Exela Space Industries
| Function | Suborbital launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Exela Space Industries |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Cost per launch | $10,000 USD |
| Size | |
| Height | 20ft |
| Diameter | 1ft |
| Mass | 250 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 | In Production |
| Launch sites | FAR |
| Total launches | 0 |
| Successes | 0 |
| Failures | 0 |
| First stage | |
| Diameter | 1 ft (0.30 m) |
| Engines | Exela Polaris |
| Thrust | 10 KN |
| Fuel | Propane / LOX |
Aims-1 (Aims) is a single-stage suborbital expendable launch vehicle under development by the American rocketry group Exela Space and is going to be the first liquid fueled space shot built by teenagers. Exela Space was founded in early 2023 by Julian Dwayne Boyles when the group was originally named S24 Aerospace. Exela Space first started with the Zipper-1 rocket which was a single staged water powered rocket. There were 3 Zipper rockets planned but none of the rockets launched.[1]
Exela Space 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 pressure test is scheduled to be conducted later this year. Aims-TA-1 is Exelas first real Aims-1 test article. The 8 inch wide, 20 inch tall tank will be pressurized up to 6 bar, or up to its failure point. This will be the first test of the Aims-1 program. If it does not hold, Exela will transition to TIG style welding early to ensure strength in the future. The rocket's diameter will likely increase to 12in in the future, as 8in is quite limiting and would make the rocket much taller than a 12in architecture. Aims-TA-1's expected outcome is unknown, but Exela does not expect a fully successful test by any means. This test article is a part of a learning period Exela currently in.[2] The Aims-1 mockup is a 1:1 scale mockup of Aims-1 and stands at 15ft tall and 12 inches in diameter. Currently being built at the Jackson R. Codair Testing & Production Facility, the Aims-1 Mockup will conduct a 2 second static fire test with an Aerotech G40-4W rocket motor in April. The mockup is made out of cardboard as well as the fins, and the nosecone is 3d printed. The test stand is made out of wood accompanied with a steel flame diverter.
Polaris
Aims-1 will 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.[3]
The propellants used for the Polaris engine are LOX/propane. Delivering 10 kilo-newtons of force. The engines testing campaign was being conducted in Blacklick, OH.[4] Polaris V3 is currently undergoing a large redesign and will be static fired likely within the first half of next year. This will be powered by pressurized ethanol and gaseous oxygen. It will be a very simple design, acting as only a proof of concept to test our construction methods. The ethanol tank will be pressurized with high pressure nitrogen and safety measures will be taken to prevent any possibility of a flashback. The engine will be fully 3d printed.
Polaris V4 currently has no designs, but components for this cryogenic engine will be tested no earlier than next year. Polaris V4 will use an electric pump fed cycle, as will Aims-1 in the future. This will reduce weight and make the engine more efficient overall. This electric pump will be tested no earlier than next year as the pathfinder item for V4.
Amateur Rockets
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. The second flight flew to 300ft and tested recoverability. SoberRocket is Exelas 3-stage rocket that is going to test the in-flight separation capabilities. This rockets first stage will run on a D12-0 solid rocket motor and the 2nd & 3rd stages will run on C-class solid rocket motors. This rocket is currently in its testing phase.[5] Infinity is Exelas mid-powered rocket that pushes the boundaries of mid-powered rocketry by carrying payloads, going supersonic, and going up to 3km in altitude.
Aimschaser is an aerial testbed being developed by Exela Space. The vehicle will be launched on a future Exela rocket that is yet to be announced. The current Aimschaser prototype that is being tested, AC-099, is a very early prototype and is only a testbed for the most basic of systems aboard the vehicle. Future Aimschaser prototypes will feature more of the systems that will be present in the final vehicle.
References
https://sites.google.com/view/exelaspace/home
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