RX (rocket family)

RX
DesignerNational Institute of Aeronautics and Space
Country of originIndonesia
Specifications
Spacecraft typeSolid-fuel rockets
Capacity
Payload to {{{to}}}
Production
StatusUnder development

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).

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 HTPB-based composite propellant.

Individual boosters

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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2007.[4][7] RX-320 was launched twice in 2008[4][8] and once again in 2014.[9] RX-420 flew just once in 2009;[10] it is superseded by RX-450 which was launched on 13 May 2015.[11][12]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, 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]

Multi-stage rockets

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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, 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

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  1. ^ "LAPAN and Indonesian Rocket Program | Indomil's Blog". Indomil.wordpress.com. 2009-05-24. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
  2. ^ "RPS-01". B14643.de. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
  3. ^ a b c d e "RX solid rocket motors". B14643.de. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d e "LAPAN Chronology". Astronautix.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2011. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
  5. ^ "LAPAN". www.b14643.de. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  6. ^ "RX solid rocket motors". www.b14643.de. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  7. ^ "RX-250-LPN". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  8. ^ "RX-320". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ "RX-420". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ "RPS-01 (RX-450)". www.b14643.de. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  13. ^ a b Goh, Deyana (2017-12-10). "Indonesia successfully launches two sounding rockets". SpaceTech Asia. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  14. ^ Nurw (14 January 2019). "DEFENSE STUDIES: Uji Terbang Roket RX-1220 LAPAN". DEFENSE STUDIES. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  15. ^ "RPS-01 Staging". B14643.de. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  16. ^ "RPS-01". www.b14643.de. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  17. ^ "Lakin Pustekroket" (PDF). kinerja.lapan.go.id. Retrieved 2020-07-28.