The Streaker is a rocket invented by
SpaceDev
SpaceDev, a part of the "Space Systems Business" of Sierra Nevada Corporation, is prominent for its spaceflight and Microsatellite (spaceflight), microsatellite work. It designed and built components for the hybrid rocket motors for Paul Allen ...
. It is designed to be a low-cost launch vehicle.
History
SpaceDev, the world's first commercial space exploration company,
was founded in 1997 by
Jim Benson
James William Benson (April 3, 1945 – October 10, 2008) was an American aerospace entrepreneur who founded SpaceDev, a commercial satellite and satellite component development company, and the Benson Space Company, a civilian spaceflight venture ...
, as a result of a merger between Integrated Space Systems of Southern California and a defunct publicly traded corporate shell.
In August 1998 SpaceDev acquired all patents, intellectual property, test results, and documents that had been produced by the bankrupt
American Rocket Company (AMROC). Some of these documents would later be used to create the SpaceDev Streaker.
In April 2003, SpaceDev announced the creation of the Streaker as part of a propulsion program based on the hybrid motor of the
SpaceShipOne
SpaceShipOne is an experimental air launch, air-launched rocket-powered aircraft with sub-orbital spaceflight capability at speeds of up to /
using a hybrid rocket motor. The design features a unique "Feathering (reentry), feathering" atmosph ...
, a vehicle created by Scaled Composites.
SpaceDev also received an
Air Force Research Laboratory
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is a scientific research and development detachment of the United States Air Force Air Force Materiel Command, Materiel Command dedicated to leading the discovery, development, and integration of direct- ...
contract to develop the SpaceDev Streaker Hybrid Upper Stage rocket, one of two used in the vehicle.
The Streaker was expected to undergo first launch in 2007–08.
Propulsion method
The Streaker is propelled using High Performance Mass Fraction hybrid common core boosters, which will use
HTPB and
nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide (dinitrogen oxide or dinitrogen monoxide), commonly known as laughing gas, nitrous, or factitious air, among others, is a chemical compound, an Nitrogen oxide, oxide of nitrogen with the Chemical formula, formula . At room te ...
as fuel. The two motors involved in this system are the Hybrid Upper Stage motor and the SpaceDev Streaker Small Common Booster motor, which will produce 20,000 and 120,000 pounds of thrust respectively. Both motors are used in the
SpaceDev Dream Chaser.
Other important components include a Common Core Booster and a hybrid transfer stage.
Design and testing
The Streaker is designed to offer quick response launches of payloads in the 1,102-pound class to
low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit (LEO) is an geocentric orbit, orbit around Earth with a orbital period, period of 128 minutes or less (making at least 11.25 orbits per day) and an orbital eccentricity, eccentricity less than 0.25. Most of the artificial object ...
but can support loads of up to 2,204 pounds.
The goal of the Streaker is to achieve a launch cost of under US$5,000,000 per launch.
An additional SpaceDev facility was built in
Poway, California
Poway () is a city in San Diego County, California, United States. Poway's rural roots influenced its motto "The City in the Country". The city had a population of 48,841 as of the 2020 United States census.
Poway is part of San Diego's East ...
in order to design and test the Streaker.
See also
*
SpaceDev Dream Chaser
*
Trailblazer (satellite)
References
{{reflist
Space launch vehicles of the United States