Spaceflight A British Interplanetary Society Publication Human Space Flight SLS SABRE Vol 59 No 7 July 2017 £4.50 www.bis-space.com 241.indd 241 5/24/2017 8:17:29 AM INBOX 242 Spaceflight Vol 58 March 2016 242.indd 242 5/24/2017 8:18:05 AM CONTENTS Editor: Published by the British Interplanetary Society David Baker, PhD, BSc, FBIS, FRHS Sub-editor: Volume 59 No. 7 July 2017 Ann Page Production Assistant: 252-259 NASA’s Roadmap to Mars: Stepping stones or Ben Jones stumbling blocks Spaceflight Promotion: After many years of deliberation and hardware development to acquire Gillian Norman a deep space capability leading to putting humans on Mars, NASA has a map for how it will get humans to the Red Planet by the mid-2030s. Spaceflight Arthur C. Clarke House, 260-261 Space Launch System Evolves 27/29 South Lambeth Road, London, SW8 1SZ, England. Now little more than two years away from its first flight, we look at the Tel: +44 (0)20 7735 3160 current state of development with what will become the world’s most Fax: +44 (0)20 7582 7167 powerful launch vehicle and assess how progress is being made against Email: [email protected] some challenging obstacles. www.bis-space.com ADVERTISING 262-268 Hubble Space Telescope and the Shuttle: Advanced Tel: +44 (0)1424 883401 Satellite Servicing Email: [email protected] Christopher Gainor FBIS takes time out from his work as one of a team DISTRIBUTION under contract to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center for an official Spaceflight may be received worldwide by history of the HST to tell us about the challenges of servicing the giant mail through membership of the British telescope. Interplanetary Society. Details including Library subscriptions are available from the above address. * * * Regular Features Spaceflight is obtainable from UK newsagents and other retail outlets in many countries. 244-246 News Analysis – Hypersonic Strike or Reusable Launch Vehicle? In the event of difficulty contact: Warners Group Distribution, The Maltings, Manor Lane, 246 A Letter from the Editor Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH, England. Tel: +44 (0)1778 391 000 Fax: +44 (0)1778 393 668 247-249 ISS Report – 9 April - 8 May 2017 * * * 250 Briefing notes – news shorts from around the world Spaceflight is a publication which promotes the mission of The British Interplanetary Society. Opinions in signed articles are those of the 270-272 Satellite Digest – 534 April 2017 contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or the Council of the British 273 Flashback – A regular feature looking back 50 years ago this month Interplanetary Society. * * * 274-276 Society News – It is rocket science! – Anna Smith Visits the BIS – Suszann Back issues of Spaceflight are available from Parry Receives IAF Award the Society. For details of issues and prices go to www.bis-space.com or send an sae to the address at top. 278 What’s On * * * The hydrogen tank structural test article for NASA’s first SLS rocket being prepared for shipping to the Published monthly by the British Interplanetary Marshall Space Flight Center. NASA Society. Registered Company No: 402498. Registered Charity No: 250556. Printed in the UK by Latimer Trend & Company Ltd. * * * Copyright © British Interplanetary Society 2017 ISSN 0038-6340. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photo- copying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system without written permission from the Publishers. Photocopying permitted by license only. * * * The British Interplanetary Society is a company limited by guarantee. Mission The British Interplanetary Society promotes the exploration and use of space for the benefit of humanity, by connecting people to create, educate and inspire, and advance knowledge in Cover image: An Atlas V 401 launches the Cygnus cargo vehicle on 18 April. Designated CRS-7, it was all aspects of astronautics. named John Glenn after the first NASA astronaut to orbit the Earth. Jacques van Oene Spaceflight Vol 59 July 2017 243 243.indd 243 5/24/2017 8:18:22 AM BRITAIN IN SPACE Hypersonic Strike or Reusable Launch Vehicle? Skylon has already produced optional variants for a diverse range of applications but will it be for space or for military purposes that the SABRE engine finds initial application? Reaction Engines/Adrian Mann n 4 May, Reaction Engines Ltd Engine) was an offered solution for single- motor had been run for a few minutes prior began construction of a test facility stage-to-orbit (SSTO) capabilities, sought to cancellation. At the time, support came for demonstration runs of the SABRE since the advent of operational rockets and from a potential application whereby winged Oengine core and associated technologies at missiles at the dawn of the space age. It aerospace-planes would replace ballistic Westcott, Bucks, which it hopes to commence advanced concepts originally funded in the rockets as space launch vehicles and carry operating by 2019. The ground-breaking United States through the Aerospace Plane the brunt of satellites, spacecraft and piloted ceremony was conducted by Mark Thomas, (ASP) project of the late 1950s/early 1960s, vehicles beyond the atmosphere. The reaction CEO of Reaction Engines, along with completely re-modelled and redefined for the to Russia’s Sputnik I on 4 October 1957 representatives from the European Space defunct HOTOL (HOrizontal Take-Off and created NASA and a different direction for Agency, the UK Space Agency and the CEO of Landing) concept of the early 1980s and totally space projects. Buckinghamshire Thames Valley LEP. re-invented and engineered for the Skylon The desirability of a SSTO concept It was in July 2016 that Reaction Engines spaceplane and satellite launcher. was overwhelmed for two decades by the announced the signing of a development Only the concept had remained surge in expendable rocket technology and contract for the ground based demonstrator, consistent, the ASP being far ahead of its applications, until British rocket engineer under a commitment pledging £60 million time, compromised by an imperfect design, Alan Bond submitted his precooled jet engine from the British government. An additional €10 inadequate testing and evolving priorities concept which cooled the air without the need million was secured from the European Space which caused its demise. But the search for for an air condenser required by the LACES Agency’s Technology Centre (ESTEC), this a reusable launch vehicle capable of carrying design. Along with British Aerospace engineer following a decision by BAE Systems to invest satellites into space endured on the sound Bob Parkinson, Bond married his motor design £20.6 million for a 20% share of the company. principle that one vehicle making many flights to a reusable aerospace vehicle and HOTOL Last year, Reaction Engines modified plans was more economical than many launchers was born. for the full-scale demonstrator, electing to each carrying only a few payloads on a single Through a series of frustrating episodes downscale the planned SABRE tests to better flight. which string together more like the plot for fit with cost and a lower funding uptake than The core propulsion concept for ASP had an industry-based thriller, best efforts were anticipated. Thomas also believes that a been the LACES (Liquid Air Collection Engine confounded and the project languished. smaller-scale demonstrator will help push System) which was designed by the Marquardt Locked out of cooperation with Europe by the concept toward an early application, one Corporation, a propulsion company successful vested interests in more conventional launcher that has stronger short-term prospects. But is with small rocket motors and supersonic concepts, frustrated by the actions of a the basic design goal of SABRE being slowly rocket propulsion systems. LACES worked by vacillating and indecisive government at home, weaned away from Reaction Engines by the compressing and liquefying oxygen taken in starved of funds by inadequate awareness sheer dynamic of its wider applications? Some during flight through the atmosphere, which would of its capability, and hampered by an Official history helps. be mixed with hydrogen as cryogenic propellants Secrets Act, HOTOL staggered on through for propulsion outside the atmosphere. several iterations until it ended up stripped of Form Marquardt and General Dynamics supported its unique propulsion system before funding SABRE (Synergistic Air-Breathing Rocket LACES research but only a small 1.2 kN test was withdrawn in 1988. 244 Spaceflight Vol 59 July 2017 244-246.indd 244 5/24/2017 8:18:40 AM BRITAIN IN SPACE In 1989, along with former Rolls-Royce engineers from the HOTOL days Richard Varvill and John Scott-Scott, Alan Bond formed Reaction Engines, reigniting the possibility of a British-based SSTO through a much modified and “unclassified” (albeit proprietary) engine. Performing the same function, but with critical improvements, under the name SABRE the new engine offered propulsion for a satellite launcher, Skylon, which through its very diversity of potential applications has brought a serious dilemma. While this may have been a serendipitous consequence of an evolved engineering focus – bringing many applications from a single and highly defined design originally developed for one purpose – that apparent bonus introduces a dilemma and presents problems as to where The US Air Force has married the SABRE engine to a conceptual satellite launcher for 2.2 tonne to position the SABRE as it slashes through payloads. USAF conventional ways of carrying out a multitude of roles. atmosphere to Mach 5.5, and above that speed sees potential application as one component of Functions using cryogenic liquid oxygen and hydrogen. a two-stage satellite launcher for which there is During the HOTOL days, the Americans showed Both engine and precooler are designed for a much more immediate potential.