PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
April 28, 2006
Hello Everyone,
I would like to begin by thanking everyone who has showed such enthusiastic interest and support to Columbiad and our gun launched flight systems. This has truly been quite an interesting and exciting couple of years for us.
Due to the volume of mail that we have been receiving it has become difficult to reply to each of you individual so I am going to provide a general briefing for everyone and if you have any specific questions we can address them later.
To begin I would like to formally welcome Daniel Faber to the Columbiad Family. Daniel is our new electronics magician and in addition to all of his excellent work developing Columbiad's high G flight electronics he is currently working on hardened impactors for both terrestrial research and planetary exploration.
Back in the spring of 2004 we were following a very busy schedule that would allow us to bring our ISS launcher into operation as soon as possible. This included continuing our launch system research with our prototype launcher and the construct tracking hardware and other components for the ISS launch system. During this time we also conducted extensive marketing research.
Our launch system research lead us into testing a new and unique multi-chambering propellant system. This multi-chambering system consists of two or more propellant charges which are ignited sequentially, as the vehicle travels down the bore, to maintain a more constant bore pressure and a much higher launch velocity. We were so encouraged by the results of our initial testing that we are now eager to incorporate this new system into all of our future launcher designs. This was a very productive and busy launch season for us as we managed to conduct more test launches in the summer of 2004 then we had the two previous years combined.
We were also quite pleased when our marketing research determined that there was a significant market niche for the launching of small satellites (~1kg) and that our gun launching systems would be an ideal and inexpensive method of launching them. This was an opportunity that we could not ignore.
As you may remember we intended to use our ISS launcher to prototype satellite launching technologies. In its original configuration we had calculated that the ISS launcher would have been capable of launching a minimal payload, less then 200g, into low orbit. This payload would have been very small, little more then a radio beacon and a battery but it would have been enough to prove the necessary technologies. In order to use the ISS launcher to launch nano-satellites in the 1kg range it was necessary to greatly improve on the basic capabilities if the ISS launch system.
Capitalizing on our marketing research, during the beginning of 2005 we conducted an extensive engineering review on many different bore sizes of possible gun propulsion satellite launchers and we identified a number of specific technologies and techniques that we would needed to develop to construct a successful satellite launching system.
In order to include nano-satellite launching as one of our major products it has been necessary to alter our original schedule to allow us the time to development of a number of rather specialized technologies which we will be including with an improved ISS launcher. It would seem that this delay has caused quite some anxiety for our friends who have been eager for us to begin flight operations and for this I apologize.
In late 2004 we began to extensively modify our 60mm prototype launcher to allow us to prove out these new technologies and techniques so that we could successful implement them in an improved ISS launch system.
These modifications have included a new composite barrel extension, a new higher capacity recoil system and a new mounting rail to allow us to use the 60mm launcher for vertical flights. At the same time we have been outfitting a 53' long tractor trailer to to serve as the mounting platform for the ISS launcher.
Rather than continue with last years multi-chambering work, this summer (2005) we began the flight testing of a new vehicle we are calling the FireFly. The FireFly is a high performance, high altitude, flight vehicle specifically designed to prototype improved satellite launching technologies. Among other advanced features the FireFly contains two high performance rocket motor stages that we expect will allow us to loft a small payload right up to the edges of space, an altitude of over 100 km. This will be a rather remarkable achievement for a gun launcher with a bore smaller around than the average coffee cup (60mm or 2.3").
The airframe testing of the Firefly began last summer from the new 60mm prototype launcher and will continue in the spring. We are also currently prototyping the rocket elements of the FireFly vehicle and we expect to begin to test the entire vehicle under full launch conditions beginning in the spring.
By the fall we expect to have both the ISS trailer and the FireFly flight vehicle ready for high altitude flight operations. As a temporary measure we will be mounting our 60mm prototype launcher onto the ISS trailer and we are working hard to be ready by the end of the year to conduct a series of high altitude flights with the FireFly. After we are satisfied with the FireFly's performance we will be commissioning an improved ISS launcher and we will begin flight operations with it as soon as we are able.
For all of our friends in Academia, please note that there has already been a number of requests to include a number of research flights into our first launch series. If you have an interest in using Columbiad's launchers or our other facilities for your research project feel free to contact us soon so that we can accommodate your needs.
Before I conclude I would like to note that although we have several candidate launch sites in mind we have not yet firmly decided on a launch site for our first high altitude flight series. Mounted on a single tractor trailer truck Columbiad's ISS/prototype launch system will be completely road portable, completely self-contained and will not require any external support or established facilities. This launcher can be set up at practical any sight with a decent access road and enough down range area allow for a safe flight. We would be happy to consider all possible launch sites, both in North America and Internationally, so feel free to suggest a location.
Once again I would like to thank everyone who has showed such enthusiastic interest and support for Columbiad and we look forward to continuing to work with you in the future.
Yours very truly,
Richard Graf
President
Columbiad Launch Services Inc.
