2000 Reusable Launch Vehicle Programs & Concepts
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2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS & CONCEPTS WITH A SPECIAL SECTION ON SPACEPORTS January 2000 Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST) ABOUT THE OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION (AST) The Federal Aviation Administration’s operations to ensure public health and Associate Administrator for Commercial safety and the safety of property; and Space Transportation (AST) licenses and protect national security and foreign regulates U.S. commercial space launch policy interests of the United States activity as authorized by Executive during commercial launch operations. In Order 12465 and Commercial Space addition, the Federal Aviation Launch Activities, Title 49 of the United Administration is directed to encourage, States Code, Subtitle IX, Chapter 701 facilitate, and promote commercial space (formerly the Commercial Space Launch launches. Additional information Act of 1984). AST’s mission is to concerning space transportation can be regulate the U.S. commercial launch found on AST’s web site at industry; license commercial launch http://ast.faa.gov. Cover Page Images (clockwise, from top left) “Skylon” RLV concept (courtesy: Reaction Engines Ltd., UK). LEO satellite constellation, artist’s conception (courtesy: Futron Corporation). DC-XA RLV concept (courtesy: McDonnell Douglas). Vision Spaceport (courtesy: Vision Spaceport Project, a joint-sponsored research agreement (NCA10-0030) between NASA, Industry, and Academia, initiated by NASA JCS). 2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................... 1 THE PUBLICATION..................................................................................................................................................... 1 RLV INDUSTRY BACKGROUND................................................................................................................................. 1 1999 DEVELOPMENTS............................................................................................................................................ 3 OVERVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS ................................................................................................. 5 UNITED STATES COMMERCIAL PROGRAMS................................................................................................. 6 ASTROLINER – KELLY SPACE AND TECHNOLOGY ..................................................................................................... 6 K-1 – KISTLER AEROSPACE CORPORATION .............................................................................................................. 7 PATHFINDER – PIONEER ROCKETPLANE.................................................................................................................... 8 ROTON C-9 – ROTARY ROCKET COMPANY............................................................................................................... 9 SA-1 – SPACE ACCESS LLC ................................................................................................................................... 10 SPACE CRUISER SYSTEM – VELA TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................ 11 VENTURESTAR™ – LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION ........................................................................................ 12 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS .............................................................................................. 14 SPACE SHUTTLE...................................................................................................................................................... 15 X-33 ....................................................................................................................................................................... 16 X-34 ....................................................................................................................................................................... 17 X-38/CREW RETURN VEHICLE................................................................................................................................ 18 X-40A/MILITARY SPACEPLANE .............................................................................................................................. 19 X-37 ....................................................................................................................................................................... 20 INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS............................................................................................................................ 22 AVATAR – DEFENSE RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (INDIA) ............................................................ 22 HOPE-X – NATIONAL SPACE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF JAPAN .......................................................................... 23 SINGLE-STAGE-TO-ORBIT SPACEPLANE – NATIONAL AEROSPACE LABORATORY (JAPAN)..................................... 24 SPACECAB/SPACEBUS – BRISTOL SPACEPLANES LTD. (ENGLAND)......................................................................... 25 X PRIZE® COMPETITORS.................................................................................................................................... 26 THE X PRIZE......................................................................................................................................................... 26 SPACEPORTS.......................................................................................................................................................... 30 COMMERCIALLY-LICENSED SPACEPORTS ............................................................................................................... 31 U.S. FEDERAL SPACEPORTS.................................................................................................................................... 36 PROPOSED SPACEPORTS.......................................................................................................................................... 40 ACRONYMS............................................................................................................................................................. 45 ENDNOTES .............................................................................................................................................................. 46 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE i 2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000 Introduction The Publication In January 1998, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST) released the first edition of the Reusable Launch Vehicle Programs and Concepts report. The report provided company background, vehicle design, and technical information on commercial, government, and international reusable launch vehicle (RLV) programs. The report filled a need for up-to-date, objective information on reusable launch vehicle activities. In January 1999, the second edition of this report was published, providing updated information on the important strides made by several of the RLV concepts during 1998. These strides included the development and testing of spacecraft components and systems, and in some cases flight testing. This third edition of Reusable Launch Vehicle Programs and Concepts is similar to its predecessor, with some important additions and changes. Each individual entry has been updated with the most recent publicly available information on the RLV’s financial, technical, testing, and manufacturing progress. A key addition to this edition is a section providing an overview of launch sites, i.e., Spaceports, including information on the relevant infrastructure in place at the site and the status of development of new facilities. Following the introduction, this report provides a chronology of many events in the RLV industry in 1999. The report then divides the RLV programs into four categories: United States Commercial Programs, United States Government Programs, International Concepts, and X PRIZE® Competitors. The report also contains a summary table of all of the vehicles, which provides company, technical, performance, and market information at a glance. The final part of this report contains the new section on Spaceports. RLV Industry Background The United States Government and other governments have been exploring the design and development of RLVs for several decades. During the mid-1990s, however, several small “start- up” companies, staffed with entrepreneurs, engineers and other technical personnel with years of experience in the aerospace and launch vehicle industries, proposed to develop commercial reusable launch vehicles. While many of these vehicles are being built with the expectation that there will be significant demand for launches of communication and remote sensing satellites to low Earth orbit (LEO), some hope to serve other new markets such as space station resupply and commercial microgravity missions. Some RLV operators also hope to serve the market for geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) launches as well. In addition, over a dozen RLV designs are proposed specifically to help foster a market for space tourism. Also during the mid-1990s, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) began development of testbed vehicles