Comments on: Another new rocket startup, ABL Space, to launch its rocket in ’21

By: Edward

Edward — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 20:58:10 +0000

V-Man wrote: “Not reusable, I see. Still using the old “rockets as bullets, cheap and expendable” paradigm. Good luck — that window is closing fast.”

The window is closing, but not terribly fast. Reusability adds complications that national space agencies have not yet embraced. David Eastman is correct that it is more important to get into the market than it is to be as efficient as possible. This is usually the case in any industry, where getting started comes with costs that can be reduced or eliminated later. Convincing customers to buy from your company is a high priority. ABL Space does not yet need reusability to accomplish that objective.

Eventually, we will find that starting business with reusable launch vehicles will be the paradigm, but right now no one has yet successfully done so. Blue Origin, with their New Shepard, and Virgin Galactic, with their SpaceShipTwo, are making that paradigm look difficult to perform. The reluctance of other companies and national space agencies to take on reusability also makes it look difficult.

By: George C

George C — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 06:39:27 +0000

I have always wanted to launch rockets from Trinidad. The mobile launch system would be great for that. Small population but good school system. Low cost of living. Ample energy supplies.

By: Nick B.

Nick B. — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 23:06:54 +0000

Not technically relevent, but I find it interesting anyway — they’re actually set up in some of the original SpaceX buildings in El Segundo. Spiritual heritage in some sense, perhaps.

By: David Eastman

David Eastman — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 21:24:42 +0000

The bottom of the linked article addresses reusability. It’s something that they’re considering, and they have ex SpaceX employees with useful experience and knowledge in that domain. But it does make sense as a startup, especially one in a hotly contested space, to focus on getting operational first and building your customer list, reputation, and revenue, before you start adding bells and whistles. I think at the small scale, light and medium launchers, reuse is going to need another generation of technical advances before it pays off. The lower costs of these smaller rockets, inclusive of materials, personnel, tooling, storage, etc, just doesn’t leave that much room for the big cost reductions SpaceX is seeing. Even for SpaceX, production rate was as big or bigger a driver for developing reuse as cost. Developing reuse so you can use a signle launcher 10 times is potentially safer for the company than expanding your facilities and staffing to produce ten times as many vehicles.

By: Ray Van Dune

Ray Van Dune — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 19:46:04 +0000

V-man reminds me of something I have been wondering about… when or if the adoption of booster recovery will make it acceptable to launch on azimuths that overfly populated areas?

Yes, some countries do that already, at least over their own populations. And reentry over your own populated regions seems to have been already tacitly accepted, but will Mexico go for landings from the SW to Boca Chica?

By: V-Man

V-Man — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 18:02:30 +0000

Not reusable, I see. Still using the old “rockets as bullets, cheap and expendable” paradigm.

Good luck — that window is closing fast.