Peter Turner

SHEFEX - Hypersonic Re-entry Flight Experiment Vehicle and Subsystem Design, Flight Performance and Prospects

The purpose of the Sharp Edge Flight Experiment (SHEFEX) was to investigate the aerodynamic behavior and thermal problems of an unconventional shape for re-entry vehicles comprising multi-facetted surfaces with sharp edges. The main object of this experiment was the correlation of numerical analysis with real flight data with respect to the aerodynamic effects and structural concept for the thermal protection system (TPS). The Mobile Rocket Base of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) was responsible for the test flight of SHEFEX on a two-stage unguided solid propellant sounding rocket, which was required to provide a velocity of the order of Mach 7. The SHEFEX vehicle was launched on the 27th of October 2005 from the Andoya Rocket Range, Norway. This paper presents the main design features of the vehicle and subsystems, the flight performance and the current plans for our next hypersonic project.

MORABA - Overview on DLR's Mobile Rocket Base and Projects

Mobile Rocket Base (MORABA), a division of the Space Operations and Astronaut Training Department of DLR (Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt) provides the national and international scientific community with the opportunity to prepare and implement rocket and balloon born experiments. The fields of research includes aeronomy, astronomy, geophysics, material science and hypersonic research and are conducted in cooperation with a variety of international patners. In addition satellite missions can be supported by mobile tracking radars for trajectory determination and TT&C mobile ground stations. MORABA also offers a number of mechanical and electrical systems for use on rocket, balloon and short term satellite missions. During the last four decades more than 250 campaigns have been performed in Antarctica, Australia, Brazil, France, Greenland, India, Italy, Japan, Norway, Spain, Sweden and USA. Depending on the scientific objective, an appropriate launch range is selected and complemented or fully equipped with MORABA’s mobile infrastructure, such as launcher, telemetry and tracking stations. MORABA supplies the suitable converted military surplus or commercial launch vehicles, as well as all necessary mechanical and electrical subsystems to the customers. This paper gives an overview of the MORABA infrastructure for sounding rocket launching and satellite TT&C. A short survey of MORABA projects of the last two years and the next two years is also provided.

EuroLaunch - A DLR and SSC Cooperation for Sounding Rocket and Balloon Missions

EuroLaunch is a cooperation between the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and SSC in the field of sounding rocket and balloon activities. DLR and SSC are well equipped for supporting most types of sounding rocket and balloon missions using Esrange Space Center, the SSC launch facility, as the prime range or any other worldwide location depending on the scientific mission requirements. Esrange Space center is located north the Arctic Circle near the city of Kiruna. Esrange as well as the Mobile Rocket Base (DLR-MORABA) provides all expertise and infrastructure for the launch of sounding rockets and stratospheric balloons. The collaborative coordination of services and infrastructures creates an efficient, cost effective and flexible partner for sounding rocket- and balloon missions. Both partners have long experience in the sounding rocket and balloon business and EuroLaunch will continue to create synergies to the benefits of the customers. The paper gives an overview over completed, ongoing and future activites of EuroLaunch as well as over all the resources provided, for example facilities at Esrange, mobile infrastructure of MORABA, vehicle systems, payload systems and logistics.

MORABA - Operational Aspects of Launching Rockets

Mobile Rocket Base (MORABA), a division of the Space Operations and Astronaut Training Department of DLR (German Aerospace Center) provides the national and international scientific community with the opportunity to prepare and implement rocketand balloon-borne experiments. The fields of research include aeronomy, astronomy, geophysics, material science and hypersonic research and are conducted in cooperation with a variety of international partners. In addition satellite missions can be supported by mobile tracking radars for trajectory determination and TT&C (Telemetry, Tracking & Command) mobile ground stations. MORABA also offers a number of mechanical and electrical systems for use on rocket, balloon and short term satellite missions. Since 1967 more than 250 campaigns have been performed in Antarctica, Australia, Brazil, France, Greenland, India, Italy, Japan, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the USA. Depending on the scientific objectives, an appropriate launch range is selected and complemented or fully equipped with MORABA’s mobile infrastructure, such as launcher, telemetry, telecommand and tracking stations. MORABA procures the suitable converted military surplus or commercial launch vehicles, as well as all necessary mechanical and electrical subsystems to the customers. This paper gives an overview of the MORABA infrastructure for sounding rocket launching and satellite TT&C. A short survey of MORABA support of several satellite projects in the past is also provided