2024-05-04 13:15:20
For the first time in decades, a commercial launch vehicle from a German company has launched. Above all, the drive concept is exceptional.
People like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are best known in private space travel. But rocket manufacturers from Germany are also entering the market. Now, for the first time in decades, a commercial launch vehicle from a German company has launched.
The twelve-meter-long rocket took off from Koonibba in Australia at around 7:10 a.m. CEST, a spokesman for the space company HyImpulse said. The start was postponed several times due to weather. The rocket was powered by candle wax and oxygen, but did not cross the border into space.
What exactly blew up?
The SR75 launch vehicle has a payload of 250 kilograms. Her fuel was configured so that she could fly a maximum of 60 kilometers high. How high the rocket actually rose will only be known after the rocket has been recovered and the flight recorder has been evaluated, according to HyImpulse. According to the company based near Heilbronn, the rocket could also fly into space – but this was not planned this time within the scope of the existing approval.
The engineers wanted to test the rocket’s engine – and the special propulsion concept. The rocket flew with paraffin, i.e. candle wax, and liquid oxygen. The engine has been worked on for more than ten years. The technology has been known for a long time, but has not yet been implemented in launch rockets, says Martin Tajmar, an expert in space technology at the TU Dresden. “There is no commercial rocket that uses this technology on a large scale.”
What is the purpose of all this?
According to HyImpulse co-founder Christian Stricher, the idea is to use the launch vehicle to make a better offer for small satellites. “So far there are mainly rockets on the market that you can imagine like buses or trains. They only drop off the satellites at certain places in orbit – like at a bus stop. Our rocket is more like a taxi.”
The rockets are cheaper thanks to the hybrid engine made of solid and liquid fuel, as fewer components are required than with conventional engines. The launch of an orbital rocket with a larger payload is planned for the end of 2025.
How should the start be assessed in an international context?
The world may not be watching the launch, but it is an important event for Germany, said space expert Tajmar. Overall, it is a niche market. But it is relevant for Europe because there is no one at the moment. In Europe, Arianespace’s rockets have so far played a crucial role in transporting satellites. An Ariane launcher that could launch something into space is not currently in operation.
SpaceX is also a role model for other providers?
Tech billionaire Elon Musk’s rockets are responsible for around 90 percent of all rocket launches worldwide this year, explains Tajmar. Then follow China. Everything else falls on the rest of the world and has almost no meaning. According to the space expert, there are many private start-ups in China that have already flown into space.
SpaceX founder Musk has set the standard high. “Everyone just looks on in awe and the Chinese try to copy it.” Not much else is happening at the moment. Musk also started with a small rocket. But he moved relatively quickly to larger models, which then became reusable, a huge advantage in terms of price and availability. But: “You have to start somewhere,” said Tajmar, referring to the German start-ups.
What does the provider expect in the long term?
Streur is aware that there are already corresponding suppliers of small rockets in the USA and China. But they are far too expensive, he says. HyImpulse is much more attractive in terms of price. A launch of the larger commercial rocket costs around six million euros.
They want to calculate around 6,500 euros per kilogram of payload. We already have a lot of customer inquiries and the order books are well filled. Politicians also hope to reduce costs by using private providers.
Who needs satellite taxis like this?
According to Streicher, customers include the automotive industry, which needs satellites for navigation and autonomous driving. They don’t want to leave the market to China and the USA. “As Europeans, we also need independence from the Americans, even if they are our partners.”
Former astronaut Ulrich Walter also sees many opportunities for private manufacturers of smaller rockets. In his opinion, satellites are becoming smaller and smaller. The new small rocket providers are more flexible than the larger ones, where you have to book a place two years in advance. The market will grow significantly in the future, said the professor of space technology at the Technical University of Munich. That’s why he thinks the start-ups’ ideas are right.