Commercial Space Transportation QUARTERLY LAUNCH REPORT Special Report: The Worldwide Growth of Launch Vehicle Technology and Services 2nd Quarter 1997 United States Department of Transpiration • Federal Aviation Administration Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation 800 Independence Ave. SW Room 331 Washington, D.C. 20591 Special Report SR-1 THE W ORLDWIDE GROWTH OF LAUNCH VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICES In the next five years, there will be an INDIA unprecedented number of new launch The most experienced of the new vehicles attempting to gain some portion entrants into the commercial space of the commercial launch market. Some market is India. India was the seventh of these are the result of large existing nation to orbit a payload on an programs like Arianespace’s Ariane 5. indigenous launch vehicle when it Others are the first steps of emerging launched Rohini 1B on the Satellite space capable nations like Brazil with its Launch Vehicle (SLV) in 1980. It is VLS launch vehicle. The launch vehicles currently marketing the Polar Satellite involved range from small vehicles, such Launch Vehicle (PSLV) for commercial as Israel’s Shavit, to large GEO-capable launches, and also plans to market the launchers like Japan’s H2A. Many Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle different technologies are being (GSLV) once it is proven (it has not yet introduced: reusable launch vehicles like flown). Indian launch vehicles are the Kistler K-1, new expendable vehicles marketed by the Antrix Corporation, LTD, like India’s GSLV, and evolutionary a commercial marketing organization developments of current vehicles like created by the Indian Department of Lockheed Martin’s Atlas 2AR. Space (DOS). Both the PSLV and GSLV use India’s launch facilities at Sriharikota. This report will discuss primarily those vehicles being introduced by the newly The PSLV has been launched three times, emerging space nations. India, Israel, including its initial launch in September of and Brazil are all trying to turn launch 1993. The first flight was a failure but vehicle assets into profitable businesses. the last two in October of 1994 and In this effort, they have found the March of 1996 were successful. Its last technological development process less two flights have put the IRS P2 and P3 of a problem than the restraints imposed into LEO orbits. The PSLV is not capable by outside factors like the Missile of putting large payloads into a Technology Control Regime (MTCR). geosynchronous orbit but it has provided Such restraints have caused the greatest a technological basis for the delays in the production of commercial development of the GSLV, which can launch vehicles as will be discussed for deliver payloads to GEO. each case below. The GSLV will be able to launch a 2.5 This report will also discuss the changing ton payload into a geosynchronous trends in launch vehicle procurement and transfer orbit (GTO). Its first flight is their possible effects on missile expected to take place in the year proliferation as well as on the United 2000. The GSLV is designed for the State’s launch vehicle industry. In 2095 kg Insat-2-class of geosynchronous particular, the possibility of “Turn Key” satellites but will be able to launch other launch systems will be considered along commercial payloads when testing is with their implications for changes in complete. The GSLV program has current launch practices. suffered a two-year delay caused by problems importing Russian liquid propellant rocket engine technology. Federal Aviation Administration • Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation Special Report SR-2 Originally, India had planned to buy, Shavit (in conjunction with United States rather than develop, additional rocket partners) for NASA’s Meteor program in engine technology to augment the PSLV 1990 and for the ultralight launcher technology for the GSLV. Protests by competition in 1994. Currently, efforts the United States under the MTCR threw are being made to get permission to these plans into disorder and resulted in launch the Shavit from Wallops Island, the development of an Indian engine. Virginia. Russian engines will be imported (without the production technology needed to As with India’s launch vehicle program, build them) for use on early GSLV flights, the MTCR has been a major roadblock to but the final commercial vehicle will be the success of the Shavit. Because powered by entirely indigenous engines. many believe that the Shavit is developed from the Israeli Jerico 2 ballistic missile, it ISRAEL has been argued that the United States Israel is the eighth and latest member of should not support Israeli efforts to the space launch club with the launch of market this technology. To do so, it is the Shavit (which is Hebrew for ‘Comet’) suggested, would weaken efforts to launch vehicle carrying the Ofeq 1 in reduce tensions in the Middle East and 1988. Shavit was designed for the would violate the MTCR. delivery of small (160 kg) payloads into LEO orbits. Israel has successfully BRAZIL launched the Shavit three times between Brazil has yet to launch an indigenous 1988 and 1995 but, as of yet, has made launch vehicle but it plans to do so soon no commercial sales. An upgraded and become the ninth country to have its version of the Shavit called NEXT is under own launch vehicle capability. Current development for commercial use. plans are to launch the first Veiculo Lancador de Satelites (VLS) launch In joining the commercial launch market, vehicle sometime this year. It will carry Israel has a particular problem with its the Brazilian SCD satellite into a LEO launch site at Palmachim Air Force Base orbit. Like the Shavit, VLS is intended to north of Tel Aviv. Because Israel is put small payloads (in the 200 kg range) constrained from launching over into LEO orbits. Also, like the Shavit, it is neighboring countries, its launch facility intended to become a commercial money has severely limited trajectories available maker for its builders. for launches. Because of this limitation, Israel has a particular interest in launches The original timetable for the VLS called from non-Israeli sites. for a first launch in 1992 but Brazil’s access to the necessary technology was Israel has sought an exemption from the limited by the MTCR. Because of this, presidential directive requiring that US the VLS had to be redesigned, a process payloads launched from the United which added five years to its States also be launched on US vehicles. development time. Four development It has also unsuccessfully proposed the flights are planned. If they are Federal Aviation Administration • Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation Special Report SR-3 successful, the VLS will be offered on the would greatly increase their possible international commercial launch market. trajectories, the launch of START vehicles from SpacePort Canada would also open new orbital possibilities Initial Orbit Payload to users of the START vehicles. Launch Date Type Weight India MIXED NATIONALITY LAUNCHES PSLV 1993 LEO 2200 lbs Another important development is GTO 990 lbs GSLV 2000 LEO 11000 lbs the growing possibility of GTO 5500 lbs commercial launches of vehicles Israel from sites in other countries. In Shavit 1988 LEO 350 lbs recent years, proposals have Brazil been made for the launch of VLS 1997 LEO 440 lbs Russian Proton rockets from Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS) in Florida, Alcantara in Brazil, and from a proposed Australian Spaceport. TURN-KEY LAUNCH SYSTEMS There have also been proposals that the Beyond these new sources for United States Delta or Ukrainian Cyclone commercial launchers, it is also becoming launch vehicles use the ELA-2 Ariane 4 possible to buy “Turn-key” launch systems facilities at the Guinea Space Center that will enable instant access to space. (Kourou) once all Arianespace payloads Both the Israeli Shavit and the Russian have been shifted to Ariane 5 vehicles. START launch vehicle have been offered There have even been suggestions that to third parties for their own use. As the X-33’s commercial follow-on , the previously mentioned, the Shavit has Lockheed Martin Venture Star, might be already been offered to teams of US launched from outside of the United companies for a number of NASA States in some cases. contracts as well as the more recent Wallops Island proposal. In addition to the possibility of mixed nationality launches from fixed sites there In the case of START, Russia’s STC are also site-free launch vehicles. Two Complex has already signed a “turn-key of these vehicles are the Sea Launch launch services package”1 agreement Zenit, which is launched from a mobile with SpacePort Canada. Under the ocean platform, and the OSC Pegasus terms of this agreement, START vehicles which is launched from an aircraft. would be launched from Churchill, Neither of these launch vehicles call for Manitoba, on the shore of the Hudson ground based infrastructure as do pad- Bay in Canada. Just as the launch of launched rockets. These mobile launch Shavit vehicles from Wallops Island sites also allow one nation’s launch vehicles to be launched from another country’s “soil,” but on a one-at-a-time 1 “Spaceport Deal Signed” in Space News, October basis. The upcoming Minisat 01 launch 14-20, 1996, page 1 Federal Aviation Administration • Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation Special Report SR-4 from Spain is an example of the flexibility Spaceport have pushed for both Shavit of such vehicles. and Proton launches from Florida in the hopes of raising the number of launches FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF MIXED NATIONALITY from Florida sites. The United States- LAUNCHES based commercial spaceports are All of these suggestions raise a variety of seeking launch opportunities, regardless important issues about the nature of the of the origin of the launch vehicle.