Roket Pengorbit Satelit (RPS-01)
 
 

Indonesian National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN)

 

August 30, 2018
Indonesia’s space agency LAPAN has announced its aim to launch an indigenous orbital rocket by 2040, with the ability to insert a 1-tonne satellite into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). LAPAN’s orbital launch vehicle development programme will take a gradual, incremental approach to growing the rocket size, engines, and propulsion systems, and will be conducted in four phases:

The first phase, which it is currently undergoing now, aims to develop a launch vehicle capable of delivering a 50kg payload into an altitude of 300km. The launch vehicle for this phase will be a 3-stage, solid fuel rocket. Phase-1 is expected to be completed in 2019-2020.

Following that, LAPAN will begin its second phase, which will aim to add strap-on boosters to the vehicle, in order to increase the rocket’s thrust and payload capability. This will enable the vehicle to take 100kg to an altitude of 300km.
The programme’s third phase will develop a liquid propulsion engine, to be used in conjunction with its solid-fuel strap-on boosters. Phases 2 and 3 are expected to take 10 years, and be completed by 2029, with the provision to extend Phase 3 if necessary. By the end of Phase 3, LAPAN should have a launch vehicle capable of taking 100kg to a 600km LEO.
The final phase of LAPAN’s planned rocket development programme will begin in 2029, where the agency will work on the rocket’s exact specifications and orbital insertion capabilities. The targeted completion date of the vehicle is 2039, with its launch to take place at Indonesia’s new launch complex in 2040.

At the moment, LAPAN has a series of sounding rockets which it tests on a regular basis, including the liquid-propellant sounding rocket Rukmini (RCX1H-1). These have been developed with a view to use them as individual stages in Indonesia’s planned orbital rocket.
                                                                                                              

The National Space and Aeronautics Institute (LAPAN) plans to launch its RX-420 rocket for the first time on July 2. RX-420 rocket fabrication took three months only, with specification as follows: 420 mm diameter, 1,000 kg launching load, 6,200 mm long, fuel solid, 13 sec combustion time, 205 sec departure time, 4.5 mach maximum speed, 101 km predicted cruise distance range, 53 km predicted vertical distance and with load: diagnostic tool, GPS, altitude-meter, gyro, 3-axis accelerometer, processor and battery.
The RX-420 rocket is the forerunner to Indonesia's next indigenous orbital satellite launching vehicle program. The announcement was made by Research and Technology Minister Kusmayanto Kadiman in Jakarta. During a meeting with Commission VII of the House of Representatives, Kadiman said the launch of the RX-420 rocket, with a range of 100 km, will be conducted by LAPAN, which had successfully launched a RX-320 rocket in 2008. He added that the RX-420 rocket possessed more power than the RX-320 and its range could be increased to 190 km if the rocket's weight was reduced. Apart from the scheduled launch in July, there are plans to carry out further test launches in 2010 and 2011. In 2014, LAPAN will have finished all its experimental rocket launches and will have already developed a rocket with a range of 300 km and speed of 7.8 km/sec allowing it to carry a small satellite into space, he said, adding that this would be a “monumental achievement.”

 

LAPAN or Lembaga Antariksa dan Penerbangan Nasional (National Institute of Aeronautics and Space) is the government space agency. It was established on November 27, 1964 by President Suharto.

LAPAN that already 45 years on November 27, since 2007 had boosted rocket and satellite study and development, especially after got ability to produce solid rocket fuel.
In 2007, RX-250 (250 mm) had been launched successfully with distance 53 km. After good result on static test, RX-320 rocket has successfully launched in Pameungpek, West Java on May 19, 2008 by transmitting navigation system data, aerodynamics performance, trajectory, environment condition and any obstruction during launching. The special improvement from this test was RX-320 rocket used Indonesian own solid propellant. RX-320 rocket has dimension 320 mm diameter x 4,736 mm long and weight 532 kg. The trust power is 52 ton and reached 42 km as per design.
After successfully launched that experimental rocket with diameter 320 mm or coded RX-320, LAPAN again succeeded static test RX-420 on 23/12/2008 at LAPAN Aerospace Technology Center, Tarogong, Tangerang. In 2009, Chief of LAPAN Adi Sadewo Salatun said after successful static test of RX-420, rocket launching program will be continued in 2009.

This RX-420 rocket is the main part of the first LAPAN satellite orbital launching vehicle (RPS) that scheduled in 2014, said by Yus Kadarusman Markis, chief of LAPAN Aerospace Technology Center. The RPS consists of three-stage rockets, which is in the first stage will be three RX-420 as booster, in second stage one RX-420 as sustainer and the last is RX-320. With that configuration and LAPAN solid fuel, the SLV-1 has capability to launch nano satellite to the orbit.
One RX-420 rocket is designed to have distance range about 120 km. With RPS configuration, it may reach a vertical height up to 400 km. This rocket can be loaded 5 kg load to be able to the orbit minimum 250 km high and at horizontal speed at 8 km/sec.

For the next development, LAPAN will develop rockets with bigger diameter, such as RX-750, and liquid fuel that has better performance than solid fuel. RX-420 is the sixth rocket developed by Lapan after 70, 100, 150, 250, and 320 mm.

The multistage launcheri s being developed by the state company Spacetecx for Indonesia's National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN). They will be launched from a mobile pad at Lapan Space Center.

Indonesia's space agency, LAPAN, unveils its first prototype of satellite launch vehicle RPS (Roket Pembawa Satelit) in Indo Defence, Indo Aerospace, and Indo Marine 2010 exhibition (IDAM 2010).
LAPAN rockets are classified "RX" (Roket Eksperimental) followed by the diameter in millimeters. LAPAN's current workhouse rocket propulsion system consists of four stages, namely the three-stage RX 420 and the RX-320 level. It is planned to use the RX-420 as a booster (rocket booster) RPS for the planned Roket Pengorbit Satelit ("Orbital Satellite Rocket") planned to fly in 2014.
 

Indonesia’s National Aeronautics and Space Agency developing a other  version of RPS-01 rocket

The National Aeronautics and Space Agency (LAPAN) is building a rocket named RX-550 with a cruising capacity of more than 200 kilometers in the initial phase of a project to make one capable of putting a satellite in orbit.
The RX-550 rocket would undergo a static test in December this year and a flight test in 2012.
This one, which will consist of four stages, will be part of an RPS-01 rocket to put a satellite in orbit.
LAPAN had earlier successfully tested the flights of RX-320 and RX-420 rockets whose components would be used to build a RPS-01 rocket to carry a satellite to an orbit around earth.
The rockets would be the prototypes of satellite carrying rockets to be launched in 2014.
At November 11, 2010, LAPAN spokesman said the RX-550 rocket would undergo a static test in December this year (2011) and a flight test in 2012. The rocket will consist of four stages, will be part of an RPS-01 rocket to put a satellite in orbit.

 

Meanwhile, the RX-550 motor by two static fire tests was tested on 25/10/2011 and 29/09/2012. The attempts were unsuccessful, because the nozzle was not stable enough.


RX-550 nozzle

Garut, 2014, August 22 - Tests of the rockets RX-450 and RX-320 in Pameungpeuk, Garut, West Java, were successful. Both types are now qualified by the seemingly insurmountable difficulties with the RX-550 for the satellite program.
As a result of the static test the new RX-450 will burning 18 sec. In the static test, even a burn time of 19.5 seconds was achieved.
The RX-450 (diameter of 450 mm) has a total length of 6110 mm, and provides a thrust of 12,895 kg (126.45 kN). The housing for the rocket propellant has a length of 4459 mm. After the first succesful test, the RX-450 is ready for flight tests end of 2014.

The flight test of the RX-320 which is already previously been developed has met the expectations. With a launch angle of 70 ° was reached a flight altitude of 20-30 miles.
The combination RX-450 and RX-320 is indeed suitable only for atmospheric soundings, but should be a new perspective for the development of the launch vehicle RPS-01.