The Expendable Vehicle and Satellite Development
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The Space Congress® Proceedings 1982 (19th) Making Space Work For Mankind Apr 1st, 8:00 AM The Expendable Vehicle and Satellite Development Harry J. Masoni Project Manager, Systems Engineering Laboratories, Space and Communications Group Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.erau.edu/space-congress-proceedings Scholarly Commons Citation Masoni, Harry J., "The Expendable Vehicle and Satellite Development" (1982). The Space Congress® Proceedings. 4. https://commons.erau.edu/space-congress-proceedings/proceedings-1982-19th/session-4/4 This Event is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences at Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Space Congress® Proceedings by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE EXPENDABLE VEHICLE AND SATELLITE DEVELOPMENT Harry J. Masoni Project Manager, Systems Engineering Laboratories Space and Communications Group Hughes Aircraft Company El Segundo, California ABSTRACT missions are those which avail themselves of the satellite's stationary or sweeping view The role of the expendable launch vehicle (ELV) of the earth to economically get a global look in the development of satellite systems is at portions of, or the entire, earth's surface. explored. Essentially an outgrowth of the bal Definite advantages are thus afforded for listic missile which was first used for mili vital earth tasks such as: communications of tary applications 4 decades ago, the ELV is wideband information via high frequency line- used for a wide spectrum of peacetime appli of-sight radio links, large area photographic cations including the launching of earth observations applicable to meteorology, high orbiting satellites which provide inter- and resolution photography for assessment of intra-national communications, large area visible earth resources, and navigation aid photography for weather analysis and predic for aircraft and ships. tion, and high resolution imagery capability for earth resources evaluation. The launch It is possible to define any of the above mis constraints and considerations which the sions in terms of a generic spacecraft con satellite designer must address are reviewed. figuration, as depicted in Figure 1, which consists of a basic spacecraft bus and mission A survey of three payloads developed by Hughes payload. The spacecraft bus functions to: Aircraft Company for launch by expendable 1) establish and maintain a desired orbit and boosters is included. The HS 376 series of attitude following insertion into an approxi communications satellites are capable of mate orbit by the expendable launch vehicle, transmitting digital data, digital and analog 2) command and control the spacecraft and voice, and television in a typical geosynchro retrieve bus status and payload data via radio nous orbit application. The Geostationary link, and 3) provide power, thermal control, Meteorological Satellite (GMS) records and and mechanical support for the payload. transmits visual and IR images of the entire earth. The multispectral scanner (MSS) is an Communications payloads typically consist of imagery system used aboard the low altitude any up- and downlink radio system wherein LANDSAT spacecraft which creates images in wideband information transmitted via radio four spectral bands for evaluation of earth waves from an earth terminal is received, resources. amplified, and routed to a distant earth ter minal. There it enters into the local ground INTRODUCTION communication network. * Information transfer occurs in near real time. Payloads for non The development of advanced electronics and communications type spacecraft receive imaging materials technology since an expendable or field/particles information and transmit launch vehicle successfully placed a satellite this data to mission control. This informa into earth orbit over 2 decades ago, has given tion may be stored on board the spacecraft rise to a vast array of spacecraft missions bus and transmitted at an appropriate time. designed to benefit mankind. The objectives of these peaceful missions fall into two gen The expendable launch vehicle (ELV) is a key eral categories: science exploration and element in the design evolution of every space earth applications. Scientific missions deal craft system. It dictates the shape and vol with the uncovering of new knowledge of the ume within which the spacecraft must fit and earth and its environment, the solar system, the maximum allowable weight which can be and the stars that cannot be obtained via lofted into the desired trajectory. The earth-bound instruments. Earth applications acoustic noise and mechanical vibration envi- 4-16 ronment produced by the launch vehicle largely harness not only ties together these PAF sub establishes the design criteria for the space systems, but provides the flow of power and craft structure. signal transfer between the ground and the spacecraft during prelaunch checkout. This paper is confined to the earth orbiting satellite and its interplay with the expend Certain satellite missions require spin sta able launch vehicle. Due to its broad use and bilization during operation subsequent to application, the geosynchronous orbiting separation of the spacecraft from the launch satellite mission will be used as an example vehicle. This spin rate can be supplied in developing the role of the ELV and its im either by a spin table on the launch vehicle's pact on the spacecraft design. The discussion upper stage or by a propulsion system on and methodology, however, can be easily board the spacecraft bus. Of course, the extended to nongeosynchronous missions. A latter technique adds weight, cost and com survey of three satellites is provided in the plexity which the satellite designer must, hope that the reader will develop an apprecia once again, be cognizant of early in the sys tion for the wide range of applications tem development. afforded by satellite technology. TRAJECTORY PLANNING LAUNCH VEHICLE INTERFACES Different satellite missions often require The mechanical interface between the space different orbit plane orientations and craft and the launch vehicle represents the periods. Some examples are shown in the brief single most important constraint on the space survey presented in the later sections of this craft design. The interface is depicted for paper. For purposes of identifying the a three stage Delta launch vehicle in Fig interrelationship of the expendable vehicle ure 2. For every launch vehicle and fairing, and the spacecraft design for this important a payload dynamic envelope is defined by the mission phase, the earth synchronous, or geo launch vehicle supplier. The dynamic envel stationary, orbit will be used as an example. ope is the volume in the fairing within which the dynamic motions of the spacecraft must be The geostationary orbit is one which affords contained while the fairing is attached during the satellite a stationary position in space the boost phase. The launch vehicle supplier as viewed from the earth. The orbit must must calculate the maximum excursions of the therefore lie in the equatorial plane. It fairing in order to define this volume. Snub- must be circular to eliminate any retrograde bers against the fairing may be required to motion. Finally, it must have a 24 hour hold these excursions to acceptable levels. period. The circular orbit synchronous alti Various windows, some removable, are required tude is approximately 35,800 km. in the fairing for access to and inspection of the spacecraft. The spacecraft designer The launch vehicle is a multistage rocket, must use the launch vehicle dynamics flight and it places the spacecraft into a coast environment to calculate the dynamic motions transfer orbit that has an apogee at synchro- of the spacecraft. nouse altitude. The transfer orbit is inclined relative to the equatorial plane. The importance of understanding this inter Perigee velocity is approximately 1524 m/sec face can not be emphasized strongly enough. and a final boost velocity of 1829 m/sec is It relates, for example, directly to the required to circularize the orbit and cor allowable solar panel area of the spacecraft rect inclination due to off-equator launch. and hence, its power-producing capability. Available power is directly related to system The most weight efficient way to achieve syn performance for many mission payloads. The chronous orbit is to have the spacecraft per designer must be aware at the inception of the form the apogee orbit injection with a high design process whether or not deployments of thrust solid rocket engine, often referred to antennas, solar panels, or scientific instru as an apogee kick motor (AKM). This allows ments are required to mitigate the size and the smallest launch vehicle for a given in- shape constraints imposed by the launch orbit spacecraft weight, but the spacecraft vehicle payload envelope. must cope with large offset thrust pitching moments produced by the solid rocket. These A payload attach fitting (PAF) attaches the perturbing forces can be readily attenuated by spacecraft to the propulsive third stage, spinning the spacecraft along an axis paral depicted as a solid rocket motor for the lel to the thrust. In some instances, a Delta application. The PAF also provides a liquid propulsion system may be used in place platform for mounting the electrical, mechan of the solid rocket. The attendant lower ical, and ordnance equipment