Applying Proven technologies for a near term, high confidence heavy lift launch vehicle

Author

Rothschild, William J. ; Talay, Theodore A.

Author_Institution

John Frassanito & Assoc., Inc., Houston, TX

fYear

2009

fDate

7-14 March 2009

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

11

Abstract

The use of well understood, legacy elements of the Space Shuttle system could yield a near-term, high-confidence Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle that offers significant performance, reliability, schedule, risk, cost, and work force transition benefits. This side-mount Shuttle-Derived Vehicle (SDV) concept has major improvements over previous "Shuttle-C" concepts delivering 78 mt to LEO at an estimated recurring cost of $5,000 per kg. This paper provides the latest data and estimates on the configurations, performance, concept of operations, reliability and safety, development schedule, risks, costs, and work force transition opportunities for this optimized side-mount SDV concept. As shown in this paper the SDV is capable of launching large demonstration and initial operational capability Solar Power Satellite missions.

Keywords

artificial satellites; reliability; rockets; space vehicles; heavy lift launch vehicle; reliability; side-mount shuttle-derived vehicle; solar power satellite mission; space shuttle system; Costs; Engines; Low earth orbit satellites; Moon; NASA; Safety; Solar energy; Solar powered vehicles; Space shuttles; Space vehicles;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Aerospace conference, 2009 IEEE

Conference_Location

Big Sky, MT

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-2621-8

Electronic_ISBN

978-1-4244-2622-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/AERO.2009.4839554

Filename

4839554