Xprize runner: Romanian ARCA and the Orizont rocket
Oct 22, 2004 22: 32 EST
Published Oct 18, 2004 08: 20 EST
The space race goes on. Rockets are getting ready to launch and news are expected soon from many of them. Before the countdown, let’s take a look at some of the most amazing teams in this adventure race for space.
ARCA, the Romanian project, is perhaps not top ranked, but it sure is an amazing example of will. Lacking the funds, resources and technology available in US, Canada or UK, the Romanians have a double merit trying to get in the race.
The Aeronautics & Cosmonautics Romanian Association (ARCA) is a non-governmental organization that promotes innovative aerospace projects. ARCA was founded in 1999 but their members have worked together on an ambitious high-performance rocket engine development project since 1998.
That year, in Sibiu, Romania, in front of the Hermann Oberth memorial house, a group of students decided to change the limited space activities in Romania. They had no money and no support. However, they had a strong will to change the situation. Since then, ARCA became a united team and, despite a very small budget in the first years, it succeeded to lead the rocket technology field in Romania. The most important achievement in ARCA’s activities was to represent Romania in the most ambitious international astronautics competition ever addressed to the private sector: the ANSARI X PRIZE Competition.
Dumitru Popescu is ARCA’s founder, chairman and chief designer. He studied aerospace engineering at the Polytechnic University in Bucharest. Funny enough, Dumitru also has a degree in theology.
ARCA’s Orizont rocket looks, compared to other contestants, not so innovative. It is a one-stage vertically launched rocket, 17 meters long, fed by liquid fuel (HTPB, with 70% of Hydrogen Peroxide as oxidizer). Byt hey - says the crew - this is a 100% ecologic fuel: “The monopropellant fuel is ecological since the byproducts are only oxygen and water vapors."
A Demonstrator 2B vehicle was launched from Midia Cape, on the shore of the Black sea. The vehicle was equipped with a world first composite material reusable engine. According to the ARCA team, “the Demonstrator 2B flight was at the highest altitude and speed achieved in the X Prize Competition with a liquid fuel rocket vehicle launched from the ground.”
Right now, ARCA is looking for sponsors to complete the ORIZONT vehicle construction.
Zoom image of the Demostrator 2B launch
Image of ARCA Demostrator simulation by Konstantinos Koutsoliotas courtesy of ARCA.
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