• Energy requirements will be minimized consistent with minimum cost. • Environmental impact will be minimized and, so far as possible, protective measures needed will be factored into cost analyses. • The use of critical materials will be minimized consistent with cost, energy and environmental impact requirements. Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (HLLV) * The reference HLLV is a two-stage, vertical take-off, horizontal landing (VTOHL), fully reusable winged launch vehicle. The launch configuration and overall geometry are detailed in figure 27 and the launch/erector concept is illustrated in figure 28. The vehicle uses 16 CH4/O2 engines on the booster (first stage) and 14 standard SSME's on the orbiter (second stage). The booster engines employ a gas generator cycle and provide a vacuum thrust of 9.79 X 10 newtons each. The orbiter SSME's provide a vacuum thrust of 2.09 X 10$ newtons each at 100% power level. The gross lift-off weight of the HLLV is 11,040 metric tons with a payload to LEO of 424 metric tons. An airbreather propulsion system (aircraft jet engine) is provided on the booster to provide flyback capability and simplify the booster operations. Its landing weight is 934 metric tons. The orbiter deorbits and performs a glide- back landing maneuver. Its landing weight is 453 metric tons which includes an assumed returned payload of 63.5 metric tons or 15% of the payload delivered to LEO. The HLLV trajectory and exhaust products data are provided in figure 29. This figure shows the propellant expended and the exhaust product components by weight for intervals of altitude versus range from lift-off to orbiter engine cut-off. Personnel Launch Vehicle (PLV) - The PLV provides for the transportation of personnel and priority cargo between earth and low earth orbit. The reference vehicle is derived from the current space shuttle system. It incorporates a winged liquid propellant fly-back booster instead of the Solid Rocket Boosters and has a personnel compartment in the Orbiter payload bay capable of transporting
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