Skyrora
| Commercial Launch Services | |
| ISIN | 🆔 |
| Industry | Launch service provider |
| Founded 📆 | 2017...[1] |
| Founder 👔 | |
| Headquarters 🏙️ | , |
Area served 🗺️ | |
| Products 📟 | Skyrora 1 and Skyrora XL rockets |
| Members | |
Number of employees | |
| 🌐 Website | skyrora |
| 📇 Address | |
| 📞 telephone | |
Skyrora is a British aerospace company that is developing a small satellite launch vehicle in line with the UK government plans for space sector growth[2] . Skyrora is headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland[3] , and has subsidiaries in Slovakia and Ukraine[4] . Skyrora will launch their orbital vehicle, Skyrora XL, from a spaceport in Scotland.
Overview[edit]
Skyrora was founded in 2017 with the intention of providing focussed launch capability for cube, nano and micro-satellites to both polar and sun-synchronous low earth orbit from the United Kingdom.
Skyrora have announced that their strategy is to take an incremental 'step-by-step' approach to allow for critical testing and de-risking. In 2018, Skyrora have publicised that they are utilising proven British technology in combination with advanced manufacturing methods. They take inspiration from previous UK space heritage; sharing the same propellant combination as Black Arrow and utilising learnings from Skylark's technology for their sub-orbital test programme. Skyrora have emphasised that they are using a number of advanced and additive manufacturing techniques in order to create innovative, long-term solutions for future growth [5].
In January 2019, it was announced that their 3D printed 3rd stage engine, which will be used to manoeuvre the payload in orbit, has been completed in partnership with Frazer Nash Manufacturing[6].
Skyrora currently have 7 workshops located across the United Kingdom and Europe with more than 120 staff. At their headquarters in Edinburgh, UK, Skyrora currently employ 20 full time staff and say this number is growing rapidly.
At the Farnborough International Air Show in July 2018, Skyrora publicly announced a partnership with Cornwall Spaceport which would see Skyrora engine test their 3D printed 3rd stage engine at Newquay Airport in early 2019[7] – the first commercial rocket engine test to take place on UK soil since Black Arrow in the 1960s.
Launch vehicles[edit]
Sub-orbital launch vehicles[edit]
As part of their planned incremental de-risking approach, Skyrora is developing four sub-orbital rockets in order to test the insurance process, avionics, ground control systems, payload deployment and recovery systems of the vehicles in parallel with the development of their orbital rocket[8]. As these systems are the same as those that will be used, scaled up, in their orbital vehicle, this approach allows Skyrora to perform real tests of these systems. All launches are scheduled to take place from British soil with sites in northern Scotland already selected for the launches of Skylark Nano and Skylark Micro.
Skylark Nano[edit]
Skyrora launched their first sub-orbital vehicle, Skylark Nano, with a commercial payload in August 2018 from northern Scotland[9]. The BBC called this launch the first commercial rocket launch in the UK[10]. This rocket was 2 m (6 ft 6 in) in length and travelled to an altitude of 6 km [11].
Skylark Micro[edit]
The next vehicle Skyrora plan to launch is Skylark Micro. This is a two-stage solid-fuelled rocket and is currently scheduled to launch in Spring 2019. Skyrora have remained quiet with regards to the specification of this vehicle, however, it is understood that this rocket will reach 30 km in altitude whilst carrying a commercial payload, most likely from the same launch site as their Skylark Nano launch.
SkyHy[edit]
In November 2018, it was announced that Skyrora were partnering with the acclaimed engineer Richard Brown and had acquired the FARISpace project[12]. Skyrora plan to modify and reconfigure this vehicle to carry a larger payload under the name SkyHy. This vehicle is a two-stage hybrid rocket with both liquid and solid fuels. It is understood that SkyHy is set to launch with a commercial payload in summer 2019 and will reach an altitude of 100 km, meaning that SkyHy will cross the Karman line, experience micro-gravity and officially reach space[13]. This launch will allow the team to gain practical experience working with High-Test Peroxide (HTP) in preparation for use in the orbital vehicle.
SK-1[edit]
Skyrora have announced that the SK-1, their first bi-liquid fuelled vehicle, will be their penultimate test launch before beginning orbital launches[14]. This vehicle will be 10 m (32 ft 8 in) in length with the capacity to carry payloads of 90kg (198 lb) to an altitude of 100 – 120 km. As well as being their final test, the vehicle could be mass produced for the sub-orbital launch market.
Orbital Launch Vehicle[edit]
Skyrora have made several public announcements with regards to the specification of their orbital vehicle, Skyrora XL. It is understood that this vehicle will consist of 3 stages with a re-ignitable manoeuvrable third stage allowing for the specific placement of satellites in orbit[15]. The diameter of the rocket is 2 m (6 ft 6 in) and length is 25 m (82 ft). Skyrora XL is capable of carrying payloads up to 315 kg (694 lb) to a standard 500 km sun-synchronous orbit. The development of Skyrora XL is expected to be concurrent with the creation of a UK Spaceport, although the company has not yet committed to a launch site.
Fuel Technology[edit]
The sub-orbital SK-1 and orbital Skyrora XL will both use the fuel combination of hydrogen peroxide (HTP) and kerosene. Skyrora have announced that they are using hydrogen peroxide, following in the footsteps of Black Arrow, which deployed the Prospero satellite in 1971 and remains the only successful British built rocket to place a satellite into orbit[16].
Use of high-test peroxide (HTP) as an oxidiser has a number of useful advantages over the use of liquid oxygen. Firstly, unlikely liquid oxygen[17], HTP is non-cryogenic meaning it can be stored as a liquid and is stable at ambient temperature. This allows for easy transportation and storage while reducing the amount of equipment required on site. Secondly, HTP is an oxidiser that is perfectly suited for use in launches from northern Scotland. Given the climate in Scotland, thorough weather analysis has been conducted, and this shows that there should be on average a launch window every three days. As HTP is a stable liquid, Skyrora XL can remain fully fuelled on the launch pad for several days until the launch window appears whereas other vehicles containing the cryogenic liquid oxygen will have to be repeatedly refuelled and emptied given the volatility of the substance. In addition, HTP and kerosene produce a stable reaction which results in a stable flight with reduced forces and shaking, beneficial to the integrity of the satellites[18]
References[edit]
- ↑ "Skyrora Ltd".
- ↑ "UK space industry sets out vision for growth". GOV.UK.
- ↑ "Rocket firm lands new Edinburgh office site". The Scotsman.
- ↑ "Skyrora Limited". Skyrora.
- ↑ "Testing the new space race". Aero Space Testing International.
- ↑ "3D-PRINTED ROCKET ENGINE A RESULT OF UK SPACE RACE INNOVATION". Holyrood PR.
- ↑ "Cornwall chosen for rocket engine test". Business Cornwall.
- ↑ "UK rocket launched in Australia goes home". Forbes Advocate.
- ↑ "Scotland's first commercial rocket launch a success". The Sunday Post.
- ↑ "'First' commercial rocket launched from Scotland". BBC news.
- ↑ "Scotland's first commercial rocket launch hailed a success". insider.co.uk.
- ↑ "Skyrora acquires launch vehicle project". The Scotsman.
- ↑ "Skyrora acquires FARISpace developers of SkyHy sounding rocket". Rocketeers.
- ↑ "THE SUBORBITAL LAUNCH VEHICLE". Skyrora.
- ↑ "ORBITAL LAUNCH VEHICLE". Skyrora.
- ↑ "Britain launches itself back into the space race". The Telegraph.
- ↑ "Performance evaluation of hypergolic green propellants based on HTP for a future next generation spacecraft". researchgate.net. 16.
- ↑ "Highly Stabilised Hydrogen Peroxide as a Rocket Propellant". Aerospace research central.
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