Beal Aerospace
Encyclopedia
Beal Aerospace was a launch vehicle development company, founded in February 1997 by Andrew Beal
, president of Beal Bank in Dallas, Texas
. The goal of the company was to build and operate a privately developed heavy lift orbital launch vehicle
. It ceased operations on October 23, 2000.
. Ambitious plans were made to establish a launch pad on Sombrero Island in Anguilla
, and to mass produce launch vehicles in the Virgin Islands
, but environmentalists were fiercely opposed to these development plans. Despite a number of impressive technical achievements, the company ran into a series of problems, both political and technical. Employee layoffs began in early 2000.
Following NASA
's announcement that they would fund research and development of competing launch vehicles under the Space Launch Initiative
(SLI), Andrew Beal announced on October 23, 2000 that Beal Aerospace would cease operations. This sudden announcement caught most of the remaining employees by surprise. Although citing NASA's unfair commercial practices as the primary reason for closing, other factors such as development schedule delays, cost growth, and a shrinking commercial launch market, are widely believed to have contributed to Beal's decision to cease operations.
and liquid oxygen
, but soon switched to kerosene
fuel in combination with high concentration hydrogen peroxide
oxidizer. This combination was selected in order to avoid the expense and complexity of cryogenic storage, and to reduce development costs. Kerosene was injected into the hot steam and oxygen exhaust products of catalytically decomposed hydrogen peroxide, resulting in spontaneous ignition. The original BA-1 launch vehicle design was intended to service the LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite constellation launch market, but was replaced by the much larger BA-2 design when it was decided to concentrate on the more stable Geostationary satellite launch market as the LEO constellations became financially unsound. All three stages of the BA-2 vehicle were to be pressure-fed using high-pressure helium
storage to replace the expense and complexity of turbopumps. All of the BA-2 propellant tanks and primary structures were to be manufactured from lightweight composite materials. The engines were self-cooled with ablative materials.
Andrew Beal
D. Andrew "Andy" Beal is a Dallas, Texas-based billionaire businessman who was born and raised in Lansing, Michigan. He made his fortune in banking and real estate and is the founder and chairman of Beal Bank and Beal Aerospace Technologies. Beal is also known for his high-stakes poker games and...
, president of Beal Bank in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. The goal of the company was to build and operate a privately developed heavy lift orbital launch vehicle
Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle
A Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle, or HLLV, is a launch vehicle capable of lifting more mass into Low Earth Orbit than Medium Lift or Mid-Heavy Lift Launch Vehicles.There is no universally accepted capability requirements for heavy-lift launch vehicles....
. It ceased operations on October 23, 2000.
Company history
After being founded in 1997, employment grew to approximately 200 people at the company's peak in late 1999. A rocket engine test facility was successfully established in McGregor, TexasMcGregor, Texas
McGregor is a city in Coryell and McLennan Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 4,727 at the 2000 census.McGregor lies in two counties as well as two metropolitan areas...
. Ambitious plans were made to establish a launch pad on Sombrero Island in Anguilla
Anguilla
Anguilla is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin...
, and to mass produce launch vehicles in the Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
, but environmentalists were fiercely opposed to these development plans. Despite a number of impressive technical achievements, the company ran into a series of problems, both political and technical. Employee layoffs began in early 2000.
Following NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's announcement that they would fund research and development of competing launch vehicles under the Space Launch Initiative
Space Launch Initiative
The Space Launch Initiative was a NASA and U.S. Department of Defense joint research and technology project to determine the requirements to meet all the nation’s hypersonics, space launch and space technology needs...
(SLI), Andrew Beal announced on October 23, 2000 that Beal Aerospace would cease operations. This sudden announcement caught most of the remaining employees by surprise. Although citing NASA's unfair commercial practices as the primary reason for closing, other factors such as development schedule delays, cost growth, and a shrinking commercial launch market, are widely believed to have contributed to Beal's decision to cease operations.
Launch Vehicles
Beal Aerospace initially considered a rocket that used keroseneKerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
and liquid oxygen
Liquid oxygen
Liquid oxygen — abbreviated LOx, LOX or Lox in the aerospace, submarine and gas industries — is one of the physical forms of elemental oxygen.-Physical properties:...
, but soon switched to kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
fuel in combination with high concentration hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is the simplest peroxide and an oxidizer. Hydrogen peroxide is a clear liquid, slightly more viscous than water. In dilute solution, it appears colorless. With its oxidizing properties, hydrogen peroxide is often used as a bleach or cleaning agent...
oxidizer. This combination was selected in order to avoid the expense and complexity of cryogenic storage, and to reduce development costs. Kerosene was injected into the hot steam and oxygen exhaust products of catalytically decomposed hydrogen peroxide, resulting in spontaneous ignition. The original BA-1 launch vehicle design was intended to service the LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite constellation launch market, but was replaced by the much larger BA-2 design when it was decided to concentrate on the more stable Geostationary satellite launch market as the LEO constellations became financially unsound. All three stages of the BA-2 vehicle were to be pressure-fed using high-pressure helium
Helium
Helium is the chemical element with atomic number 2 and an atomic weight of 4.002602, which is represented by the symbol He. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas that heads the noble gas group in the periodic table...
storage to replace the expense and complexity of turbopumps. All of the BA-2 propellant tanks and primary structures were to be manufactured from lightweight composite materials. The engines were self-cooled with ablative materials.
See also
- List of private spaceflight companies - A compiled list of private spaceflight companies