STARCHASER NOVA 

Britain's X-Prize Test Vehicle
Starchaser began life as an experimental rocket test programme set up by Steve Bennett back in 1992. His goal had been to develop an inexpensive means of delivering small scientific payloads to high altitudes. 
Research was funded through a variety of sponsorship deals and by the mid nineties the project had grown into a team effort. In 1996 the team successfully launched a 22-foot rocket called Starchaser 2, which qualified as the largest private civilian rocket ever to be built and flown in Europe.  Later the same year the programme was re launched as the Starchaser
Foundation before relocating to the Physics Department at Salford University, England; where Mr. Bennett now serves as Director of the Space Technology Laboratory.  

Starchaser Industries was incorporated as a private limited company on 16th December 1998, its primary goal being to win the X-Prize by September 2003. 

The X-Prize was set up in St. Louis, USA, in 1996 to promote the opening of the space frontier to paying consumers and to bring about the existence of space tourism.  A cash

Starchaser 2

  prize of $10 million is on offer to the
first individual or non-governmental organization to fly three people into space up to 100km ,then safely back down twice within two weeks.
Steve and the Starchaser team officially entered the competition in 1997 and they have recently been ranked joint no1 seed by Future Publishing's 'Frontiers' magazine to win it. 

Eleven out of twelve Starchaser launches have been successful, and Starchaser has become internationally recognized as a leader in its field. The programme has enjoyed considerable news media coverage and is rapidly becoming a household name. 

Starchaser 3

Starchaser 1

Starchaser 3a
The year 2000 saw the flight of Europe’s first   
reusable multistage rocket, Discovery, which
reached record altitudes and completed all mission
objectives before returning safely via parachute. 
Starchaser has recently moved into its new premises
 in Hyde, Manchester.  With major sponsorship now 
secured, Starchaser moved operations to premises
large enough to see the project to completion.
With increased workshop space circa 7,000 sq ft  &
additional 1,300 sq ft of office space, a propulsion
laboratory and electronics workshop, Starchaser is

Discovery
 well on course to winning the X Prize.  

The team have also acquired an ex-military mobile command centre, which is currently undergoing extensive refurbishments both inside and out to convert it to a 'state of the art' Mobile Launch Control centre.  High-powered computer systems have already been installed and the software which will provide two-way communication (telemetry) between the rockets and the ground is undergoing development and testing. 

NOVA & THUNDERBIRD 2

Nova, the world's first private, piloted spacecraft designed and built in the UK is planned to be launched for the first time at 10.30am on Thursday 22nd November from Cartmel Wharf, Morecambe Bay, Cumbria. 

Nova is 'the next big step' of Starchaser Industries development programme and is the first non-governmental, privately funded  attempt to put three people into space and win the coveted 'Xprize'  The 11 metre (37ft) tall rocket is the

The Nova Rocket & Thunderbird Capsule

  third prototype & is five times
 more massive and five times more powerful than the previous rocket 'Discovery'.  Weighing in at 747kg (1643 lb) and capable of 0 - 500 mph in under 6 seconds, Nova is set to be a key contender in the world's ultimate space challenge. 
The unmanned 'shake down' mission' to at least 6000 feet, will test aerodynamics, telemetry, launch and recovery systems and with an average thrust of over 4 tonnes, will be a spectacular achievement. If all goes to plan, Nova will carry Starchaser's first pilot sometime next year.

Steve Bennett says, "our rocket represents British technology and innovation at its very best. We are turning dreams into reality and making the concept of commercial space tourism increasingly feasible". 
The Thunderbird Rocket & Capsule is a single stage system designed to carry ordinary people on short sub-orbital pleasure flights into space.

For the purposes of the X-Prize there are three seats aboard Thunderbird and the ship will be flown twice. Four of the places have already been taken but two still remain (available at £500,000 each). The first "manned" flight has been scheduled for August 2003. 

The Thunderbird stack is composed of two discreet units:-  A Command Module (including pressurised cabin, life support and reaction control systems) which is situated at the forward end of the rocket, and a rocket booster consisting of propellant tanks, engines and landing gear, which effectively is everything aft of the command module.

      Thunderbird Single Stage Launcher               Interior of Capsule

Under normal operating conditions the two modules will remain locked together until re-entry but these may be separated on command and brought down independently at any time in the event of an emergency. 

Extensive use of "off the shelf" components has reduced costs and minimised risks whilst advanced composite materials with superior strength to weight ratios have been employed in the fabrication of the airframe. Propulsion is achieved by means of a dependable liquid oxygen / kerosene fed rocket system, whilst reaction control operations are carried out using a series of small cold gas powered thrusters.

"The space race is back on and we predict that a global space tourism industry worth $10 billion will be the big business of the early 21st century".  Bennett continues.."We want to make sure that its Britain that's leading the way to the stars". 
Unlike their competitors however Starchaser Industries are not trying to run before they can walk. The Starchaser project is aimed squarely at winning the X-Prize and not in the first instance about ferrying truckloads of people into space. 

Project Thunderbird will cost a small fraction of what their competitors are quoting, enough to have Bennett stating "We can realistically achieve our goals and we will be in profit long before our first flight. Those familiar with our work will know that we always keep our promises, we finish what we start and we always deliver! "

After a successful launch Thunderbird will begin her ascent in a vertical orientation under the power of a single dependable liquid propellant rocket engine. Aerodynamic surfaces and a cold gas reaction control system will fine-tune the attitude and orientation of the craft. Acceleration will be kept below 3G's for the comfort of the occupants.

Following main engine cut-off the vehicle will continue to coast on up to an apogee exceeding 100km where three new Astronauts will experience several minutes of weightlessness. Breathtaking views of the home planet will be afforded by large picture windows, as the curvature of the Earth will be clearly seen against the blackness of space.

During the descent phase the Thunderbird cabin will separate from the main body of the Starchaser 4 Vehicle and both will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere independently. The recovery systems of both units include parachutes and inflatable airbags. 

Bennett expects to be able to turn the vehicle around ready for relaunch within seven days of the first flight. A second crew will then repeat the mission and in doing so, bring home the X-Prize. 

The Eyes fully support Steve & wish Starchaser Industries every success for their 2003 launch of Thunderbird.

All pictures copyright Starchaser Industries.

Thanks to space.com,  Starchaser Industries & X Prize Foundation for information

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