Development of the North Star Sounding Rocket: Getting ready for the first demonstration Launch

Abstract

Nammo Raufoss and Andoya Space Center have combined their efforts in working towards a low cost service of dedicated access to space from Andoya in Northern Norway. The initiative is based on the use of environmentally friendly and non-hazardous hybrid rockets to power a family of sounding rockets with the potential to end up as a cost effective launcher for nano-satellites from Andoya. The concept is referred to as the North Star Rocket Family and is based on the extensive know-how that Nammo has acquired on hybrid rocket propulsion technology and Andoya Space Center’s capability of launching large sounding rockets and performing complicated launch campaigns. Europe does not have a Space Act Agreement providing a good climate for commercial space initiatives and in order to reduce the financial and development risk, a step-wise approach is chosen. By building the concept around modularity, the overall goal is achieved through a host of projects and different funding streams in order to cover the technology development needed to realize the North Star Rocket Family. The development so far has been focused on the elementary propulsion unit which the modular concept is based on. Through the static firing test program of a heavy wall version of this motor, the performance of the basic building block, the Unitary Motor (UM), has been successfully demonstrated. The target performance of a reliable thrust of 28-30kN for a 25 s duration has been achieved and a flight test campaign based on a flight weight optimized version of the UM is planned for 2016. The performance of the flight weight Unitary Motor will be demonstrated by implementing it in a single engine sounding rocket for scientific missions into the lower atmosphere of 110-130km altitude. The Nucleus sounding rocket will be launched from Andoya Space Center in mid2016. The detailed design of the Nucleus rocket is currently ongoing and its basic architecture, mass characteristics, propulsive and payload capabilities will be briefly addressed.