Abstract
This chapter introduces the topic of micro launchers, starting with a historical perspective, and highlighting how these new developments can be viewed as embedded in the currently unfolding NewSpace dynamic. It further describes the main drivers behind contemporary micro launcher initiatives. The chapter concludes with a detailed overview of worldwide micro launcher developments.
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Notes
- 1.
Adapted from McConnaughey et al. (2010).
- 2.
This class is represented today by vehicles such as VEGA and PSLV.
- 3.
Some examples are US Vanguard (23 kg to LEO, 1957), UK Black Arrow (132 kg, 1969), India ASLV (150 kg, 1987).
- 4.
Zak (2017).
- 5.
A detailed history of sounding rockets, particularly in the European context, can be found in Seibert (2006).
- 6.
Krebs (2018).
- 7.
Space Services Inc. of America (2014).
- 8.
OTRAG was a West Germany private company founded in the late 70s, which developed a fully modular, easy to scale-up launcher with capacities ranging from 1 t to several tonnes to LEO. Its efforts were hampered by missile technology proliferation concerns by other major space powers in the context of the Cold War, and ultimately shut down in the 1980s.
- 9.
Fought (1988).
- 10.
In the 90s, Globalstar launched 60 satellites weighting 450 kg on Delta, Soyuz and Zenit launchers. Iridium launched 90 satellites weighting 750 kg on Delta, Long March, Proton launchers. Orbcomm launched 38 satellites weighting 45 kg exclusively using Orbital’s Pegasus launcher.
- 11.
Notably, since Minotaur-1 employs surplus ICBM Minuteman II solid rocket motors, US law forbids it to be used for commercial purposes.
- 12.
Clark (2016).
- 13.
For CYGNSS, a firm-fixed-price launch service task order contract worth approximately $55 m was concluded between NASA and Orbital ATK. See National Aeronautics and Space Administration (2014).
- 14.
United Nations (1998).
- 15.
Hancock (2005).
- 16.
Section 2.2 contains extracts from the report “The Rise of the Private Actor in the Space Sector” published in the “SpringerBriefs from the European Space Policy Institute” series (Vernile, 2018).
- 17.
With regard to government technology, seed funding opportunities in the USA, see for example, the Federal Business Opportunities—FedBizOps. Web: https://www.fbo.gov/.
- 18.
High elasticity of launch service market that remains to be demonstrated, as discussed in the ESPI Report “The European Launchers between Commerce and Geopolitics” (Aliberti & Tugnoli, 2016).
- 19.
Aliberti and Tugnoli (2016).
- 20.
Aldrin (1998).
- 21.
In this regard, a US perspective is offered in Taverney (2017).
- 22.
Air University (2017).
- 23.
Foust (2017f).
- 24.
Xinhuanet (2016).
- 25.
As discussed in the introduction, for the context of this report a micro launcher is defined as an orbital-capable rocket with a payload capacity of approximatively under 500 kg to LEO. All data in Table 2.1 from public available sources and databases, and elaborated by ESPI.
- 26.
Zak (2016).
- 27.
de Selding (2015a).
- 28.
The USA, joined by Britain, France and Germany, affirmed this test was violating a United Nations Security Council resolution endorsed as part of the 2015 “nuclear deal” with Iran that stated that the country should not engage in activities related to ballistic missile technology which is often strongly associated with space launch for its similarities in propulsion systems.
- 29.
Gruss (2015).
- 30.
Clark (2015).
- 31.
Clark (2017).
- 32.
Some examples are represented by Rocket Lab contract with Spaceflight and Vector’s contracts with York Space Systems and with ICEYE.
- 33.
Foust (2018).
- 34.
Data collected from internal research and interviews with stakeholders.
- 35.
In 2017, estimated prices per kg to orbit for some existing small to large launchers were reported to be the following: Epsilon $40k; Vega, $20k; GSLV, $9400; Proton M, $2800; Falcon 9, $2700. See United States Government Accountability Office (2017).
- 36.
For a discussion of Chinese launchers and ITAR regulations, see Aliberti and Tugnoli (2016).
- 37.
Air-launched micro launchers can be considered more flexible in this regard, as they can—in principle—be operated from any kind of suitable airstrip.
- 38.
Foust (2017e).
- 39.
As announced in a press release by the Italian Space Agency. See Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (2016).
- 40.
European Commission (2016). Horizon 2020 programme funding: approx. €4 m.
- 41.
Nordic Investment Bank (2015).
- 42.
Adamowski (2017).
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Tugnoli, M., Sarret, M., Aliberti, M. (2019). Overview on Micro Launchers. In: European Access to Space: Business and Policy Perspectives on Micro Launchers. SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology(). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78960-6_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78960-6_2
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