Carrier Rocket Tronador - Machtres Fighters

Argentina plans to develop a rocket launcher that will be able to place its domestically built small satellites into low Earth orbit, the head of the Argentine National Commission for Space Activities (CONAE) announced Aug. 15. Conrado Varotto said Argentina could launch satellites for one quarter the cost of buying foreign launch services, and that the technology would all be developed domestically. According to CONAE, the Tronador II ("thundering") rocket will build on Argentina's current Tronador I project, which uses a liquid-fueled engine, weighs about 60 kg, and can travel on an unguided ballistic trajectory up to 20 km. Tronador II, which will be about 10 times heavier, will use multiple engines, and add navigation, guidance, and control technology, so that the rocket can be deployed to a specific point in space. Varotto stated that satellites weighing between 250-400 kg could be launched with the new rocket, which he said could be ready for its first flight test in 2017, if the resources are provided. The small satellites would be a "dynamic cluster," he explained, each one designed for a specific mission, to test a particular technical capability. In this way, a failure in one does not jeopardize all of them, and allows for an "immediate response." Using conventional technology, he said, it can take up to six years to design, build, and launch a satellite.

Tronador (Thunderer) is a series of Argentine rockets, including the Tronador II, a liquid propellant expendable launch system which is under development.
The Tronador I rocket is an unguided liquid fueled rocket, used for suborbital test flights. It will lead to the larger Tronador II, which will have an indigenous guidance system and be capable of reaching low Earth orbit. It is expected to make its maiden flight in 2017.

Tronador I
One Tronador I (T1) vehicle was flown, on the June 6, 2007 from the Puerto Belgrano Naval Base.

Characteristics
Length (mm) 3400
Stages 1
Total takeoff mass (kg) 60
Payload mass (kg) 4
Thrust 500kgf x 10 sec

Tronador Ib
One Tronador Ib (T2) vehicle was flown, on the August 5, 2008 from the Puerto Belgrano Naval Base.

Characteristics
Length (mm) 3400
Stages 1
Total takeoff mass (kg) 60
Payload mass (kg) 4
Apogee (km) 15~20
Thrust: 1500kgf x 10 sec



Tronador II
Characteristics

The projected Tronador II rocket has the following configuration:
Length (mm) 33000
Stages 3
Diameter 2.5m - 1.5m
Empty mass (kg) 8000
Total weight(kg) 64000
Payload mass (kg) 200-400
Apogee (km) 600-700
1st stage thrust: 90t(3x30t)
2nd stage thrust: 30t
3rd stage engine: 4t thrust , 60 seconds burn, 2800kg of fuel

VEX 1A. The full Tronador II is expected to launch in 2017 from the Puerto Belgrano Naval Base.

Program
The "Vex" prototipe plan is as follows:

Demonstrator missions:
Vex1 - only one stage, 2.8 tonnes, 4t engine, 60 seconds mission, apogee of 16 km.
Vex1B launched in August 15 at 19.25 hours. Vex1A failed two launch attempts on January and February 2014.
Vex2 - first stage 3 x 4t engines, second stage single 4t engine
Vex3 - 30t engine
Vex4 - 30t engine
Vex5 - first stage 3 x 30t, second stage 1 x 30t with RCS control and separation at 80 km

Orbital capable Tronador II:
First flight - 2017