physical size of the reusable vehicle is considerably reduced and this results in a smaller investment in support facilities. There is a possibility that the aluminum tank can be used as a source of raw aluminum for manufacture of structures in orbit for the solar power system. This would increase the effective payload in orbit by about 25 percent. The single stage to orbit heavy lift launch vehicle has a high degree of mission flexibility. Designed for a capacity of 150 metric tons, or greater, it can carry, in addition to HLV payloads, the shuttle orbiter. Therefore, it can support all currently planned space missions and missions too heavy or too bulky for the current shuttle, such as space stations and high energy interplanetary missions. The 150 MT vehicle could support all space missions including the SPS pilot plant. The operational phase of the SPS would probably require a larger capacity. Vehicles with a capacity greater than 350 MT would require some technology developments such as a reduction in engine spacing, a change in the aerodynamic shape, or solid rocket thrust augmentation.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTU5NjU0Mg==