RX (rocket family)
The RX rocket family (Roket Eksperimental, English: Experimental Rocket) is a series of solid-fuel rockets developed by the Indonesian National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN).
| Designer | National Institute of Aeronautics and Space |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Indonesia |
| Specifications | |
| Spacecraft type | Solid-fuel rockets |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to {{{to}}} | |
| Production | |
| Status | Under development |
They are simply named by their diameter in millimeters; for example, the RX-250 has a diameter of 250 millimeters (9.8 in).[1] The propellant used is Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB).
Individual boosters edit
This family is composed of:[2][3][4][5][6]
| Version | Diameter (mm) | Length (m) | Thrust (kN)[3] | Burn time (s)[3] | Specific impulse (s)[3] | Propellant mass (kg)[3] | Total mass (kg) | Payload (kg) | Flights | Years active[4] | Apogee reached (km)[4] | Range reached (km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RX-75 | 75 | |||||||||||
| RX-100 | 100 | 1.90 | 2.5 | 30 | 7 | 11 | ||||||
| RX-1220 | 122 | 19.6 | 2015-2019 | 25 | ||||||||
| RX-150 | 150 | |||||||||||
| RX-250 | 250 | 5.30 | 53 | 6.0 | 220 | 300 | 30–60 | 8 | 1987–2007 | 70–100 | ||
| RX-320 | 320 | 4.74 | 52 | 9.0 | 220 | 371 | 532 | 3 | 2008–2014 | 40–42 | ||
| RX-420 | 420 | 94 | 12.3 | 220 | 425 | 1 | 2009 | 43 | ||||
| RX-450 | 450 | 7.11 | 126 | 19.5 | 230 | 757-765 | 1718 | 5 | 2015-2020 | 44-84 | 129 | |
| RX-550 | 550 | 255 | 14 | 240 | 1519 | |||||||
| RX-750 | 750 | |||||||||||
| RX-980 | 980 |
Note: Characteristics in italics are design values, they have not been measured yet.
RX-250 was launched eight times from 1987 to 2007.[4][7] RX-320 was launched twice in 2008[4][8] and once again in 2014.[9] RX-420 flew just once in 2009;[10] it is superseded by RX-450 which was launched on 13 May 2015.[11][12]
As of May 2016[update], the next booster version RX-550 is under construction; the larger ones are only on the drawing board.
In 2017 successful launches of RX 450 and RX 1220 were carried out from the Space and Atmospheric Observation & Technology Testing Center at Garut, West Java.[13] The RX 1220 is a based on the R-HAN122 B.[13]
Two RX-1220 rockets were launched at the Karang Papak Air Force Base on December 23, 2018.[14]
- RX (Roket Eksperimental) gallery
- RX-320
- RX-420
- RX-550
Multi-stage rockets edit
Once the solid boosters are fully qualified, LAPAN plans to assemble several of them into multi-stage rockets called Roket Pengorbit Satelit or RPS. Four staging configurations have been retained so far:[15]
- First stage: 3 x RX-420
- Second stage: 1 x RX-420
- Third stage: 1 x RX-420 (shorter)
- Fourth stage: 1 x RX-320
- Total height: 10.00 meters (32.81 ft)
- RPS-01 Variant 2b
- First stage: 1 x RX-550 + 2 x RX-420
- Second stage: 1 x RX-550
- Third stage: 1 x RX-320
- Total height: 15.75 meters (51.7 ft)
- RPS-01 Variant 3a
- First stage: 1 x RX-450
- Second stage: 1 x RX-450
- Total height: 10.75 meters (35.3 ft)
- RPS-01 Variant 3b
- First stage: 1 x RX-450 + 2 x RX-320
- Second stage: 1 x RX-450
- Third stage: 1 x RX-320
- Total height: 11.75 meters (38.5 ft)
Earlier plans for the Pengorbitan-1 and -2 orbital launch vehicles (RPS-420s) were based on the RX-420 engine which was superseded by the RX-450. As of May 2016[update], integration work is proceeding on variants 3a and 3b, whose engines have all been successfully flight-qualified.
Since 2019, LAPAN's rocket division PUSTEKROKET has collaborated with AASPT and CGWIC of China in designing newer multiple stage sounding rockets. The new rockets will be called RX-452 which combined 400 millimeters (16 in) of first stage, and 450 millimeters (18 in) of second stage. The design is based on TK-32 sounding rocket as well as RX-450. It is expected the newer design to be able to reach above 100 kilometers (62 mi), simulation showed the rocket is able to reach 200 kilometers (120 mi).[17]
- RX-452
- First stage: 1 x RX-400
- Second stage: 1 x RX-450
- Total height: 8.6 meters (28 ft)
References edit
- ^ "LAPAN and Indonesian Rocket Program | Indomil's Blog". Indomil.wordpress.com. 2009-05-24. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
- ^ "RPS-01". B14643.de. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
- ^ a b c d e "RX solid rocket motors". B14643.de. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
- ^ a b c d e . Astronautix.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2011. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
- ^ "LAPAN". www.b14643.de. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
- ^ "RX solid rocket motors". www.b14643.de. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
- ^ "RX-250-LPN". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
- ^ "RX-320". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
- ^ "Menuju Roket Pengorbit Satelit, RX-320 Sukses Mengudara dan RX-450 Terukur Karakteristiknya" [Towards the Satellite Orbiter Rocket, successful flight of RX-320 and performance measurements of RX-450] (Press release) (in Indonesian). LAPAN. 25 August 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
- ^ "RX-420". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
- ^ "Tahapan Menuju Roket Pengorbit Satelit, Lapan Berhasil Luncurkan RX-450" [A step towards the Satellite Orbiter Rocket, LAPAN successfully launches RX-450] (Press release) (in Indonesian). LAPAN. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
- ^ "RPS-01 (RX-450)". www.b14643.de. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
- ^ a b Goh, Deyana (2017-12-10). "Indonesia successfully launches two sounding rockets". SpaceTech Asia. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
- ^ Nurw (14 January 2019). "DEFENSE STUDIES: Uji Terbang Roket RX-1220 LAPAN". DEFENSE STUDIES. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
- ^ "RPS-01 Staging". B14643.de. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
- ^ "RPS-01". www.b14643.de. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
- ^ "Lakin Pustekroket" (PDF). kinerja.lapan.go.id. Retrieved 2020-07-28.