2024 MIT R&D Conference: Track 1 - Space - Earth to Orbit: An Update on the Global Launch Industry

Conference Video|Duration: 42:37
November 19, 2024
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    Earth-to-Orbit: An Update on the Global Launch Industry
    Olivier de Weck
    Apollo Program Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT AeroAstro

    Reaching Earth's orbit is an extremely energetic event. To remain in orbit requires a velocity of about 8 km/s, which corresponds to a specific energy of 30 MJ per kilogram. Since 1957 humans have been able to launch themselves as well as artificial satellites into orbit at increasing frequencies. This talk will give an update on the current state of launch vehicle technologies and this important and enabling part of the space sector. In 2023, for example, there were 222 launch attempts worldwide, of which 95% were successful. Assuming a CAGR of 12%, we predict that by 2027, there will be daily launches to space from somewhere on Earth's surface. This talk will summarize some of the physics, technologies, and economics of the launch vehicle industry.

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  • Video details
     
    Earth-to-Orbit: An Update on the Global Launch Industry
    Olivier de Weck
    Apollo Program Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT AeroAstro

    Reaching Earth's orbit is an extremely energetic event. To remain in orbit requires a velocity of about 8 km/s, which corresponds to a specific energy of 30 MJ per kilogram. Since 1957 humans have been able to launch themselves as well as artificial satellites into orbit at increasing frequencies. This talk will give an update on the current state of launch vehicle technologies and this important and enabling part of the space sector. In 2023, for example, there were 222 launch attempts worldwide, of which 95% were successful. Assuming a CAGR of 12%, we predict that by 2027, there will be daily launches to space from somewhere on Earth's surface. This talk will summarize some of the physics, technologies, and economics of the launch vehicle industry.

Locked Interactive transcript