Exela Aims-1 Space Shot
| Function | Suborbital launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Exela Space Industries |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Cost per launch | $5,000 USD |
| Size | |
| Height | 17.8ft |
| Diameter | 1ft |
| Mass | 200 kg |
| Stages | 1 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to Space | 30 kg |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Aims |
| Derivatives | Aims-4 |
| Comparable | Vector-R, Falcon 1, Firefly Alpha, SpaceX Starship |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Planned |
| Launch sites | Assateague Island (planned) |
| Total launches | 0 |
| Successes | 0 |
| Failures | 0 |
| First stage | |
| Diameter | 1 ft (0.30 m) |
| Engines | Exela Polaris V5 (planned) |
| Thrust | 10 kN (planned) |
| Fuel | Propane / LOX |
Aims-1 (Aims) is a single-stage suborbital expendable launch vehicle under development by the American aerospace company Exela Space Industries and will be the first liquid-fueled space shot built by teenagers. Exela was founded in 2022 by Julian Dwayne Boyles when the company was originally named S24 Aerospace. Exela started with the Zipper-1 rocket which was a single-staged water-powered rocket. There were 3 Zipper rockets planned but none of them launched.[1]
Exela completed a Torch Igniter Acceptance Test on August 7, 2023. This test confirmed the ignition system of Aims-1 is working perfectly. An Aims-1 cryo proof test is scheduled to be conducted next year. The following year, Exela will perform a static fire.[2]
An upgraded version of Aims-1, dubbed Aims-4, is in development as well.[3] Insiders have claimed that Aims-4 will have 4 Polaris engines, however this cannot be verified.
Polaris
Aims-1 plans to use a single Polaris rocket engine to power the rocket to 100km. "Polaris conducted its first ever full ignition test on August 5, 2023 and ran nominally for 1 second before facing a heavy anomaly, resulting in the loss of the engine. Polaris V1, also known as Engine SN8 internally, was built upon a wooden plate that housed the propellant lines. The propellant lines fed into the combustion chamber, which then forced the propellants (gaseous propane and pressurized air) through the main design failure point, the plastic nozzle. The plastic nozzle has been ruled out as unviable and Exela will be switching to an all-metal design for Polaris V3," Exela stated that they learned a lot from Polaris V1 and will implement new things into Polaris V3, such as a crossflow injector and an all-metal design.[4]
The propellants used for the Polaris engine are LOX and liquid propane. Delivering 10 kilo-newtons of force at sea level. The engine’s testing campaign is currently being conducted in Blacklick, OH[5]
The Polaris engine is being developed chiefly by Exela's prestigious CEO Christian T.
Other Exela Projects
The first rocket Exela launched was SimplyRocket on August 26, 2023. Flight 1 was to test aerodynamics and getting to at least 1,000ft in altitude running on a C6-5 solid rocket motor. SoberRocket is Exela’s 2-stage rocket that will test the in-flight separation systems for Aims-1. Infinity is Exela’s mid-powered rocket that will test out carrying payloads on their rockets. SoberRocket Heavy will be Exela’s most complex rocket yet aside from Aims-1. The 1st stage of flight will run on 4 E12-4 solid rocket motors for the side boosters and an F15-0 solid rocket motor for the core stage. After all of the side boosters burn out they will separate from the vehicle as the core stage burns for a few more seconds. After core stage burnout, it will separate and the second stage will fire, bringing the rocket to a height of about 1km or 3,280ft. The second stage will run on a D12-7 solid rocket motor. The vehicle stands at a height of 8ft and will be launching from Ohio next year.[6]
References
- ↑ "Aims-1". Onkla. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
- ↑ "Torch Igniter Acceptance Test". Onkla. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
- ↑ "Aims-4". Onkla. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
- ↑ "Polaris". 2uhtr4hv. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
- ↑ "Test Site Closures". 2uhtr4hv. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
- ↑ "Beginning Rockets". UNN. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
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