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Reusable Launch Vehicle Programs and Concepts

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Reusable Launch Vehicle Programs and Concepts REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST) January 1998 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 1998 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction....................................................................................................................................1 Overview of RLV Development Program Areas.........................................................................3 Commercial Launch Programs.......................................................................................................5 United States Government Programs.............................................................................................6 International Concepts..................................................................................................................7 The X PRIZESM.............................................................................................................................8 Commercial Launch Programs....................................................................................................9 Advent Launch Services – Heavy Lift Launch System...................................................................9 Kelly Space and Technology – Sprint, Express, & Astroliner.......................................................10 Kistler Aerospace Corporation – K-1..........................................................................................12 Pioneer Rocketplane – Pathfinder ..............................................................................................14 Rotary Rocket Company – Roton-C............................................................................................15 Vela Technology Development – Space Cruiser System...............................................................16 Third Millennium Aerospace – Space Van/Bantam Van................................................................17 David L. Burkhead – Spacecub ....................................................................................................18 Lockheed Martin Corporation – VentureStar...............................................................................19 United States Government Programs........................................................................................20 Clipper Graham (DC-XA) ...........................................................................................................20 X-33 ...........................................................................................................................................21 X-34............................................................................................................................................23 Future X Trailblazer Program......................................................................................................24 Future X Pathfinder Program.......................................................................................................25 Highly Reusable Space Transportation Program...........................................................................26 X-38/Crew Return Vehicle ..........................................................................................................27 Military Spaceplane.....................................................................................................................29 Space Shuttle...............................................................................................................................30 International Concepts...............................................................................................................32 Bristol Spaceplanes Ltd. – Ascender ............................................................................................32 NASDA – HOPE-X Spaceplane...................................................................................................33 Japanese Rocket Society – Kankoh-Maru ...................................................................................34 Daimler Benz Aerospace – Sänger................................................................................................34 National Aerospace Laboratory (Japan) – SSTO Spaceplane........................................................36 Reaction Engines Ltd. – SKYLON...............................................................................................37 Bristol Spaceplanes Ltd. – Spacecab/Spacebus...............................................................................38 X PRIZESM Competitors..............................................................................................................39 Advent Launch Services – CAC-1................................................................................................39 Dynamica Research – Cosmos Mariner ......................................................................................40 Third Millennium Aerospace – X Van .........................................................................................41 Other X PRIZESM Competitors....................................................................................................42 Burt Rutan – Proteus...............................................................................................................42 Rick Fleeter – PA-X2..............................................................................................................42 Pablo De Leon and Associates – Gauchito................................................................................42 Graham Dorrignton – Green Arrow..........................................................................................43 Steven Bennett – Thunderbird.................................................................................................43 John Bloomer – The Space Tourist..........................................................................................43 Mickey Badgero – Lucky Seven...............................................................................................43 Others.....................................................................................................................................44 PAGE i REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 1998 Introduction This report examines reusable launch vehicles (RLVs) currently proposed for government, commercial, and public uses. The term “reusable launch vehicle” may refer to several different levels of reuse. Some vehicle concepts are fully reusable (that is, the vehicle launches and lands without jettisoning any stages). Others have one stage that is reusable in combination with other stages that are expendable. The table and text below describe different levels of launch vehicle reusability, from most reusable to least reusable. Full Reusability – Full reusability implies that the vehicle launches, carries a payload to orbit, and returns to Earth with the vehicle (or vehicle stages) intact and without the assistance of any expendable stages. Single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicle concepts fall into this category, as do the two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO) concepts in which both the orbital vehicle and a booster vehicle fly back to Earth for reuse (many such designs were originally proposed for the Space Shuttle, and several others are currently under study). Full Reusability of One Stage, Level of Reusability Examples Partial Reusability of Another Full Reusability VentureStar, Original Space Shuttle designs Stage – Vehicles in this category Full Reusability of One Stage, Space Shuttle fleet, have one fully-reusable component, Partial Reusability of Another Buran/Energia Stage and another stage or stages that are Full Reusability of One Stage, Pegasus, HOPE spaceplane, partially reusable. The United Expendable Other Stages Ariane 5 with Crew Transfer States’ Space Shuttles are good Vehicle Partial Reusability of One Stage ALS examples of this type of vehicle, as No Reusability ELVs the orbiters are reusable, and components of the boost stages are recovered for refurbishment and reuse. Full Reusability of One Stage, Expendable Other Stages – These types of vehicles have one stage (either the booster or orbiter) that is reused and other stages that are expendable. The Pegasus launch system, for example, relies on a reusable atmospheric aircraft to carry an expendable rocket launch vehicle to altitude. Partial Reusability of One Stage – Components of at least one stage of these mostly- expendable vehicles are recovered for future use. An historical example of this concept is the Advanced Launch System (ALS) examined in 1980s and 1990s space launch studies. The proposed ALS designs would recover only the avionics and propulsion packages from vehicles since these key pieces were the most expensive. No Reusability – Today’s expendable launch vehicles such as Atlas, Delta, and Proton have no reusable components. INTRODUCTION PAGE 1 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 1998 Another element of a vehicle’s reusability is whether components must be overhauled or replaced. A base vehicle may be designed to fly multiple times, but still may have various components and systems that only last one flight or require replacement before the end of the vehicle’s expected lifetime. For example, the Space Shuttle fleet requires overhaul of the thermal protection system on each orbiter following each flight. This report discusses current RLV concepts that
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