March 2016
The Use of 3D Printing for Space Applications
... deposition process used in the manufacturing of the Vulcain nozzle extension. Within the ESA-led FLPP (Future Launchers Preparatory Programme), several developments have been pursued aimed at increasing the performances of the propulsion systems...
October 2019
Time to overcome the expendable rocket mindset
... as built was largely expendable. The Space Shuttle was therefore as expensive and as risky to operate as the throwaway launchers that preceded it. Recent history seems to have created institutions and habits of thought that continually reinforce the...
September 2020
Commercial opportunities beyond Earth orbit
...to space. This evolution is not only benefiting the launcher companies but also the launch infrastructure which has given birth... to become commercially viable spaceports from where the smallsat launchers can fly. How does this affect our ability to...
February 2018
Growth drivers, requirements and threats in the smallsat industry
... development to reduce space debris. Launch systems With the rise of a new generation of dedicated two-stage-to-orbit launchers comes a new network of launch sites or spaceports for horizontal take-offs and landings Launching a plethora of new...
March 2015
ESA’s Clean Space Initiative and the role of the LCA tool
... a launch vehicle crosses all layers of the atmosphere and while we can well predict what is emitted by the launcher in which altitude, the atmospheric mechanisms linking these emissions to specific indicators, like global warming potential or ozone...
April 2019
LISA Pathfinder – paving the way for future studies of the gravitational universe
... Funding constraints led to the selection of a small launcher, the European Vega rocket launched from French Guiana. Due...direct insertion towards the target orbit with a sufficiently powerful launcher should always be the first choice. This success is...
