Rocket Factory Augsburg

Rocket Factory Augsburg
In June 2023, they became the first European company to complete a full upper-stage test with a staged-combustion Helix engine.
www.rfa.space

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Rocket Factory Augsburg is developing high-performance, low-cost rockets to make space more accessible than ever before.
www.rfa.space www.rfa.space

Now RFA preset ARGO a successor of ESA ATV and its reusable.
www.rfa.space

The Ultimate Guide to Argo: Our Cost-Effective Cargo Capsule

You asked, we answered! We share everything you need to know about Argo, our cost-effective space cargo capsule.
www.rfa.space www.rfa.space
 
Michel Van said:
Rocket Factory Augsburg
In June 2023, they became the first European company to complete a full upper-stage test with a staged-combustion Helix engine.
www.rfa.space

Home

Rocket Factory Augsburg is developing high-performance, low-cost rockets to make space more accessible than ever before.
www.rfa.space www.rfa.space

Now RFA preset ARGO a successor of ESA ATV and its reusable.
www.rfa.space

The Ultimate Guide to Argo: Our Cost-Effective Cargo Capsule

You asked, we answered! We share everything you need to know about Argo, our cost-effective space cargo capsule.
www.rfa.space www.rfa.space
Click to expand...
Ambitious, but playing around with the numbers They’ve given and their IAD model I get terminal speeds noticeably higher (2-3 times at least, minimum 45-50 kph if not more) than a Dragon capsule Splashdown, closer to a SRB splashdown speed, surely this mustn’t be good for bringing cargo back, they say they aren't using parachutes and the IAD "fully covers the deceleration prior to Splash-down",

I think they're gonna use some Soyuz-like retro-rocket (after all, the heatshield-end that will face the reentry plasma includes the Fenix orbital maneuvering thrusters, so adding some landing thrusters there must be possible)
 
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fredymac said:
German startup hoping to launch in 2022. Their rocket is roughly the same size/performance as Rocket Lab. I couldn't find a launch price but they state "low cost". They have a video on their website here:

https://www.rfa.space/mission/

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I find it a bit of a cool coincidence if there really is one, a German startup called "Rocket Factory Augsburg" whose initials RFA also means "République Fédérale d'Allemagne" in French.
 

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Something very interresting is the increase in payload which RFA ONE is supposed to carry now. Also this explosion will likely set the launch date with a big margin back. The Website golem has some interresting reports about them tought they sound a little biased.
 
fredymac said:
German startup hoping to launch in 2022. Their rocket is roughly the same size/performance as Rocket Lab. I couldn't find a launch price but they state "low cost". They have a video on their website here:

https://www.rfa.space/mission/

View attachment 641874
Click to expand...
Older Reports claim that a launch cost of 3 million was the goal tought then the rocket also was only designed for so.e 200kg to LEO
 

A critical article by Frank Wunderlich-Pfeiffer (professional european astronautics critic)
Personally the main criticism I've heard of them from former employee and people in the european launcher industry is that they're an intern farm and very reliant on them in some departments.

There have been a lot of talks about OHB pulling support but I don't believe it for now, RFA hasn't been a huge expense so far (reportedly on the order of 100M€) and has been Fuchs' pet project for years (actually the roots of RFA comes from various trade studies done by OHB on ESA order during the genesis of Ariane 6 - which came to the conclusion to go for a monocore kerolox launcher with russo-ukrainian-derived closed cycle engines, basically RFA One)
OHB also reportedly repeatedly tells investors they're fully commited to funding RFA to the maiden launch.

IMO the main risk is that the delays caused by this remove a lot of their first mover advantage... The late 2025 ESA Ministerial is an important deadline since it's where the funding for the ESA launcher challenge will be decided, so far RFA was by far the best positioned to prove a launcher before that date and show ESA a fait accompli... They probably had the margin to do at least two orbital launch attempt, now, not so much.
 
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Seems the issue is the Engine that RFA got from Ukraine company Yuzhnoye
they sell RFA a closed cycle engines that use oxygen rich hot gas for Turbopumps.
However according Frank Wunderlich-Pfeiffer is this oxygen rich hot gas highly corrosive.
and it seems that RFA has issues with that kind of technology

OHB mention by TheKutKu is the mother company of RFA

source:
 
Michel Van said:
Seems the issue is the Engine that RFA got from Ukraine company Yuzhnoye
they sell RFA a closed cycle engines that use oxygen rich hot gas for Turbopumps.
However according Frank Wunderlich-Pfeiffer is this oxygen rich hot gas highly corrosive.
and it seems that RFA has issues with that kind of technology

OHB mention by TheKutKu is the mother company of RFA

source:
Click to expand...
Yeah tought they are developing there own engine too.
 
kqcke for you said:
Yeah tought they are developing there own engine too.
Click to expand...
Perhaps the Yuzhnoye engine was intended as an interim 'slot in' measure, allowing RFA to develop their own in-house engine at a less frenetic pace? Though if so, it seems to have not worked out quite as planned.
 
The flight engines are all made in-house, Helix is an adapted, German-built version of Yuzhnoye's RD-809K.

Ukrainian-made components were used only for development and they don't currently depend on any Ukrainian suppliers.

The current engine is "final", of course it'll be improved but they don't plan on replacing it.
 
klem said:
I find it a bit of a cool coincidence if there really is one, a German startup called "Rocket Factory Augsburg" whose initials RFA also means "République Fédérale d'Allemagne" in French.
Click to expand...
Augsburg also means Messerschmitt Bf 109
 

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