Big Metal Cooling Heat Shield! Stoke Space is Trying to Complete What SpaceX Starship Hasn't...

remember Stoke space well they just did something that's truly unbelievable Stoke has just revealed the upper stage design and engines for their Nova rocket featuring groundbreaking advancements that could shake up the industry could this be the next big player in space flight meanwhile exciting progress is being made on the lunar front both Blue Ghost and Japan's resilience have hit major milestones in their mission to the Moon more on that later and in a truly historic moment a disabled Issa astronaut has officially been certified for an ISS Mission an inspiring advancement for inclusivity in space let's dive into all this and More in today's episode of Great Space a Stoke space founded in 2020 is emerging as a key player in the push for fully reusable Rockets their bold ambition to develop a completely reusable system sets them apart following in the footsteps of SpaceX drawing inspiration from spacex's Star Hopper Stoke space developed its own Hopper prototype successfully completing a hop test in September of 20123 solidifying its position in the space industry building on this success stok space is developing the Nova rocket powered by liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen with a full flow staged combustion process similar to spacex's Raptor engine recently the company unveiled the Nova Rockets Upper stage engine Andromeda on the 12th of February the Striking heat shield design resembling NASA's Orion spacecraft Drew significant attention stok space's announcement highlighted andromeda's integrated metal heat shield and emphasized its goal to create a reusable upper stage capable of handling multiple missions without inspections or refurbishments the announcement also noted significant improvements in the Andromeda engine design Stoke shared that andromeda's development has focused on reducing the number of Parts simplifying its systems and improving overall in performance the goal is to create a lighter more efficient system that can be operated with greater ease while delivering even more power and reliability this focus on Simplicity and performance is essential to stoke's broader mission of making space flight more affordable and accessible the latest iteration of Andromeda dubbed Andromeda 2 builds on the success of the previous Andromeda 1 variant which already demonstrated impressive vertical takeoff and Landing capabilities in fact the upgrades incorporated into Andromeda 2 represents a major Leap Forward in terms of reusability a key challenge in the development of upper stage Rockets one of the standout upgrades is the integration of a metal heat shield into the engine this Innovative design element is reminiscent of spacex's own approach with Starship and could signal a shift in the way heat shields are developed for reusable Rockets moreover the heat shield is coupled with a liquid hydrogen cooling system which is expected to withstand the extreme conditions of orbital re-entry this feature will enable the Andromeda upper stage to be quickly reused after a flight without requiring lengthy inspections or refurbishment a major breakthrough for the industry the company has outlined several key upgrades that make Andromeda 2 a significant advancement over its predecessor first the Thruster system has undergone substantial improvements the number of thrusters has been reduced from 30 to 24 with larger thrusters and simplified flow circuits this upgrade is designed to reduce the number of Parts save weight and maintain precise thrust control with that without sacrificing performance Additionally the injector system has been enhanced improving engine efficiency and further optimizing the thrust produced by the Andromeda engine the Andromeda 2 engine features several key upgrades starting with a redesigned dual mode nozzle system that operates efficiently in both atmospheric and vacuum conditions the vacuum nozzle enhances performance in space while the c-l nozzle ensures stable plume expansion during Landing Maneuvers a standout Innovation is the integrated base heat shield designed to withstand re-entry heat 20 times greater than atmospheric re-entry this regenerative cooling system not only protects but also contributes to the engine's performance its continuously carved design reduces weight increases down Mass capacity and enhances rocket performance the engine's serviceability has also been improved for faster turnaround with optimized turbo machinery feedline design and Thruster pod connections for quick component servicing or replacement additionally Andromeda 2 introduces a hot staging system that keeps the engine operational during Ascent eliminating the need for an interstage Shield this Innovation reduces weight and enhances Mass capacity similar to Concepts being explored by SpaceX 4 Starship in summary the Andromeda 2 engine incorporates Advanced Technologies to boost performance reusability and and efficiency positioning Stoke space as a formidable competitor in the Aerospace industry Stoke space's upcoming androma 2 system is set to incorporate several notable upgrades that will enhance both its performance and overall efficiency marking a significant Headway in the company's Journey one of the most impactful changes involves the vehicle's form which will return to one of the company's earliest Concepts the updated design features a continuously curved Contour across the entire base of the vehicle with Thruster nozzles fully embedded along the outer circumference this adjustment not only reduces the system's weight compared to the Andromeda 1 version but it also increases the down Mass capacity providing more flexibility for payloads additionally this new design in combination with the revamped Thruster nozzles allows for a more definitive qualification program this will help Stoke space test the Thruster ignition and operation in vacuum conditions at Ground Test Facilities mitigating a significant risk ahead of the first orbital launch the second upgrade focuses on the engine's serviceability Stoke has been working diligently to address key challenges related to packaging access and the unique shape of Andromeda the company's design efforts have centered on improving the turbo machinery and instrumentation placement optimizing the feedline Des design and refining the Thruster pod connections these modifications reduce the complexity of the system and make the engine more serviceable in fact the entire engine can now be serviced or even replaced within hours or minutes this rapid turnaround isn't just a goal it's a central design feature by making maintenance and repair more efficient Stoke space is positioning itself to operate at a level of operational efficiency that will significantly improve mission turnaround times the final upgrade and the one that stands out most is the incorporation of a hot staging system a feature that has generated significant attention especially when discussed in the context of spacex's Starship Stoke space has taken considerable strides with hot staging or the stage-to-stage interface aiming to ensure compatibility between the Andromeda engine and the heat shield as well as the stage one during Ascent this system essentially eliminates the need for the interstage volume and mass that is typically required to accommodate the large Bell nozzles on traditional upper stage engines to elaborate the hot staging system allows Andromeda thrusters which are positioned outboard of stage 1's outer diameter to remain operational while attached to stage one this ensures that stage 2's base isn't de damaged and eliminates the need for a bulky one-time use interstage shield to protect stage one as a result Stoke space can reduce gravity losses from the flights profile eliminate the need for stage separation pushers and most importantly significantly improve Nova's Mass capacity to orbit in summary while Andromeda 1 focused primarily on performance Andromeda 2 shifts the focus to seamless Mobility increase reliability reusability reduced complexity and improved performance in many ways Stoke space mirrors the trajectory of SpaceX with similar Ambitions to revolutionize space travel with their vision and determination I believe Stoke space is poised to surpass other established players like blue origin Ula and Boeing if you agree with this vision and see Stoke space as a future leader in space exploration or at least one of them leave a yes in the comment section down below and don't forget to like the video and subscribe to our channel to continue following the exciting developments in the space industry moving on the latest updates on the blue Ghost in Japanese resilience Landers bring exciting developments in lunar exploration Blue Ghost has successfully entered lunar orbit while resilience has completed a flyby of the Moon marking significant milestones for both missions The Blue Ghost update came on February 13th when the Lander executed a Thruster burn at 8:51 p.m. Eastern currently it is positioned in an orbit ranging from approximately 150 to 5,600 km above the lunar surface during its Journey from Earth to the Moon Blue Ghost has captured a series of breathtaking images including photos and videos of the lunar South Pole As It prepares for landing all eyes are on its scheduled touchdown expected around 3:45 a.m. on March 2nd meanwhile Japan's resilience Lander has also made notable progress since its launch on the 14th of February it has been making its way toward the moon and recently completed a successful lunar flyby at a distance of 8,400 km from the surface hakamata teshi founder and the chief executive of ipace expressed his confidence in the mission's progress stating I am extremely confident in the resilience Lander which has steadily achieved milestones and been a success and in the employees who have made thorough preparations and successfully completed the lunar flyby IP space's first attempt at this feat with both Landers making steady progress the anticipation continues to build as they move closer to their respective goals and for our last update and in a another remarkable development the European space agency has made history by certifying John McFall a former par Olympic sprinter for a potential mission to the ISS this announcement made on the 14th of February marks a groundbreaking moment in space exploration as McFall becomes the first astronaut with a disability to be medically cleared for space flight McFall who lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident at the age of 19 and has since worn a prosthetic faced unique challenges in becoming an astronaut however his selection by by Issa in 2022 as part of the agency's astronaut program demonstrated a commitment to expanding accessibility in space flight following his selection he participated in the fly study an initiative designed to assess the feasibility of sending an astronaut with a disability to the ISS after thorough evaluations he has now been officially cleared for long duration Missions at the announcement of the certification Daniel noer issa's director of human and robotic exploration emphasized the significance of this achievement stating JN is today certified as an astronaut who can fly on a long duration mission on the International Space Station and I think this is an incredible Step Ahead in our ambition to broaden the access to society to space McFall himself reflected on the journey saying I feel hugely proud the reception has been very warm and positive from the internet Partners there because of the detailed methodical exhaustive work we've done here with the feasibility study his story is a tesate to the power of perseverance as technological advancements and shifting perspectives continue to make space flight more inclusive sending a disabled astronaut to the ISS is not only a technical challenge but also a cultural breakthrough breaking longstanding assumptions about who can participate in space exploration if McFall does make it to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule it'll be an inspirational moment proving that the dream of space flight is not limited by physical ability as we push the boundaries of human exploration the possibilities are expanding for all of us perhaps one day living and working in space will be a reality for many more people than we could ever imagine this has been Kevin with great SpaceX don't forget to like the video and subscribe if you haven't already to stay up toate with yours truly in the latest details of spacex's progress thank you so much for tuning in and remember curiosity imagination and inspiration will always follow you as long as you keep looking up