Boeing wins DARPA contract for small air-launch system
Posted: Sat, Mar 29, 2014, 9:29 AM ET (1329 GMT)
Boeing this week unveiled its design for an air-launch system after winning a contract from DARPA to develop it. DARPA awarded a $30.6-million contract Monday to Boeing to develop the Air Launch Assist Space Access (ALASA) system for launching small satellites; the contracts also includes two options valued at a combined $74 million. Boeing released details of the design on Friday, which involves a rocket deployed from an F-15 aircraft that can place satellites weighing up to 45 kilograms into low Earth orbit. The rocket's unique design features engines mounted near the nose of the vehicle, allowing them to be used throughout the ascent to orbit as propellant tanks behind it are expended. That approach, the company believed, will allow it to lower launch costs by two thirds. A demonstration launch of the ALASA system is planned for fiscal year 2015. Boeing, along with Lockheed Martin and Virgin Galactic, won initial contracts from DARPA in 2012 to study their ALASA concepts.
Boeing this week unveiled its design for an air-launch system after winning a contract from DARPA to develop it. DARPA awarded a $30.6-million contract Monday to Boeing to develop the Air Launch Assist Space Access (ALASA) system for launching small satellites; the contracts also includes two options valued at a combined $74 million. Boeing released details of the design on Friday, which involves a rocket deployed from an F-15 aircraft that can place satellites weighing up to 45 kilograms into low Earth orbit. The rocket's unique design features engines mounted near the nose of the vehicle, allowing them to be used throughout the ascent to orbit as propellant tanks behind it are expended. That approach, the company believed, will allow it to lower launch costs by two thirds. A demonstration launch of the ALASA system is planned for fiscal year 2015. Boeing, along with Lockheed Martin and Virgin Galactic, won initial contracts from DARPA in 2012 to study their ALASA concepts.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Vast signs contract with SpaceX for ISS private astronaut missions
Posted: Sat, Dec 21 11:59 AM ET (1659 GMT) Avio signs ESA contracts for Vega upgrades and Earth science satellite launch
Posted: Sat, Dec 21 11:57 AM ET (1657 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, December 26
Buy SpaceX Stock With Ease, But Beware The Risks
Forbes.com — 7:35 am ET (1235 GMT) ESA Enlists Portuguese Navy Submarine to Prepare for Deep Space
European Spaceflight — 7:22 am ET (1222 GMT) Has CNES Opened the Door for a European Space Station?
European Spaceflight — 7:21 am ET (1221 GMT) Scientists await signal from spacecraft after historic close encounter with the sun
NPR — 7:19 am ET (1219 GMT) Summer read: Cosmic Catastrophes
Cosmos Magazine — 7:18 am ET (1218 GMT) |
