We’re getting a little ahead of ourselves: Today’s test launch already exceeds the requirements for our first launch. This is due to scheduling requirements. As you know, wetry to emulate the IridiumNEXT launches. Their next launch dates are planned for March 20 and April 14, 2018 – two dates very close to each other. Probably no problem for Iridium, since they already know what they’re doing. Not so for us, though. Our bar for our first launch is not very high and we are confident to get there by February 25. But then we’ll have to jump hoops to meet our objectives for launch-2, which should take place around a week before Iridium-6. That’s why we’re already working on some of the launch-2 issues:

Elektra, our petite rocket, has been equipped with a much bigger nose cone. It will harbor some electronics – altimeter, pressure gauge, battery, display … We test the effects of the extra weight on Elektra’s attitude. We’ll also switch from the previously tested A-type motor to B- or even C-type.

We use Elektra as a kind of guinea pig before taking tests with our precious Falcon 9 boosters.