Green Launch is an American aerospace company developing alternative space launch technologies based on ground-based “impulse launchers” designed to reduce the cost of sending payloads into orbit. The company focuses on replacing the first stage of traditional rockets with hydrogen-powered light-gas launch systems that accelerate payloads from the ground before a secondary propulsion stage places them into orbit.[1][2][3][4]
History
Green Launch targets small, acceleration-tolerant payloads such as CubeSats and aims to provide low-cost and rapid launch services, including suborbital missions for hypersonic testing and atmospheric research.[5][1] The concept builds on technologies previously developed in NASA and U.S. Air Force testing facilities over several decades.[5]
In December 2021, the company conducted a test of a vertical hydrogen light-gas launcher at Yuma Proving Ground, accelerating a projectile to speeds exceeding Mach 3 as a proof of concept for future space launch applications.[6]
Green Launch plans to scale this technology toward reaching the Karman line and eventually enabling orbital delivery of small payloads.[7][8]
See also
- Space gun
- Light-gas gun
- Project Babylon
- Project HARP
- Quicklaunch
- Super High Altitude Research Project
References
- ^ a b “Green Launch”. New Space Tracker.
- ^ “Hypersonic Launch Featuring Propellant Capture with Suppressed Acoustic and Heat Signature – Create the Future”. contest.techbriefs.com.
- ^ “Green Launch запустит спутники на орбиту при помощи гиперзвуковой пушки”.
- ^ Blain, Loz (April 14, 2022). “Hypersonic space cannon promises 10 minutes from ground to orbit”. New Atlas.
- ^ a b “Home – Green Launch”.
- ^ “U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground helps private industry customer reach new heights”. www.army.mil. February 1, 2022.
- ^ “Phases – Green Launch”. November 24, 2016.
- ^ https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/tenthmars2024/pdf/3013.pdf