Updates Orbital ATK OmegA Rocket Updates

[boogabooga]

So, Orbital ATK has recently revealed some information on their new OmegA rocket proposal.

https://www.orbitalatk.com/flight-systems/space-launch-vehicles/OmegA/default.aspx

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gekjig-QeIA"]OmegA: Orbital ATK’s New Large-Class Rocket - YouTube[/ame]

Some notes:
-They are claiming that it is an EELV. In 2018.:huh:
-Seems to skirt the whole pesky 1st stage reuse issue by just using "cheap" STS-derived SRBs as booster stages. (What else would we expect from ATK?)
-Not sure if they will attempt the shuttle-era simple parachute recovery/reuse of the SRBs.
-The customer vs. competitor relationships between all these aerospace companies has just gotten even more... interesting.

 

[IronRain]

Some notes:
-Seems to skirt the whole pesky 1st stage reuse issue by just using "cheap" STS-derived SRBs as booster stages. (What else would we expect from ATK?)
-Not sure if they will attempt the shuttle-era simple parachute recovery/reuse of the SRBs.

In fact not STS derived, but Constellation (Ares I) derived!
IIRC, the won't recover the SRB's.

Nasaspaceflight.com also published a nice article about it: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/03/orbital-atk-next-phase-ngl-rocket-development/

Since I thought Ares I was quite nice, I hope that they really can get it of the ground. I have my doubts though..

 

[boogabooga]

I never thought that we would get to the point where a major aerospace company announcing a new medium/heavy class launch vehicle would generate almost no interest in a spaceflight fan forum, but here we are.

Market saturation.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

Not market saturation, but more of a "huh" reaction. In an era where rockets are getting reused on an increasingly frequent basis, an all-solid, disposable launcher in this particular payload range doesn't make a lot of business sense.

 

[edkyle99]

In fact not STS derived, but Constellation (Ares I) derived!

The only things it might have in common with Ares I would be the launch site and the approximate solid rocket motor diameter. Otherwise it is all new. The solid motors use composite cases. The "Common Booster Segment" ( I think it is called) is longer and carries more propellant than the steel case segments used by Shuttle and SLS. Unlike Ares I, which would have used one big solid motor first stage, Omega would use two smaller solid motor stages, augmented by strap-on Castor 63XL-somethings, topped by an RL10-powered third stage.

Orbital ATK (soon to be Northrop Grumman) expects to win one of the three or four "EELV-2" awards this summer to allow it to continue Omega development. It will be interesting to see how far the Air Force wants this to proceed.

- Ed Kyle

 

[Nicholas Kang]

Some updates:

Northrop Grumman had test-fired both the first and second stage of the rocket on May 30, 2019, and on February 27, 2020 respectively. And the good news is, the company said data from first and second stage static fires supports hardware production for OmegA’s first certification flight in 2021.

WASHINGTON — After reviewing the results of first and second stage tests of the OmegA rocket, Northrop Grumman says the vehicle is ready to move forward to its next phase of preparation for a debut flight in 2021.

The company test fired the first stage solid rocket motor on May 30, 2019, and the second stage motor on February 27, 2020.

Both static fires “as well as other subsystem testing, completes all Common Boost Segment motor testing prior to the first flight of the intermediate configuration of the OmegA launch vehicle,” Northrop Grumman said in a test report the company plans to release April 27.

Source: Spacenews.com

 

[IronRain]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1295826841853403139

 

[IronRain]

Northrop Grumman weighing exit options for OmegA rocket

Northrop Grumman weighing exit options for OmegA rocket

spacenews.com