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SSC16-II-07 The Norwegian Initiative for a Satellite Nano-Launcher Bastien Haemmerli, Adrien J. Boiron, Onno Verberne Nammo Raufoss AS P.O. Box 162 NO-2831 Raufoss Norway; +47 61 15 36 50 [email protected] ABSTRACT Activities at Nammo directed towards nano-launcher development have been growing for many years now. The main focus is on hybrid rocket motorization development, launcher architecture and system studies, all with various level of support from the Norwegian Space Center, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission. The future concept of operation of the launcher has been identified, which makes extensive use of existing Norwegian space infrastructure. The targeted launch capacity is 20-35 kg to LEO initially, 50 kg potentially, from a launch site ideal for polar and Sun-Synchronous Orbits (SSO). The use of hybrid propulsion is the key to enable launcher mission flexibility and a low-cost approach. Recent motor test campaigns have demonstrated consistent high performance, essential for an efficient launcher propulsion system. To demonstrate the performance of Nammo’s hybrid technology, Nammo and the Andøya Space Center (ASC) are getting ready to launch a sounding rocket in the spring 2017, the Nucleus, which will be the first Norwegian-designed and -built rocket to reach space. Selecting the right nano-launcher architecture, performing detailed system and optimization studies while carefully balancing cost and performance are among the upcoming activities. INTRODUCTION and since their key features are responsiveness, low- cost and flexibility, the same has to be applied to their Hybrid propulsion has gained a lot of interest in the last launch service. So far, most of these new satellite decade as a promising solution for sounding rockets and nano-launcher applications. Hybrid propulsion is an companies have to rely on the big players to get their appealing technology, taking advantages from both the access to space through hitchhiking as secondary payloads on large institutional launchers. One niche has liquids and the solid motors, such as simplicity, low already been taken by deploying them from the ISS cost, safety and fast responsiveness. The space market (NanoRacks and JAXA), but these apparently cheap itself is evolving towards nano- and micro-satellites, solutions are still based on an extremely expensive which are increasingly utilized for all kind of purposes. This trend appears to expand into small satellites platform. The release from a relatively fixed platform is constellations, a market which many start-up companies not as flexible as desired either, as it only provides the nanosat with an orbit limited to the inclination of the are already investing in, e.g. Skybox, BlackSky Global and Planet Labs. They are claiming their spot on the Space Station. stage next to the big players by having a much faster The need for a dedicated launch service for these ever response to market needs as well as by providing more powerful nanosats, is quite clear to everybody in affordable satellites for: high-definition imaging, the space community. The challenge lies in their limited climate data acquisition, maritime shipping assets launch mass, which represents the low-end of the tracking or In Orbit Demonstration and Validation satellite mass range for which no institutional launchers (IOD/IOV). Their business concept seems to have been developed. In response to this need, several completely out-compete the big players and they are commercial space companies have already claimed that attracting venture capital as well as the attention of big they will soon be ready to offer to the market their own multinational enterprises not normally active in the version of such a new launch service, i.e. Virgin space business. Galactic's LauncherOne, Rocket Lab’s Electron, S3's The Norwegian initiative, or NorthStar, with Nammo, Space Plane SOAR and Firefly Space System’s Firefly Andøya Space Center (ASC) and the Norwegian Space Alpha. Center (NRS) as main contributors, is moving along a NASA, through its Venture Class Launch Service, has path leading to a solution which will provide this emitted a request to provide a launch service for emerging market a dedicated launch service. All these nanosats in relation to its Launch Services Program. new satellites need an affordable way to get into space, Haemmerli 1 29th Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites In a draft request for proposals released in May 2015, THE NORWEGIAN PERSPECTIVE NASA said it is seeking to fund one or two dedicated Most Norwegian space activities have been motivated launches to carry 60 kilograms of cubesats to Low by geographic factors. Norway is an elongated country, Earth Orbit in 2018. The request does actually only call reaching far to the north, with a sea area more than six for the launch service, it is not defining what launch times larger than its land area (see Figure 1). With a vehicle is to be used. With any operational options yet, scattered population, rugged topography, long distances NASA is merely stating their support of the above to cover and harsh climatic conditions, space is an mentioned initiatives and that they are willing to attractive place to monitor its own territory from. In purchase their services, when they become available. A addition, Norway’s economy includes heavy elements 2010 initiative from NASA offering a multimillion- of natural-resource extraction and maritime transport. dollar prize competition to support the development of There is a priority towards the use of navigation, a dedicated nanosatellite launch vehicle as part of its communication and earth observation satellites to Centennial Challenges program was canceled in address needs related to ship traffic, fisheries, December 2012 based on the argument that none of the agriculture, offshore petroleum and the public commercial competitors had the expertise or the means supervision of maritime activities. to fulfill the task of developing a complete new nano- launcher. This should be a reminder that the challenge of developing a dedicated nano-launcher should not be taken lightly! For the NorthStar Launch Vehicle, the focus has primarily been placed on the development of low cost propulsion and securing its availability before starting a selling campaign of a launch service and the manufacturing of the final launch vehicle per say. In this scenario, hybrid propulsion has been considered the most credible technology to be applicable for a future affordable dedicated space transportation system for small to very small satellites. By basing the concept on a modular, low cost and green approach, the rocket motors developed for the dedicated launcher, simply Figure 1: Norway's Sea Areas Are 6x Larger than its called Unitary Motors (UM), will also be attractive to Land Areas the scientific world as the motors for sounding rockets. Microgravity flights remain an active and appealing All these priorities and the will to exploit the sector for scientific and technological application of geographic and territorial advantages of Norway have reasonably sized rocket motors. In truth, the risk is led to considerable investments in space infrastructure. much more manageable if the propulsion is first offered Norwegian infrastructure is positioned on Svalbard, on to the sounding rocket market in order to obtain Jan Mayen Island and in Antarctica, which has made operational flight experience from a less demanding Norway an attractive space partner for international application. This is therefore chosen as the path forward cooperation. for the NorthStar Launch Vehicle. Figure 2: The SvalSat Satellite Control Station Haemmerli 2 29th Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites Infrastructure in Place And with the TrollSat station on Antarctica, Norway can offer launch, orbit insertion and multiple download The same infrastructure is one of the driving forces behind the initiative to develop a launch service for a and control points of your nanosatellite from Norwegian territory. It can offer an around-the-globe dedicated nano-launcher from Norway. Norway’s space-related ground infrastructure with relevance to service. nanosats and the launcher program consists of: Nammo Rocket Motor Factory and Test Facility SvalSat, the largest ground station on earth for Another important objective for space investments in control of polar-orbiting satellites and data Norway has been to stimulate growth and innovation in reception Norway’s high-tech economy. Nammo Raufoss is a TrollSat, a satellite station on Antarctica, that renowned manufacturer of rocket motors for tactical is part of the global network of ground stations missiles and space applications. They are delivering Tromsø Satellite Station, Nittedal, Oslo and rocket motors for the separation of the main boosters Eik are all land based control stations from Ariane 5 and will be involved in Ariane 6 as well. Andøya Space Center (ASC) which includes a With their move into hybrid rocket motor technology, launch facility and provides research support they have been put into the position to develop, test and to scientists studying atmospheric phenomena, manufacture rocket motors large enough to power primarily through the launch of rockets and sounding rockets and a nano-launcher. research balloons. To support the development of the hybrid technology Svalbard Rocket Range (SvalRak) an Nammo has invested in a state-of-the-art test facility for alternative launch site for ASC green propulsion, with the capacity to test the first stage As a coastal island far from major settlements, of a nano-launcher with a sea level thrust up to 500kN. Andøya’s location is a competitive advantage for launching rockets (see Figure 1 and Figure 3). There is a vast sea area, no air restrictions and it is situated at high latitude with a year-around access, which makes it the ideal place for launching into polar or Sun- Synchronous Orbits. The SvalSat satellite station is ideally placed to assist under the launch of a nano-launcher from Andøya, as it can take over control and perform orbit insertion when Andøya has disappeared behind the horizon.

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