BlueSky 2 - KSP-RO/GoForLaunch GitHub Wiki
The BlueSky 2 family of three-stage rockets are our first generation orbital launch vehicle. Developed by Soundandfury and NathanKell, they can lift a tiny 10kg satellite to LEO.
The original BlueSky 2 was a design study by Soundandfury for a rocket using four AJ10-37 engines in its first stage, a single AJ10-37 for the second stage, and an unguided XASR-1 kick stage. It was felt that clustering four engines was a recipe for unreliability, so NathanKell developed an alternate first stage using the tried-and-tested A4 engine, resulting in the BlueSky 2A.
Both variants rely upon coasting for some time after second stage burnout in order to reach a suitable altitude, at which point the second stage guidance uses its cold-nitrogen RCS to point at the horizon, then small solid motors spin up the vehicle and provide ullage for the XASR-1 kick stage, which then separates and ignites, providing some 4,680m/s (15,400fps) of delta-V to achieve orbit.
The satellite to be launched is a 20 inch X-ray detector with a pair of lightweight whip antennas to transmit its readings to the ground. The object weighs 10kg (22lb).
As a precursor to orbital launches, as neither the 'Able' avionics nor the satellite were yet ready, a sounding rocket (the BlueSky 2AWG) was built for test flights of the new engines.
- Payload: 10kg (22lb)
- Destination: LEO (3000x300km typical)
- GLOM: 14,814kg (32,660lb)
- Vac. Delta-V: 9801m/s (32,156fps)
- Engine: A-4 burning Ethanol/LOX, with HTP turbopump
- Thrust: 311.8kN (70klbf)
- Sea Level Isp: 203 seconds (1,991m/s)
- Wet mass: 12,283kg (27,079lb)
- Dry mass: 2,478kg (5,463lb)
- Vac. Delta-V: 2,541m/s (8,337fps) (in stack)
- Engine: AJ10-37 burning UDMH/IWFNA, pressure fed
- Thrust: 33.8kN (7.6klbf)
- Vacuum Isp: 271 seconds (2,658m/s)
- Wet mass: 2,082kg (4,590lb)
- Dry mass: 493kg (1,087lb)
- Vac. Delta-V: 2,574m/s (8,445fps) (in stack)
- Engine: XASR-1 burning Aniline/Furfuryl/IRFNA-III, pressure fed
- Thrust: 13.8kN (3.09klbf)
- Vacuum Isp: 235.4 seconds (2,309m/s)
- Wet mass: 439kg (968lb)
- Dry mass: 49kg (108lb)
- Vac. Delta-V: 4,685m/s (15,371fps) (with 10kg (22lb) payload)
All BlueSky 2 launches were from Cape Canaveral, FL. A total of 6 vehicles have been launched, with 5 successes.
Three proving flights of BlueSky 2AWG sounding rocket. No failures were observed, and all three launches attained apogee of around 4,500km (2,800mi).
Three satellite launch attempts on BlueSky 2A; two successes and one failure.
Eastward launch with pitch turn set for 300km insertion. Successfully placed Oboe-1 satellite into 3018x291km orbit, at 28.664° inclination. This was GFL's first ever orbital launch!
Launch at the azimuth limit for Cape Canaveral range safety, heading 35°, in order to maximise orbital inclination. Placed Oboe-2 satellite into 2261x279km orbit at 55.464°. Success.
Attempt to launch into a higher / more circular orbit. The pitch turn was reduced, putting the insertion burn at 600km. However, this proved too optimistic as the higher gravity losses left the kick stage about 300m/s (1,000fps) short of circularisation, at 595x-430km. RSO destroyed the vessel to minimise re-entering debris. The GFL public relations office characterised the mission as a "Successful Failure™".