SPACE PORT CHICAGO

The small satellite industry is growing rapidly and is continuously seeking launch service options that are accessible, affordable, and flexible. Plans are in development for an emerging space launch provider, Red Star Launch Systems, to operate from Elwood Logistics Airport, as Space Port Chicago (SPC), for its operational base for orbital and suborbital launch capabilities.

Red Star is currently testing its new Peregrine horizontal launch vehicle system, the result of our tremendous investment in innovative design, emerging technologies, and state-of-the-art facilities required to provide a superb customer-focused launch service to low earth orbit.

About Red Star and the Peregrine Launch Systems

Red Star Launch Systems is a United States company established in February 2010 with its corporate headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. Currently its propulsion test facilities and launch vehicle manufacturing activities are in Phoenix, Arizona. However, plans have been developed to construct state-of-the-art vertically integrated manufacturing and payload processing facilities at the Elwood Logistics Airport to enable high-rate, low-cost production of Red Star's Peregrine Launch System.

Peregrine Launch Vehicle

The Peregrine Launch Vehicle, a two-stage orbital launch vehicle developed by Red Star that began test flights in 2022, after development from 2010 to 2021. It is an aircraft-based, horizontally launched rocket, designed to carry small satellite payloads of up to 330 kg into low earth orbit (LEO). The first successful test flight was on 5 January 2022, which delivered a payload of a test CubeSat to LEO.

Cloud Nest

The aircraft, Cloud Nest, is designed to carried the Peregrine Launch Vehicle to its launch altitude, an altitude of approximately 35,000 ft AGL over Lake Michigan and be released to launch to low earth orbit at any desired inclination angle. Cloud Nest is a restored and modified L-1011-100, which is designed to need approximate 11,000 ft of runway length to operate configured for Peregrine launches.

Payload Mass Capabilities to LEO

From Space Port Chicago, Peregrine can launch into inclinations between 42° and 138°. A wider range of achievable inclinations may be possible from alternative range sites. Currently, SPC is in coordination with range authorities at Wallops Flight Facility (WFF), Cape Canaveral (CCS), Vandenberg (Va) and Reagan Test Site (RTS) Kwajalein. A further alternative for other inclinations can be available by trading off payload mass performance for maneuvers in orbit.

Creating a KEWL Spaceport

Some modifications to the Elwood Logistics Airport layout will be required to incorporate the spaceport hangar and launch facilities. More details coming soon.