P-3 Second Flight Test Scheduled for the May 3-4 weekend at the MTA postponed due to wind and rain
Following their successful launch and recovery of Propspector-3 (P-3)
conducted in February, a team from California State University,
Long Beach and Garvey Spacecraft Corporation (GSC) was planning on
conducting the second P-3 rocket launch on the May 3-4 weekend at the
Mojave Test Area, site owned and operated by the Reaction Research Society.
The launch was originally planned for Saturday, but a weather system going
through Southern California on Friday night and Saturday forced the team
to postpone the launch to Sunday. The team headed out to the MTA Sunday
morning and was ready for launch early afternoon, but very strong winds
forced the team to scrub the launch and postpone it to a later date.
The target period is now late June, pending coordination with the RRS
(and FAA).
Upcoming launch (date TBD):
Like for the first flight test of P-3, the thrust vector
control system will be operated in open loop and acting only in one axis.
This time, however, a PC 104 flight computer running Linux integrated in
the rocket will log accelerometer and rate gyro data. Telemetry will be
performed using Wi-Fi technology with a 1W amplifier. The data will be
used to compare measured rocket dynamics with analytical model predictions
for integration into the 2-axis closed-loop control system to be flown at
a later date.
The Prospector-3 rocket will also fly a payload developed by
USC students involved in the USC Microsatellite Program and a MEMS
propulsion device developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
As usual, the exact time will depend on last minute preparations
and the launch may be postponed altogether. For detailed MTA
operations information, click here.
For additional information about
either the CALVEIN project and/or the cooperative program between
CSULB and Garvey Spacecraft Corporation, please contact the following
project representatives:
