AUSROC Nano

 

• AUSROC Nano is a small, transportable liquid fuelled rocket designed to carry small payloads to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

  – Can be transported by road to any approved launch destination
  – Can be launched from any approved launch destination

• The initial proposed payloads are nano-satellites of 10kg with an orbit of 300km above Earth.

 

ASRI’s AUSROC Nano Launch Vehicle is targeting the future regional needs of an expanding market in the nano-satellite segment. Focusing on cost effective delivery of 1 – 10kg payloads to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). ASRI aims to provide regional users access to space in a manner that meets their operational objectives of cost, time, and reliability. This Australian owned and operated regional launch service is targeting existing markets of government, education and research institutions as well as evolving markets whilst maintaining the traditional non-for-profit business model that ASRI has operated on since the organisation was founded.

Nano is a three-stage bi-propellant liquid fuelled orbital launch vehicle with a solid fuelled third stage. It features a fully composite airframe, advanced avionics and flight control systems, as well as high reliability propulsion hardware. It has been designed to launch the payload to an equatorial or polar orbit with an altitude of 300 kilometres. The Nano launch system is intended to be road transportable in two standard 40 ft shipping containers, from anywhere in Australia, making it a versatile, mission specific launch vehicle. A key requirement of the project is the utilisation of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technology to ensure system reliability and minimal development time.

The project is intended to foster collaboration, space technology education, research, and development in space activities at Australian Universities and within the general public at both the national and international level.

The vehicle has gone through a number of changes since the concept was originally developed. These changes include; increased vehicle capability, focus on the development of a System Requirement Specification (SRS), a matured vehicle concept, and matured launch and operations concept.

At present, the AUSROC Nano project team is currently completing the SRS. The next key phase of the project will be to develop, finalise and package key project documentation such as the Operational Concept Documents and finalise high-level project schedules and projected operational costs. This will provide ASRI with the ability to seek initial funding in order to validate the mission concepts that have evolved from the vehicles design.

Specifications

Length	12000 mm
Diameter	650 mm
Launch Weight	2255 kg
Orbital Insertion Altitude	300 km
Lifting Capability	10 kg (3U CubeSat)

First Stage

Length	6.5 m
Diameter	0.65 m
Weight	1609 kg
Propulsion System	- 35 kN LOX/JA-1 Liquid Fueled Engine - Tube wall construction - 109 second burn time
Construction	Filament wound liner-less Composite tanks and fairings
Control System	Gimbal

 

Second Stage

Length	2.9 m
Diameter	0.65 m
Weight	543 kg
Propulsion System	– 10 kN LOX/JA-1 Liquid Fueled Engine – Tube wall construction (yet to be determined) – 160 second burn time
Construction	Filament Wound Liner-less Composite tanks and fairings
Control System	Gimbal

Third Stage

Length	0.9 m
Diameter	0.65 m
Weight	102 kg
Propulsion System	– 8 kN Solid Motor (Ammonium Perchlorate, Aluminum Powder, HTPB) – 40 second burn time
Construction	Filament Wound Case
Control System	Thrusters
Satellite Release Mechanism	PPOD Mk-III Satellite Launcher