Subscale Flight Test Campaign Completed by Evolution Space

A subscale flight test campaign has been completed by Evolution Space, paving the way for a full-scale flight test later this year.

"Owning all elements of that IP is core to our vertical integration-based business model."

Steve Heller, Evolution's Founder and Chief Executive Officer.

Evolution Space is a Mojave, CA-based solid propulsion and launch provider. The subscale flight test campaign was conducted at its test facility near Ridgecrest, CA.

The test mission, named Expressionless, was designed to test the first generation of Evolution's in-house flight control system, which the company plans to expand into its own guidance, navigation, and control system over the next 18 months. "Owning all elements of that IP is core to our vertical integration-based business model," said Steve Heller, Evolution's Founder and Chief Executive Officer. "This mission was an incredible first step toward that goal."

Subscale Flight Test Reached 48,000 Feet

The subscale flight test vehicle - 3 inches in diameter, 7 feet tall and roughly 30 pounds fully fueled - lofted the flight control system to an altitude of approximately 48,000 feet AMSL at just under 3 times the speed of sound, at which point parachutes were deployed and the vehicle recovered roughly 3 miles northwest of the launch point. "It's important to note that in addition to the avionics, all other systems of the test vehicle performed nominally, further validating those elements of our development program and demonstrating our ability to provide this service for future customers," Heller added. "Like many launch companies, it's strategic. We have the ability to be our own customer. Like SpaceX and Starlink, it's a win/win."

In the process, the company continued its cross-mission objective of building an internal flight database to refine its simulation and ballistics modeling. "Our entryway to the development program Steve and I have discussed was to record redundant, high-fidelity flight data upon which controls can slowly be built," said Dr. Wyatt Harris, Evolution's Director of Flight Systems. "The data look fantastic, and the discrepancies are negligible which is exactly what we were looking for." Harris said the company will now begin building control capability and performing independent flight control tests later this year.

The company plans to fly its first full-scale space mission, Gold Chain Cowboy, in Q2 of this year.

(Source: Evolution Space news release. Images from Facebook)