BA-2

Beal Ba-2 Rocket Pic

Beal BA-2 was a three-stage launcher being built entirely from private money by Beal Aerospace, unfortunately developed was stopped in October 2000.

Beal BA-2 was to begin service in 2004 launching satellites weighing up to 6,000 kg (13,200 lb) to geosynchronous orbit from Beal's launch site on Sombrero Island. It was going to compete with the largest expendable boosters currently available at that time such as the Ariane 5.

The BA-2 was going to be 64.6 metres (212 feet) tall and 6.2 metres (20.4 ft) in diameter and would have weighted approximately 970 tons (2.1 Mlbm) at lift-off.

Each stage of the Beal Aerospace BA-2 had a single, pressure fed kerosene and hydrogen peroxide engine.

On March 4, 2000, the privately financed project reached a major milestone when Beal Aerospace fired the BA-810, the largest liquid rocket engine built in the USA since the Apollo program. It fired for 21 seconds at the company’s engine test facility in McGregor, Texas. The BA-810 was a hydrogen peroxide / kerosene Stage 2 engine with 3,600 kN vacuum thrust.

Did you know?

Beal Aerospace was founded in 1997 by Andrew Beal. It was a Texas company developing a commercial heavy-lift launch vehicles.

BA-2 development has been abandoned in October 2000.

BA-2 Links:

Beal Aerospace:

Beal BA-2 - Summary:

Goto Launch Vehicles

Goto Rockets (Expendable) Home Page

Goto Space Projects and Info Home Page