🇸🇪 Second launch for the DART-rocket

On Tuesday the 8 of April 2025 the T-Minus DART rocket was successfully launched from Esrange Space Center.

The rocket is developed completely by the Dutch company T-Minus and the goal is to come up with a cost effective way to do observations in the highest layers of the atmosphere. With its 3,5 metres and 35 kilo mass, the rocket is fairly small but that is also the key to the cost efficiency since it becomes easier to launch. This was the second launch of the DART-rocket from Esrange, the first launch was in 2024.

“It is designed to hold approximately 1,5-2 kg of payload”, says Hein Olthof, CEO and one of the founders of T-Minus.

This flight carried multiple sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes and a position determination system to gather detailed information of the flight dynamics.

The payload compartment is made of glass fibre hull, and it is practical for telemetry on smaller rockets like this.

“Since this material is radio transparent, it allows a radio telemetry link throughout the flight, without having any antennas protruding from the outside. For a small-diameter rocket such as DART, this is a large benefit”, explains Hein Olthof.