Dear Readers,

If you follow this project – you already know that our efforts of putting a man into space on a suborbital DIY mission is a project about making dreams and ideas come true.

The real driver for doing this is finding solutions to the many exciting problem this project has to offer – but also seeing natural science unfold itself in pictures and videos during tests and final flights.

Before we get there – we have to “settle” with illustrations and conceptual drawings of what to expect on future missions. Carsten Brandt is our conceptual artists – constantly working such amazing drawings and just finished a bunch for the HEAT2X/TDS80 mission which is to be launched summer 2014.

The concepts and subsystems in these drawings are made of what is know at the moment and even trying to get as much detailed information from all teams are not easy but it seems pretty close to the final design. Both Carsten and I have a real passion for such hand made drawings which was also a method used in the “old days” by NASA – before it all went to be cold 3D-renderings.

PLEASE ENJOY – HEAT2X/TDS80

The x-ray image above only displays a certain number of main subsystems. Some of these systems has already been explained in previous blogs but here is a short description of each from this image:

Capsule (TDS80)



Top lid

This lid on the TDS80-capsule is not only the actual nose cone of the entire rocket but also the cap of the bay containing the recovery systems for the capsule. The top lid is made from plain carbon steel but has a 10-50 mm layer of cork for heat protection of the systems its holding. (ballute, drogue, flotation device). So far, we are likely to use an airbag-charge to provide and instant overpressure for top lid jettison.

Ballute

The space capsule ballute is a balloon/parachute combo system which is deployed at apogge. This drag-device can withstand super sonic speeds while providing just enough drag in the thin part of the atmosphere to ensure a correct orientation of the capsule during re-entry. The ballute will be released after atmospheric re-entry using a standard 3-ring system pulling the drogue for deployment which is used during splashdown.

Flotation device

The capsule has a mass of 80 kg and does not float. A dedicated flotation device must be installed and will be released for use during splashdown to ensure safe recovery of the capsule.

Parachute bay

The containing under the top lid holding ballute, drogue and flotation-device.

Camera x 2

The capsule will be installed with two wide angle cameras pointing towards the horizon. The feed will be recorded on board and transmitted to ground control for live-viewing in mission control and Youtube.

GPS Antenna

A number of GPS-antenna systems (without altitude and speed limitation) will be added to provide live data for mission control on general FIDO-positioning.

Antenna send/receive

The capsule will transmit all on board computer data and video to mission control for live mission analysis and for general record keeping, if the capsule is lost later during the mission.

Avionics

There will be four main avionics boxes installed in the capsule for all data handling, communication, navigation and video.

External interface

The main side of the capsule provides access to the main interface of the capsule. This interface is used for data-handling, charging and activation of systems prior to launch.

Batteries

The capsule will have a number of NiMH, 13.2 V battery-packages installed in the bottom providing power for all on-board systems during the entire mission phase.

Launch vehicle (HEAT2X)

Separation ring

The launch vehicle holds the separation ring which is the interface between the capsule and the launch vehicle. This ring has four clamps holding the capsule in place which are released prior to apogee.

Parachute bay

The launch vehicle will have ballute, drogue and main parachute installed in the parachute bay which becomes available after the separation ring is jettisoned.

Avionics / battery modules

The main avionics and battery section of the launch vehicle is placed below the parachute bay. General control, communication and navigation is being handled, stored and transmitted from this section.

Cable tunnel

The cable tunnel of the launch vehicle is the data and power communication link between the upper avionics section and the lower avionics parts such as jet vanes control.

LOX tank

Propellant tank for liquid oxygen.

LOX heat exchanger

This spiral device provide constant cooling of the LOX tank during fueling and prior to launch. Having a constant flow of LOX will keep the temperature to a desired level and provide additional time for sea launch operation. This system is automatically disengaged when launched.

Flight termination detonation chord

The launch vehicle has two detonation chord installed which will be fired if there is a need for instant flight termination due to course malfunction combined general engine short down failure.

Double walled LOX pipe

The LOX propellant has to pass the fuel tank and to avoid any LOX heating during this process an insulated double walled piping system us used.

Fuel tank

The tank holding 75% alcohol as the second propellant component.

Roll thrusters

Each fine tip has hydrogen peroxide roll thrusters installed as part of the guidance system.

Injector

The injector is the top part of the liquid propellant engine functioning as a “shower head” injecting both LOX and alcohol into the combustion chamber.

Combustion chamber

The main core of the liquid propellant engine burning LOX and alcohol as the launch vehicle propellant.

Jet vanes

The main guidance system for the rocket using 4 copper rudders places into the exhaust altering the thrust vectors of the rocket. Each rudder is tilted using high power servo engines which are controlled from the main avionics guidance system.

Alcohol fuel pipe

The liquid propellant engine is constantly cooled by the fuel (alcohol) in a doubled hull construction. The alcohol is entering the engine is the lower skirt part until it reaches the top injector and becomes a part of the propellant.

TDS80 close-up view (just for the blog). Image: Carsten Brandt

I love watching Carstens drawings for hours – but we have to exchange those with real images from a real flight – back to work!

Ad Astra

Kristian von Bengtson