John Carmack
Future research
Carmack has stated in his monthly reports and in forum posts that he expects his path to an orbital vehicle to include modular rockets similar to OTRAG technology. Lutz Kayser, the founding engineer of OTRAG, visited Armadillo in May, 2006 and loaned Carmack some of their original research hardware.
"I have been corresponding with
Lutz for a few months now, and I
have learned quite a few things.
I seriously considered an OTRAG
style massive-cluster-of-cheap-
modules orbital design back when
we had 98% peroxide (assumed to
be a biprop with kerosene), and I
have always considered it one of
the viable routes to significant
reduction in orbital launch costs.
After really going over the trades
and details with Lutz, I am quite
convinced that this is the lowest
development cost route to
significant orbital capability.
Eventually, reusable stages will
take over, but I actually think that we
can make it all the way to orbit on
our current budget by following this path.
The individual modules are less complicated
than our current vehicles, and
I am becoming more and more
fond of high production methods over
hand crafter prototypes."
June 2006 Armadillo Aerospace Update
Carmack has stated in his monthly reports and in forum posts that he expects his path to an orbital vehicle to include modular rockets similar to OTRAG technology. Lutz Kayser, the founding engineer of OTRAG, visited Armadillo in May, 2006 and loaned Carmack some of their original research hardware.
"I have been corresponding with
Lutz for a few months now, and I
have learned quite a few things.
I seriously considered an OTRAG
style massive-cluster-of-cheap-
modules orbital design back when
we had 98% peroxide (assumed to
be a biprop with kerosene), and I
have always considered it one of
the viable routes to significant
reduction in orbital launch costs.
After really going over the trades
and details with Lutz, I am quite
convinced that this is the lowest
development cost route to
significant orbital capability.
Eventually, reusable stages will
take over, but I actually think that we
can make it all the way to orbit on
our current budget by following this path.
The individual modules are less complicated
than our current vehicles, and
I am becoming more and more
fond of high production methods over
hand crafter prototypes."
June 2006 Armadillo Aerospace Update
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