Masten Space Systems
Encyclopedia
Masten Space Systems is an aerospace startup company in Mojave, California
(formerly Santa Clara, California
) that is developing a line of vertical takeoff, vertical landing
(VTVL) spacecraft, initially for unmanned suborbital research flights and eventually intended to support unmanned orbital launches.
based rocket company that is currently developing a line of reusable VTVL spacecraft, and related rocket propulsion hardware.
Masten Space Systems competed in the NASA and Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge X Prize in 2009, winning the level one second prize of $150,000 and the level two first prize of $1,000,000. On November 2, 2009 it was announced that Masten Space Systems had won first place in the level two category, with Armadillo Aerospace
coming in second.
After a tethered flight mishap that led to the XA-0.1 vehicle being retired, Masten recognized that a few of the important goals of XA-0.1 had not been achieved, most particularly demonstration of stable, controlled flight.
The primary goal of these two airframes was to demonstrate stable, controlled flight using a GN&C
system developed in-house at Masten. XA-0.1B originally featured four engines with 1000 pound-forces (4.4 kN) thrust, but was converted in Spring 2009 to be powered by one engine of 750 pound-forces (3.3 kN) thrust.
XA-0.1B - nicknamed "Xombie" - first flew free of tether September 19, 2009
and qualified for the Lunar Lander Challenge Level One second prize of $150,000 on October 7, 2009.
by just a bit more than 24 inches (61 cm) of total landing accuracy, with an average accuracy of about 7.5 inches (19.1 cm) on the two landings in the round-trip competition flight.
Xoie has an aluminum frame and features a version of Masten's 750 pound-forces (3.3 kN) thrust engine that produces around 1000 pound-forces (4.4 kN) of thrust. "Xoie" - as the craft is nicknamed - qualified for the Lunar Lander Challenge level two on October 30, 2009.
unmanned rocket which is being developed by Masten in 2010-2011. It has been submitted to NASA as a potential suborbital vehicle for use as a suborbital reusable launch vehicle (sRLV) for carrying research payloads under NASA's Flight Opportunities Program (initially known as the CRuSR - Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research - program), projecting 30 km (18.6 mi) altitude in initial flights of five to six minutes duration, while carrying a 10 kg (22 lb) research payload.
Mojave, California
Mojave is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States. Mojave is located east of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 2762 feet...
(formerly Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
) that is developing a line of vertical takeoff, vertical landing
VTVL
Vertical takeoff, vertical landing is a form of takeoff and landing using rockets . Multiple VTVL craft have flown. , at least five VTVL rocket vehicles are currently under development at four different aerospace companies...
(VTVL) spacecraft, initially for unmanned suborbital research flights and eventually intended to support unmanned orbital launches.
Overview
Masten Space Systems is a Mojave, CaliforniaMojave, California
Mojave is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States. Mojave is located east of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 2762 feet...
based rocket company that is currently developing a line of reusable VTVL spacecraft, and related rocket propulsion hardware.
Masten Space Systems competed in the NASA and Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge X Prize in 2009, winning the level one second prize of $150,000 and the level two first prize of $1,000,000. On November 2, 2009 it was announced that Masten Space Systems had won first place in the level two category, with Armadillo Aerospace
Armadillo Aerospace
Armadillo Aerospace is an aerospace startup company based in Mesquite, Texas. Its initial goal is to build a manned suborbital spacecraft capable of space tourism, but it has stated long-term ambitions of orbital spaceflight. The company was founded by John Carmack.On October 24, 2008, Armadillo...
coming in second.
Xombie
Masten's Xombie (model XA-0.1B) won the second prize in the Level One competition of the Lunar Lander Challenge on October 7, 2009, with an average landing accuracy of 16 centimetres (6.3 in).After a tethered flight mishap that led to the XA-0.1 vehicle being retired, Masten recognized that a few of the important goals of XA-0.1 had not been achieved, most particularly demonstration of stable, controlled flight.
The primary goal of these two airframes was to demonstrate stable, controlled flight using a GN&C
Guidance, Navigation and Control
Guidance, navigation and control is a branch of engineering dealing with the design of systems to control the movement of vehicles, especially, automobiles, ships, aircraft, and spacecraft. In many cases these functions can be performed by trained humans...
system developed in-house at Masten. XA-0.1B originally featured four engines with 1000 pound-forces (4.4 kN) thrust, but was converted in Spring 2009 to be powered by one engine of 750 pound-forces (3.3 kN) thrust.
XA-0.1B - nicknamed "Xombie" - first flew free of tether September 19, 2009
and qualified for the Lunar Lander Challenge Level One second prize of $150,000 on October 7, 2009.
Xoie
Masten's Xoie (model XA-0.1E) won the Level Two prize of the Lunar Lander Challenge on October 30, 2009. They beat Armadillo AerospaceArmadillo Aerospace
Armadillo Aerospace is an aerospace startup company based in Mesquite, Texas. Its initial goal is to build a manned suborbital spacecraft capable of space tourism, but it has stated long-term ambitions of orbital spaceflight. The company was founded by John Carmack.On October 24, 2008, Armadillo...
by just a bit more than 24 inches (61 cm) of total landing accuracy, with an average accuracy of about 7.5 inches (19.1 cm) on the two landings in the round-trip competition flight.
Xoie has an aluminum frame and features a version of Masten's 750 pound-forces (3.3 kN) thrust engine that produces around 1000 pound-forces (4.4 kN) of thrust. "Xoie" - as the craft is nicknamed - qualified for the Lunar Lander Challenge level two on October 30, 2009.
Xaero
The Xaero reusable launch vehicle is a vertical-takeoff, vertical-landing (VTVL)unmanned rocket which is being developed by Masten in 2010-2011. It has been submitted to NASA as a potential suborbital vehicle for use as a suborbital reusable launch vehicle (sRLV) for carrying research payloads under NASA's Flight Opportunities Program (initially known as the CRuSR - Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research - program), projecting 30 km (18.6 mi) altitude in initial flights of five to six minutes duration, while carrying a 10 kg (22 lb) research payload.
Other products and services
In addition to its line of vehicles, Masten Space Systems is currently offering its internally developed igniters and engines commercially to interested and qualified parties. Masten also has stated its' intent at multiple conferences to participate in technology maturation and proof of concept projects, thoughSee also
- List of private spaceflight companies - A compiled list of private spaceflight companies
- Pressure-fed cycle (rocket)Pressure-fed cycle (rocket)The pressure-fed cycle is a class of rocket engine designs. A separate gas supply, usually helium, pressurizes the propellant tanks to force fuel and oxidizer to the combustion chamber. To maintain adequate flow, the tank pressures must exceed the combustion chamber pressure.Pressure fed engines...
External links
- Masten Space Systems - Company homepage
- Masten YouTube - Company YouTube Channel