Low-Cost Launch Technology Demo For Earth to Orbit Propulsion_____________ Preliminary Idea There is a critical need for lower cost space transportation. The Earth to Orbit segment of SSPP (or any other space endeavor) can be up to 45 percent of the total system cost. Launcher The launcher may be a derivative of a pressure-fed booster/launch vehicle design from the Bob Truax/Air Force studies of the early 1960's (with the Space Technology Laboratories [STL]) , the planned Strategic Defense Command (SDI)/U.S. Air Force Delta Clipper and the current U.S. Navy SEA-LAunched Rocket (SEALAR) for the $800M demonstration. This demo could also be included in Task C. Customer I User The customer for the system would be SSPP. The other customers would be satellite transportation companies or other government agencies (NASA, ESA, NASDA, Russia) that need space vehicle transportation. Spacecraft concept The ideas for low-cost transportation have been documented in the references. A prime candidate for the low-cost system is a pressure-fed booster. This system uses a low-pressure rocket engine that has minimal maintenance requirements and can theoretically launch large payloads to orbit with minimal refurbishment (repair). This type of propulsion system has fewer parts and is fabricated from simpler materials than the typical aerospace vehicle. A proposed booster would have heavier components that do not require the stringent technical tolerances that are needed on existing vehicles. The lower- technology materials would require larger rocket engines to get into orbit, but the overall effect would be a reduction of cost. Organization Probably a government program for this demo. References 1) Bob Truax/Air Force studies of the early 1960's (with the Space Technology Laboratories [STL]) 2) Strategic Defense Command (SDI)/U.S. Air Force Delta Clipper 3) Bob Truax, U.S. Navy SEA-LAunched Rocket (SEALAR) 4) Palaszewski, B. “Launch Vehicle Performance Using Metallized Propellants”, AIAA Paper, Sacramento, California, July 1991.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTU5NjU0Mg==