2022, three countries and one private company (SpaceX) had successfully launched humans to Earth orbit, and two private companies had launched humans on a suborbital trajectory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AS-101</span> 1964 Apollo Program test flight

AS-101 was the sixth flight of the Saturn I launch vehicle, which carried the first boilerplate Apollo spacecraft into low Earth orbit. The test took place on May 28, 1964, lasting for four orbits. The spacecraft and its upper stage completed a total of 54 orbits before reentering the atmosphere and crashing in the Pacific Ocean on June 1, 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spaceplane</span> Spacecraft capable of aerodynamic flight in atmosphere

A spaceplane is a vehicle that can fly and glide like an aircraft in Earth's atmosphere and maneuver like a spacecraft in outer space. To do so, spaceplanes must incorporate features of both aircraft and spacecraft. Orbital spaceplanes tend to be more similar to conventional spacecraft, while sub-orbital spaceplanes tend to be more similar to fixed-wing aircraft. All spaceplanes to date have been rocket-powered for takeoff and climb, but have then landed as unpowered gliders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McDonnell Douglas DC-X</span> Prototype single-stage-to-orbit rocket developed & flown between 1991-1996

The DC-X, short for Delta Clipper or Delta Clipper Experimental, was an uncrewed prototype of a reusable single-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle built by McDonnell Douglas in conjunction with the United States Department of Defense's Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) from 1991 to 1993. Starting 1994 until 1995, testing continued through funding of the US civil space agency NASA. In 1996, the DC-X technology was completely transferred to NASA, which upgraded the design for improved performance to create the DC-XA. After a test flight of DC-XA in 1996 resulted in a fire, the project was canceled. Despite its cancellation, the program inspired later reusable launch systems. Michael D. Griffin has since praised the program as "government R&D at its finest."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pressure-fed engine</span> Rocket engine operation method

The pressure-fed engine is a class of rocket engine designs. A separate gas supply, usually helium, pressurizes the propellant tanks to force fuel and oxidizer to the combustion chamber. To maintain adequate flow, the tank pressures must exceed the combustion chamber pressure.

Amateur rocketry, sometimes known as experimental rocketry or amateur experimental rocketry, is a hobby in which participants experiment with fuels and make their own rocket motors, launching a wide variety of types and sizes of rockets. Amateur rocketeers have been responsible for significant research into hybrid rocket motors, and have built and flown a variety of solid, liquid, and hybrid propellant motors.

Danish Space Research Institute (DSRI) was the space agency of Denmark from 1966 to 2005. It was a Danish sector research institute formed in 1966 under the Danish Ministry for Education and Research, later the Danish Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation. Denmark was a founding member of the European Space Agency (ESA) in 1975 and launched the satellite Oersted in 1999. Europe's space programme: to Ariane and beyond, notes the DRI had budget in excess of 2.6 million Euros supporting a staff of 40 people, with an additional 25 million Euros going to the ESA in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ARCAspace</span> Aerospace company headquartered in Romania

Romanian Cosmonautics and Aeronautics Association, also known as ARCAspace, is an aerospace company based in Râmnicu Vâlcea, Romania. It builds rockets, high-altitude balloons, and unmanned aerial vehicles. It was founded in 1999 as a non-governmental organization in Romania by the Romanian engineer and entrepreneur Dumitru Popescu and other rocket and aeronautics enthusiasts. Since then, ARCA has launched two stratospheric rockets and four large-scale stratospheric balloons including a cluster balloon. It was awarded two governmental contracts with the Romanian government and one contract with the European Space Agency. ARCASpace is currently developing a three-stage, semi-reusable steam-powered rocket called EcoRocket and in 2022 has shifted its business model to Asteroid mining.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common Booster Core</span> American rocket stage

The Common Booster Core (CBC) was an American rocket stage, which was used on the Delta IV rocket as part of a modular rocket system. Delta IV rockets flying in the Medium and Medium+ configurations each used a single Common Booster Core as their first stage, while the Heavy configuration used three; one as the first stage and two as boosters. The Common Booster Core was 40.8 metres (134 ft) long, had a diameter of 5.1 metres (17 ft) and was powered by a single RS-68 engine burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Czech Republic–Denmark relations</span> Bilateral relations

Czech Republic–Denmark relations are the current and historical relations between Czech Republic and Denmark. Czech Republic has an embassy in Copenhagen. Denmark has an embassy in Prague. Diplomatic relations were established on 1 January 1993. Relations between the Czech Republic and Denmark are described as "good". Both countries are full members of NATO and of the European Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Copenhagen Suborbitals</span> Amateur crowdfunded human space programme

Copenhagen Suborbitals is a crowd-funded human space program. It has flown six home-built rockets and capsules since 2011. The organization successfully launched its Nexø II rocket in the summer of 2018. Its stated goal is to have one of its members reach space on a sub-orbital spaceflight. The organization was founded by Kristian von Bengtson and Peter Madsen.

<i>UC3 Nautilus</i> Privately built Danish midget submarine

UC3 Nautilus was a privately built Danish midget submarine. It was built over a three-year period by Peter Madsen and a group of volunteers, and cost approximately US$200,000 to build. The submarine was Madsen's third submarine design.

Tycho Brahe (1546–1601) was an influential Danish astronomer.

TM65 is a rocket engine developed by Copenhagen Suborbitals. TM65 uses Ethanol and liquid oxygen as propellants in a pressure-fed power cycle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Glenn</span> Launch vehicle developed by Blue Origin

New Glenn is a heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle developed by Blue Origin, named after NASA astronaut John Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit Earth. New Glenn is a two-stage rocket with a diameter of 7 m (23 ft). Its first stage is powered by seven BE-4 engines that are also designed and manufactured by Blue Origin. It is intended to launch from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 36, with the first stage landing on a barge in Port Canaveral.The inaugural vehicle was unveiled on the launch pad in February 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Single-person spacecraft</span> Type of spacecraft with one occupant

A single-person spacecraft is a vehicle designed for space travel. The concept has been used in science fiction and actual ships such as the Mercury capsule, Vostok and some suborbital designs. Single-person spacecraft have been envisioned as a supplement or replacement for space suits in certain applications. The Von Braun Bottle suit of the 1950s functions as a hybrid of a space suit and a one-person spacecraft.

References

  1. 1 2 "Spacecraft". Copenhagen Suborbitals. Archived from the original on 6 September 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
  2. ↑ Danish Manned Spacecraft Built by Volunteers Retrieved 25 August 2010
  3. 1 2 3 http://copenhagensuborbitals.com/ Copenhagen Suborbitals homepage. Retrieved 9 February 2010.
  4. ↑ "C O P e N H a G e N S U B O R B I T a L S". Archived from the original on 6 September 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2010. Copenhagen Suborbitals homepage. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  5. ↑ "C O P e N H a G e N S U B O R B I T a L S". Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2010. Copenhagen Suborbitals homepage. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  6. ↑ video
  7. ↑ Jensen, Mette Buck. Rocket safety Archived 6 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine Ing.dk, 5 September 2010. Retrieved: 5 September 2010.
  8. 1 2 3 Sivertsen, Sara (31 August 2010). "Danish discount rocket". JP. Archived from the original on 2 September 2010. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
  9. ↑ Nyboe, Flemming. Construction pictures Archived 4 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine Ing.dk, 2 August 2010. Retrieved: 5 September 2010.
  10. ↑ Djursing, Thomas. Mission depends on radar Archived 11 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine Ing.dk, 4 September 2010. Retrieved: 5 September 2010.
  11. ↑ "C O P e N H a G e N S U B O R B I T a L S". Archived from the original on 9 February 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2011. Copenhagen Suborbitals homepage. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  12. ↑ Bartels, Christian (29 August 2010). "Dårligt vejr udsætter dansk raketaffyring". Politiken. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  13. ↑ Andersen, Kasper Brøndgaard. Experienced rocket builder doubts success Archived 28 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine Ing.dk (Danish), 31 August 2010. Retrieved: 31 August 2010.
  14. ↑ Jensen, Mette Buck. Reaching Nexø Archived 3 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine Ing.dk (Danish), 1 September 2010. Retrieved: 1 September 2010. Pictures Archived 28 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ↑ Archived 8 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine Ing.dk, 5 September 2010. Retrieved: 5 September 2010.
  16. ↑ "Danish makers aim to DIY a person into space". boingboing.net. 23 August 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
  17. ↑ Bengtsson, Madsen, Foldager. From Copenhagen to Nexø Archived 4 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine Ing.dk, 31 August 2010. Retrieved: 2 September 2010.
  18. ↑ Bengtsson & Madsen. Calm before the storm Archived 3 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine Ing.dk, 2 September 2010. Retrieved: 2 September 2010.
  19. ↑ Jensen, Mette Buck. Launch within 45 minutes Archived 11 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine Ing.dk, 5 September 2010. Retrieved: 5 September 2010.
  20. ↑ Jensen, Mette Buck. Rocket didn't fly Archived 8 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine Ing.dk, 5 September 2010. Retrieved: 5 September 2010.
  21. ↑ Jensen, Mette Buck. Fateful theft ruins launch Archived 8 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine Ing.dk, 5 September 2010. Retrieved: 5 September 2010.
  22. ↑ Djursing, Thomas. Distant prospect of next launch Archived 9 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine Ing.dk, 5 September 2010. Retrieved: 5 September 2010.
  23. ↑ Djursing, Thomas. Powerless hairdryer stopped rocket Archived 8 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine Ing.dk, 5 September 2010. Retrieved: 5 September 2010.
  24. ↑ The rocket flew, crashed and obtained valuable data Archived 5 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine Ing.dk, 3 June 2011
  25. ↑ The rocket dummy Randy was exposed to 26 G at the sea "landing" Archived 9 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine Ing.dk, 6 June 2011
  26. ↑ HEAT1X-Tycho Brahe inaugural flight / Pilot's POV. youtube.com. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  27. ↑ Danish Volunteers Build Manned Spacecraft Retrieved 25 August 2010
  28. ↑ Andersen, Kasper Brøndgaard. Liquid rocket exploded Archived 24 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine (in Danish) Ing.dk, 22 November 2010. Video Retrieved: 22 November 2010.
  29. ↑ http://copsub.com/ Copenhagen Suborbitals homepage. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  30. ↑ http://raketmadsen.dk/ Archived 17 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine Raketmadsen support community homepage. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as:

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.