By steam to space, hydrogen peroxide to orbit

[freebeard]

https://www.arcaspace.com/ecorocket

Originally Posted by en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARCAspace

EcoRocket Demonstrator
The EcoRocket Demonstrator (formerly just EcoRocket) is a partially-reusable three-stage orbital launch vehicle currently under development. The EcoRocket Demonstrator had been slated to launch in 2022, however, no launch took place that year. The vehicle's reusable first stage will use a battery-powered steam rocket to propel a small second stage to an altitude of 7 kilometers. The second stage will then proceed to a higher altitude to deploy a smaller third stage, carrying the payload. The third stage utilizes RP-1 and high test peroxide to propel a payload of up to 10 kilograms into orbit. The rocket takes its name from the claimed ecological benefits of not burning as much kerosene (despite using kerosene to achieve most of orbital velocity).[38] The EcoRocket will launch partially submerged in the Black Sea, in a similar manner to the Sea Dragon.[39] Both the first and second stages are intended to be reusable, parachuting back into the ocean for recovery. The vehicle is intended to demonstrate technologies for the upcoming EcoRocket Heavy.

Here's hoping Romania has better luck that Yugoslavia had in the 1950s.

[to_achu]

They are nor even PRETENDING to be a serious company.

[freebeard]

I hadn't thought about them since I made the post, so I chose to check for any new developments.

finance.yahoo.com: RocketStar Announces Successful Demonstration of Fusion-Enhanced Pulsed Plasma Electric Propulsion

"[Plasmoids] are so hot right now."

Edit: This appears to be a separate company. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_spaceflight_companies

[a7p6zy]

Has anyone seen any recent updates on the EcoRocket Demonstrator's progress or launch plans?

[freebeard]

Made me look.

June, 2024:
www.arcaspace.com/post/ecorocket-nano-a-state-of-the-art-civilian-version-of-the-military-cer-160tr-rocket

Photo: The CER-160TR artillery target rocket during the Mission 17 test launch from Cape Midia Air Force Base, in June 2024.
EcoRocket Nano for Mission 15 is based on this 160mm caliber military rocket.

Jun 6, 2023:
medium.com/ami-exploration/yes-otrag-influenced-the-ecorocket-heavy-design-ami-part-xxi-903a1849319d

I need to admit that when I started to design and build rockets, in 1998, 15 years after that article in Modelism, I thought about OTRAG, and I decided to implement their philosophy in ARCA’s first rocket, Demonstrator 1. It never flew, but it was the basis for the successful Demonstrator 2B that was launched in 2004 from the Cape Midia Air Force Base, on the Black Sea shore. These two rockets were built in a backyard by only three people with a microscopic budget in the range of $30,000. After that, I departed from that successful design and focused on much more complex designs that weren’t that successful. Then, for the EcoRocket, 20 years later, after having tried various other options to create the ideal cost-effective rocket, I returned to the basics with the EcoRocket and then EcoRocket Heavy designs. The OTRAG program didn’t provide just inspiration for the design approach, but it also helped me learn about political influences, what mistakes they did, and what is there to learn from it.

Eyes on the prize:

https://medium.com › ami-exploration › arcas-ami-asteroid-mining-program-part-i-825bf51a0eae
ARCA's Asteroid Mining Program, an Overview — AMi, Part I
Apr 14, 2023The AMi Exploration Program's first asteroid mining mission will aim to return 1,000 kg of platinum. At current prices of around $34,000 per kilogram, that payload would convert into $34,000,000.

Possibly related: www.nasdaq.com/articles/rtx-airbus-join-develop-hybrid-electric-system-pioneerlab-helicopter-demonstrator

RTX Corp. (RTX) announced Monday that its businesses, Pratt & Whitney Canada and Collins Aerospace, have been selected by Airbus Helicopters, of aerospace major Airbus SE (EADSY.PK), to support the development of a hybrid-electric propulsion system for its PioneerLab technology demonstrator.

Test flights of the hybrid-electric propulsion system are targeted to begin in 2027 at Airbus Helicopters' site in Donauwörth, Germany.

[freebeard]

So my second favorite aerospace company is Arcaspace.*

ArcaSpace, 25 Years, 1999-2024

Romania has the best teenage rock-and-rollers, and steampunk spaceflight. Their goal isn't Mars, just crashing the platinum market here on Terra Firma.

edit:
And no, the hybrid helicopter is not related.

*Notice at 2015 they demonstrate an actual hoverboard.