Independence-X Aerospace
Independence-X Aerospace is a Malaysian aerospace company. Independence-X Aerospace or better known as IDXA is currently developing rocket launcher technology that it claims could reduce launch cost significantly. IDXA would be providing future commercial rocket launch services into LEO (Low Earth Orbit). The rocket launcher is known as the DNLV (Dedicated Nano Launch Vehicle) to be commercial ready by 2023, which was featured in NASA "Small Spacecraft Technology: State of the Art" December 2015 report.[2] The DNLV is capable of providing dedicated launch services to small satellites and cubesat owners for insertion into their intended orbit and inclination. IDXA is looking at frequent launches from near equatorial launch site for at least twice a month for the first year (24 launches / year). DNLV is capable of delivering payloads of 200 kg to a 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit. IDXA was also an official team of the Google Lunar X Prize since 2008 until 2016, then later partnered with remaining team Synergy Moon from the USA. IDXA is currently developing a lunar lander probe named as SQUALL (Scientific Quest Autonomous Lunar Lander) which will aim to complete the goals of the Google Lunar X Prize, and to conduct scientific discovery of other rare minerals and search for water on the surface of the moon.[3] Besides its Moon mission, a Mars mission in currently being planned for post the year 2020, where IDXA is developing a bio-mimetic flapping winged micro aerial vehicle (B-MAV) robotic dragonfly to scout the Martian Surface to assist NASA's future Mars rover from the rough rocky Martian terrain to perform ground exploration much easily by providing avoidable obstacle path. IDXA is also developing a reentry capsule in the pipeline for future commercial missions.[4]
Private | |
Industry | Launch service provider |
Founded | 2013[1] |
Founder | Izmir Yamin |
Headquarters | Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory , Malaysia |
Key people | |
Products | Dedicated Nano Launch Vehicle Rocket |
Revenue | - |
Number of employees | n/a (-) |
Website | independence-x |
Footnotes / references Malaysian Rocket Propulsion Company |
History
Independence-X Aerospace was founded in 2013 by Founder, CEO and CTO Izmir Yamin and based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Back then, the initiatives was parked under a Special Interest Group experimenting with different rocket technology at engineering model and lab scale, which led to the state of the art technology on its feeding system which can reduce the entire mass of existing feeding system for liquid propellant technology by half and less the power consumption. This discovery will later help to translate into better cost effective launch price for future customers. Having the added advantage of being an equatorial launcher, it makes DNLV the preferred future launch for small, pico and nano class satellites. Since 2003, 3 different engineering model had been designed, built and test flight which achieved remarkable success where it also won Gold Medals in Europe for its Innovativeness. The rocket motor and engines are as follows: ID-1 (Solid Propellant Rocket Motor, 2003), ID-2 (Upgraded version - Solid Propellant Rocket Motor, 2005), ID-3 (Liquid Propellant Rocket Engine, 2006).[1]
References
- "Main page". IDXA. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
- "Small Spacecraft Technology State of the Art" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
- "Independence X set to take Malaysia to the moon". The Malay Mail. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- "About Us - Independence X". IDXA. Retrieved 18 September 2017.