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Preliminary Study for Manned Spacecraft with Escape System and H-IIB Rocket

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Preliminary Study for Manned Spacecraft with Escape System and H-IIB Rocket Trans. JSASS Space Tech. Japan Vol. 7, No. ists26, pp. Tg_35-Tg_44, 2009 Preliminary Study for Manned Spacecraft with Escape System and H-IIB Rocket By Takane IMADA, Michio ITO, Shinichi TAKATA Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ,Tsukuba, Japan (Received April 30th, 2008) HTV (H-II Transfer Vehicle) is the first Japanese un-manned service vehicle that will transport several pieces of equipments to ISS (International Space Station) and support human activities on orbit. HTV will be launched by the first H-IIB rocket in September 2009 and JAXA will have the capability to access LEO (Low Earth Orbit) bases with enough volume/weight as the human transport system. This paper is the preliminary study for developing a manned spacecraft from the HTV design and includes clarification of necessary development items. In addition, missing parts in the current HTV design are identified with some analysis, such as LES (Launch Escape System), which is mandatory for all human transport systems. Keyword: Manned Transportation, H-II, HTV, Escape System 1. Introduction JAXA announced its long-term vision for the next 20 years This paper uses several data from HTV as an un-manned as "JAXA Vision toward 2025" in April 2005 1) . JAXA but smart transportation vehicle, and launch capability data declared to keep establishing space transportation systems from the H-IIB rocket to estimate as reasonably and with the greatest reliability and competitiveness in the world. realistically as possible. Figure 1 shows an artistic image of Japanese manned spacecraft will be one of the goals of these the launch. This image used a 3-D model that was built reliable transportation systems. Even though development through this preliminary study. has not started yet, JAXA will launch the largest un-manned Through this study, it was identified that current HTV and space vehicle by the most powerful rocket in Japan, HTV H-IIB have several mission items as a manned spacecraft. (H-II Transfer Vehicle) and H-IIB, in the next year. The first Particularly the abort system (LES: Launch Escape System) flight will become an important milestone in JAXA's during power flight, which is unique as a manned system and long-term vision. Then, we will be able to take the next step should be investigated from the early designing process toward developing manned spacecraft. because it affects the transport system design. In previous manned programs in the US and Russia, the mass of Launch Escape Systems were more than half of the crew modules, and the flight path of the rockets were different from un-manned flights to allow the crew to escape in all phases on demand. As the first step of system estimation, we investigated the configuration and size of Launch Escape System with each abort scenario. Abort trajectories were parametrically analyzed, as shown in Section 4 using the sample of a nominal flight path of a manned vehicle with H-IIB and spacecraft, which has a reasonable weight of 14 metric tons. In addition, we tried to make a reasonable concept for this manned spacecraft, which will rendezvous with the spaces station, within the launch capabilities existing within JAXA. We then estimated weight and size of each module of the spacecraft while considering abort capability during each launch phase. In the last half of this paper, we report the analysis result about maximum gravity force to crew during flight and a development plan to demonstrate major functions step by step. 2. Design Baseline Fig. 1 H-IIB manned flight (artist’s image) Figure 2 shows the original HTV configuration. HTV has Copyright© 2009 by the Japan Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences and ISTS. All rights reserved. Tg_35 Trans. JSASS Space Tech. Japan Vol. 7, No. ists26 (2009) logistic carriers for both of pressurized and un-pressurized cargo up to a total of 6 tons. Crew can enter the pressurized Soyuz: 2.9 tons with 3 crew, diameter: 2.2 m 2) section without a space suit to replace several logistics with Apollo Command Module: 5.8 tons, 3 crew, waste. The un-pressurized carrier section has several diameter: 3.9 m 3) mechanics to fix or release the exposed pallet utilized for Orion (planned): 7.3 to 7.7 tons, 6 crew, diameter: un-pressurized cargo exchanging. 5 - 5.5 m 4) JAXA’s Capsule: 5 tons with 4 crew, diameter: 4m 2.1.2. Mission Profile Targets as manned missions were classified into the following points: - Ballistic Flight (less than 1 revolution) - Low Earth Orbit (a few days) - Round trip to a base in Low Earth Orbit - Round trip to the Lunar Orbit - Round trip and landing to the Lunar Surface Table 1 Delta-V requirements for missions Fig. 2 HTV (original) configuration The avionics module has many computers to control not only HTV attitude and position but also all failures in HTV. Basically, HTV has two control strings for nominal operation with failure tolerance and one more contingency string to comply with the same safety requirement as manned vehicles. Figure 3 shows the technical relations between a manned vehicle and HTV. Table 1 shows necessary Delta-V for each mission. Because a lunar orbit needs plenty of propellant, round trip around the moon is not feasible as the first target within JAXA’s current launch capability. Transportation between the Earth and a human base in LEO (Low Earth Orbit) was selected as a reasonable target for the manned mission in this paper. Also, HTV will demonstrate the rendezvous and berthing capability and become a major milestone for manned flights to LEO. Based on the HTV mission profile, investigated enough in development, rendezvous to the LEO space station needs 2 or 3 days for phase adjusting. In addition, the spacecraft has to have 1- or 2-week survival capability for on-orbit contingency Fig. 3 Technical relations between HTV and a manned vehicle cases. 2.2. Modules and Functions 2.1. Basic Requirement to Spacecraft Figure 4 shows the construction of the manned spacecraft 2.1.1. Number of Crew investigated in this paper. To estimate the weight and size of The first study to estimate the size of spacecraft is each function, this vehicle was separated into four functional determining the number of crew in it. More is better but the modules, the Launch Escape System, the Re-entry Module, number is restricted by the volume of the manned spacecraft. the Orbital Habitant Module, and the Propulsion Module. This Following are weight and diameter of manned Re-entry configuration was selected to use HTV heritage as much as Modules. The number of crew does not determine the capsule possible, and to enable us to develop and demonstrate each size directly because of the difference of mission, but a crew module separately. As shown in the following sections, the of four was assumed a reasonable number for a 4-meter Propulsion Module and the Orbital Habitant Module can be diameter capsule launched by H-IIB in this paper. developed based on the current design of HTV. But the Tg_36 T. IMADA et al.: Preliminary Study for Manned Spacecraft with Escape System and H-IIB Rocket Re-entry Module and the Launch Escape System have to be 2.2.2. Habitant Module developed from the earliest design phase because we have Orbital Habitant Module has several life support only a small technical heritage from previous programs. components and supports the crew staying on orbit. Also, it provides an electrical resource to the other modules on orbit. These functions enable us to shrink the size and weight of the other modules, especially the Re-entry Module. We intend to minimize the environmental control and life support system in the Re-entry Module only for a short duration after separated from other modules. Following are the tentative requirements for the Orbital Habitant Module. They will be modified for each mission, which determines the size of module and on-orbit staying duration. Supports a maximum of 4 crew staying on orbit up to 3 days (nominal for rendezvous to station) plus 1 week for contingency cases. (Total 10 days) Equips solar paddles to generate 3,000 W (orbital average value) Fig. 4 Manned spacecraft configuration Equips connecting and hatch system with the Re-entry Module which is used for crew going in and out 2.2.1. Propulsion Module Equips mechanism for docking (or capturing as HTV) Required performance of the Propulsion Module is as with sensor/target system follows. Most of them are similar to HTV because both of them use a similar orbit to the space base at LEO. Like the Propulsion Module, the Orbital Habitant Module can be designed based on HTV. Since several functions to support the crew for 3 - 10 days are not installed in the current Three axes Attitude/Position Control for Docking HTV, the following items should be developed before the first Maximum Acceleration for De-orbit: 0.07 m/s human flight. Full Redundancy, two fail safes Total Delta-V 390 m/s (Orbital transfer: 80 m/s, Rendezvous/Docking: about 200 m/s, De-orbit: about 110 m/s) As long as total vehicle weight is less than 15 tons, only minor design modifications are required to HTV Propulsion and Avionics Module. Fig. 6 Orbital habitant module [Environmental Control/Life Support] O2/CO 2 Control, Air Circulation Air Temperature Control Waste Management, Food/Water, Sleeping bags, etc. 2.2.3. Re-entry Module The Re-entry Module should be developed from the Fig. 5 Propulsion module preliminary design phase. JAXA has experience with un-manned re-entry vehicles in previous programs.
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