SpaceXが超低価格で小型人工衛生の打ち上げ市場へ参入
SpaceX enters smallsat launch market with a very low price
"It does put pressure on an already crowded field."
「既存分野へ圧力を加えます」
Enlarge / A Falcon 9 rocket launches a GPS III satellite for the Air Force in December 2018.
Falcon 9 ロケットによる空軍のGPSⅢ人工衛星の打ち上げ。2018年12月
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ベネディクト・カンバーバッチ ホーキング [DVD]
posted with amazlet at 19.08.06
アルバトロス (2014-06-04)
売り上げランキング: 13,698
売り上げランキング: 13,698
On Monday, SpaceX announced a new, low-cost program to launch small satellites into a Sun-synchronous orbit. The company is offering rideshare opportunities for satellites weighing up to 150kg at the price of $2.25 million. The rideshare-only missions, flying aboard the company's workhorse Falcon 9 rocket, will launch at regularly scheduled intervals.
月曜日、SpaceXは低コストで小型人工衛星を太陽同期軌道へ打ち上げる新たな計画を発表しました。 同社は、最大150kgまでの重量の衛星に、225万ドルの価格で、ライドシェアの機会を提供しています。 このライドシェア限定ミッションは、同社の誇るFalcon 9 ロケットに乗って飛び立ち、定期的に予定される間隔で打ち上げられます。
- a Sun-synchronous orbit - 太陽同期軌道
- workhorse - 働き者。
- regularly - 定期的に
"SpaceX is committed to serving the commercial market as it grows and changes," a spokesperson for the company said. "And we believe we can address the needs of small satellite operators by offering reliable, cost-effective access to orbit through regularly scheduled, dedicated rideshare missions."
「SpaceXは、商業市場の成長と変化に応じたサービスの提供を約束しています。」同社の広報担当者が言いました。 「そして私達は、定期的に予定されるライドシェア専用のミッションを通じて、信頼性と費用対効果の高い軌道へのアクセスを提供することにより、小型人工衛星を運用する方々のニーズに対応できると信じています。」
- as it grows and changes - 成長と変化につれて
- address - 対応する
- cost-effective - 費用対効果の高い
The company has previously flown rideshare missions using its Falcon 9 rocket, but those flights were organized and integrated by a third-party provider, Spaceflight Industries. Now SpaceX will do all of that work directly for customers.
同社には前回飛行したFalcon 9 ロケットを使ったライドシェアミッションがありましたが、 それらの飛行はサードパーティの提供者 Spaceflightインダストリーによって執り行われたものでした。 今やSpaceXは顧客のためにそれらの仕事のすべてを直接おこなうようになるのです。
A heated competition / 激化する競争
The announcement brings SpaceX squarely into the already-heated competition for the burgeoning small-satellite launch market. Although the number of large-satellite launch contracts has stagnated, customer demand for much smaller payloads to a variety of orbits has grown. As a result, a number of companies have been founded in the United States and elsewhere to develop small rockets for smallsat launch services. SpaceX's entry into this market with the much larger Falcon 9 rocket (at a price of about $15,000 per kilogram) represents a threat to those companies both from a standpoint of securing launch contracts but also by attracting venture-capital funding.
この発表はSpaceXを真っ直ぐに既に急成長する小型人工衛星の打ち上げ市場に向かって激化する競争の中へ連れていきます。 数ある大きな人工衛星の打上げ請負業者たちは停滞していおり、さらに小さな貨物を様々な軌道へ向かわせたい顧客の需要は増大しました。 その結果として、小型衛星を打ち上げるサービスのために、小さなロケットを開発する多くの企業がアメリカ合衆国や他の地域で設立されてきました。 かなり大きなSpaceXのFalcon 9 ロケット（1kgあたりおよそ1万5千ドルの価格）で、この市場へ参入することは、打上げ契約の確保だけではなく、ベンチャーキャピタルからの資金確保に至るまで、どちらもそれらの企業群にとって脅威となります。
- squarely - 真っ直ぐに
- burgeoning - 急成長
- stagnated - 停滞する
- standpoint - 立場
- securing - 確保する
- attracting - 引きつける
以下後ほど。
However, Greg Autry, a professor who directs the Southern California Commercial Spaceflight Initiative, said he expects that payload integrators such as Spaceflight will be most hurt by this move. Other companies offering launches in the neighborhood of 150kg (including Rocket Lab, Virgin Orbit, and Vector) will retain the advantage of offering dedicated service on their much smaller rockets for a particular orbit.
Enlarge / As always, SpaceX posts pricing information for its launches on its website."You can already get a rideshare launch for way less than half of what Virgin Orbit or Relativity or Vector want to charge," Autry said. "Their value proposition is based on quick access to particular orbits when you need them. However, if Sun-synchronous orbit is where you need to go, this regular service eliminates some of the time and problem of being the little dog as far as delays are concerned."
A shot at China
Of the dozens of new smallsat launch companies that have been started during the last decade or so, only Rocket Lab has actually reached space and begun commercial service. Earlier this year, in an interview with Ars, the company's chief executive said he did not see enough small-satellite launch demand for multiple vehicles. "There are really only enough for one or two small-launch vehicles," Peter Beck said. "I just don't see hundreds of launches available for many, many companies. I'd expect some pretty decent consolidation over the next year to 18 months."
Other launch providers (such as Europe's Arianespace, India's space program, and various semi-commercial ventures in China) have also developed programs for dedicated and rideshare launches for small satellites.
Clearly, Autry said, the entry of SpaceX with a rocket that has flown reliably dozens of times will further squeeze oxygen from the market. "I don't think that's good for the industry, but I understand why they are doing that themselves," he said. "It does put pressure on an already crowded field. On the other hand, it answers the Chinese question and makes their pseudo-commercial players look less attractive for this market."
元記事は以下からどうぞ。
SpaceXがNASAとブラックホールや中性子星などの観測衛星打ち上げを契約
SpaceX contracted by NASA to launch black hole and neutron star research craft
中性子星 (ハヤカワ文庫 SF―ノウンスペース・シリーズ (400))
posted with amazlet at 19.07.09
SpaceX has been awarded a new contract by NASA to launch the agency’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer, or IXPE. This research spacecraft will study polarized light from sources including neutron stars, pulsar wind nebulae and supermassive black holes, and provide much more imaging than existing space-based observation resources.
SpaceXはNASAによって新契約を授けられていました。航空宇宙局のX線偏光観測衛星IXPEの打ち上げです。 この宇宙探査線は中性子星やパルサー星雲、超巨大ブラックホールなどを含む複数の光源から発せられる偏光線を研究し、存在する宇宙に根ざした観測源よりも遥かに多くの画像を提供するでしょう。
The mission will help scientists in the study of magnetars (a specific type of neutron star with especially powerful magnetic fields), black holes and “Pulsar Wind Nebulae,” which are nebula that are found within the remains of supernova.
このミッションはマグネター（特に強い地場を伴う中性子星の特定の形式）やブラックホール、そして超新星爆発の残骸の内部にミられる「パルサー星雲」の研究において科学者を支援するでしょう。
SpaceX will launch this IXPE mission aboard a flight-proven Falcon 9, and the total cost for the contract is around $50.3 million. The launch will take place in April 2021 per current plans, taking off from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
SpaceXは、このIXPEミッションを飛行実績のあるFalcon 9に載せて打ち上げ、契約の総費用は5030万ドルとなります。 この打ち上げは現在の計画では2021年の4月に行われ、フロリダ州のケネディスペースセンターLC-39Aから飛び立ちます。
“SpaceX is honored that NASA continues to place its trust in our proven launch vehicles to deliver important science payloads to orbit,” said SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell in a statement. “IXPE will serve as SpaceX’s sixth contracted mission under NASA’s LSP, two of which were successfully launched in 2016 and 2018, increasing the agency’s scientific observational capabilities.”
「SpaceXは、我々の重要な科学的貨物を起動へ届けるロケットの打ち上げ実績において、NASAが信頼し続けていることを光栄に思います。」 SpaceXの社長でCOOの Gwynne Shotwellが声明の中で言いました。 「IXPEはSpaceXの6つ目の契約ミッションとしてNASAのLSP下で提供されます。そのうち2つは2016年と2018年に打ち上げに成功しました。この機関の科学的な観察の可能性を増大させています。」
This is just one of a number of upcoming launches SpaceX is contracted to perform for NASA, including the commercial resupply missions it regularly performs for the International Space Station.
これは今後の数ある打上げのひとつに過ぎません。SpaceXはNASAのために実施することを請け負いました。 これには国際宇宙ステーションのために定期的に実施される商用の再利用ミッションが含まれてます。
元記事は以下からどうぞ。
SpaceX の Falcon 9 打上げ＆着陸成功：南カリフォルニア海岸で通算2回目
Watch SpaceX launch and land its Falcon 9 rocket on the California coast
Update June 12th, 11:20AM ET: Despite heavy fog obscuring the view of the launchpad, SpaceX successfully launched and deployed all three RADARSAT spacecraft into orbit this morning. After takeoff, the company also landed the Falcon 9 on the California coast amid the heavy fog.
米国東部時間6月12日11時20分更新（日本時間13日0時20分）： 今朝、深い霧が打上げ場の景色を覆っていましたが、SpaceXは打上げは成功させ、3つすべての RADARSAT 宇宙船を軌道へ展開しました。
（以降は打上げ前の記事の内容）
This morning, SpaceX is set to launch its sixth Falcon 9 mission of 2019 out of southern California, sending three identical Canadian satellites into orbit. After takeoff, SpaceX will attempt to land its rocket on a landing pad next to the vehicle’s launch site. If successful, it will be the second time SpaceX has landed its vehicle on the California coast.
本日朝、SpaceXは南カリフォルニアから2019年の6回目のFalcon 9の打上げミッションを予定しています。 カナダの3つのそれぞれ独立した衛星を軌道へ送り込みます。 離陸後、SpaceXは打上げ場に隣接する着陸場へ、このロケットの着陸を試みるでしょう。これが成功すれば、カリフォルニア海岸での2回目の着陸となります。
The trio of satellites going up on today’s flight are part of the RADARSAT Constellation developed by the Canadian Space Agency. The spacecraft are meant to operate nearly 400 miles up, where they will observe Canada’s land and waters, as well as the Arctic. The goal is to gather data on sea ice in nearby oceans and the Great Lakes, as well as the changing ecosystems within Canada. Such information will be useful for many groups, including mariners who navigate in Arctic waters and scientists who want to understand the impact of climate change in the region. Satellite imagery from RADARSAT could also help with disaster relief.
本日打上げられるこれら3つの衛星は、カナダ宇宙機関が開発した RADARSAT Constellation の一部です。この宇宙船は400マイル近く上昇して、大西洋と同時にカナダの陸地と河川の観察をするように意図されています。そのゴールは海や五大湖近くの氷のデータを集めることです。同時にカナダ国内での生態系の変化のデータも収集します。 このような情報は、大西洋の海水を航行する船員や、この領域での気候変動のインパクトを理解したい科学者など、多くのグループにとって有用なのです。 また、RADARSATからの衛星画像は災害時の救済にも役立つ可能性があります。
- Constellation - 星座
- the Great Lakes - 五大湖
- relief - 救済
SPACEX IS USING ONE OF ITS USED FALCON 9 ROCKETS FOR THE MISSION
SpacaXはこのミッションで使用済みFalcon 9 ロケットの一つを使用します
SpaceX is using one of its used Falcon 9 rockets for the mission, a vehicle that previously flew the company’s Crew Dragon capsule on its very first flight to the International Space Station back in March. After that launch, the Falcon 9 landed on one of SpaceX’s drone ships off the coast of Florida in the Atlantic, but now it’s ready to make a ground landing on the opposite coast. The first and only time that SpaceX has landed a Falcon 9 rocket on California land was in October of 2018. Nearly all of the company’s attempts to land on solid ground have been successful, save for one that missed its pad in Florida and landed in the ocean instead.
Today’s flight is scheduled for takeoff at 10:17AM ET / 7:17AM PT out of Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. SpaceX has a short 13-minute launch window, so the Falcon 9 rocket can conceivably launch up until 10:30AM ET. SpaceX’s coverage of the launch will begin about 15 minutes before liftoff, so come back then to see if SpaceX can stick another ground landing.
元記事は以下からどうぞ。
