From Ars Technica · · 2m
AST SpaceMobile's rocket dream faces reality
A satellite company plans to build and launch its own rocket in two years. Rocket engineers might disagree with the timeline.
In brief
A satellite company plans to build and launch its own rocket in two years. Rocket engineers might disagree with the timeline. AST SpaceMobile says it will build a simple rocket called Blacklift by twenty twenty-eight to launch its Bluebird satellites, but the timeline and technical claims face serious skepticism from…
AST wants to build its own rocket
Abel Avellan, founder and chief executive of AST SpaceMobile, announced plans to develop Blacklift, a large rocket designed to launch Bluebird satellites into orbit. Avellan repeatedly emphasized the rocket would be simple.
The simplicity argument
Avellan said engine development accounts for eighty percent of a typical rocket's development cycle. He paraphrased Elon Musk, saying the best part is no part. He described a rocket as a big tank feeding engines.
“the best part is no part”
Why AST needs its own rocket
AST SpaceMobile has built large Bluebird satellites capable of direct-to-cell capability from five hundred fifty kilometres above Earth.
Blacklift's specifications
The rocket will lift five Bluebird satellites into low-Earth orbit with twenty metric tons of lift capacity.It will have a reusable first stage, all composite tanks, and three stages.
The two-year timeline
Avellan said Blacklift will be ready to launch in twenty twenty-eight. That timeline is preposterous, according to industry observers. AST is trying to compress a process that took SpaceX thirteen years into approximately two years.
The engine problem
AST committed to spending one point three billion dollars to acquire engines from Firefly Aerospace for the first three Blacklift launches.
Composites are harder than claimed
Avellan's claim that eighty percent of rocket development is engine work is disputed. Rocket Lab, which has more experience building orbital rockets than AST, suffered two significant setbacks this year involving composite propellant tanks alone.
The full scope of rocket development
Beyond engines and tanks, rocket development requires flight software, avionics, stage separation, payload fairings, and qualification testing.Scaling from development to production and recovering the first stage present equally difficult challenges that can cause significant delays.
AST's financial position
AST SpaceMobile had about two point eight billion dollars in unrestricted cash and cash equivalents at the end of September.
The big picture
AST SpaceMobile says it will build a simple rocket called Blacklift by twenty twenty-eight to launch its Bluebird satellites, but the timeline and technical claims face serious skepticism from industry experts.
