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L),I NASA-TM-111868 the REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE

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L),I NASA-TM-111868 the REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE ,''L¸..... i_ l),i NASA-TM-111868 / THE REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM AND THE X-33 ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATOR Stephen A. Cook* RLV Technology Program Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, Alabama BACKGROUND An all-rocket SSTO vehicle appears to be the best blend of near-term achievable technology an affordability for low-cost The next generation of U.S. launch vehicles routine space access after the turn-of-the- must dramatically lower the cost of space century. It is an evolutionary, not access. Today, many promising space revolutionary., path that relies on 25 years of missions and experiments are grounded aerospace experience to mature and because of overwhelming launch costs-- demonstrate several advanced technologies only the Nation's highest priority payloads needed to make a new reusable launch are being launched. The cost of space vehicle a cost-effective reality. transportation consumes so many resources (budget, talent, and facilities) that too little remains to undertake the bold endeavors that PROGRAM GOALS AND push technological advancements and OBJECTIVES inspire the imagination and spirit. Reducing the cost of space access would spur the The goal of the Reusable Launch Vehicle Nation's competitiveness and its industrial (RLV) technology program is to mature the might. technologies essential for a next-generation reusable launch system capable of reliably Today's launch systems have major serving National space transportation needs shortcomings that will increase in at substantially reduced costs. significance in the future, and thus are principal drivers for seeking major The primary objectives of the RLV improvements in space transportation. They technology program are to (1) mature tile are too costly; insufficiently reliable, safe, technologies required for the next- and operable; and increasingly losing market generation system, (2) demonstrate the share to international competition. For the capability to achieve low development and United States to continue its leadership in operational cost, and rapid launch the human exploration and wide ranging turnaround times and (3) reduce business utilization of space, the first order of and technical risks to encourage significant business must be to achieve low cost, private investment in the commercial reliable transportation to Earth orbit. development and operation of the next- generation system. The space launch industry is at a crossroad much like the one faced by the fledgling Developing and demonstrating tile airline industry in the early 1930's. An technologies required for a Single Stage to evolutionary technical leap, coupled with a Orbit (SSTO) rocket is a focus of the revolutionary cultural shift, must be made-- program because past studies indicate it has analogous to the DC-3 aircraft--for space the best potential for achieving the lowest launch to become truly routine. NASA's space access cost while acting as an RLV Access to Space Study, in 1993, technology driver (since it also encompasses recommended the development of a fully the technology requirements of reusable reusable single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) rocket rocket vehicles in general). However, the vehicle as an Agency goal. private sector may ultimately choose the operational RLV configuration to be llown * Senior Member, AIAA Page 2 post-2000 that can compete in an health management/monitoring. Initial internationalmarket. activities are a balance of laboratory experiments, ground testing, and flight testing to establish the capability/limits of Concept Definition candidate solutions. Later efforts (post 1996) begin to develop hardware for flight The concept definition studies develop testing on an advanced technology system sensitivities for the flight vehicle and demonstrator - X-33. technology demonstrator systems and identify the enabling vehicle technology Operations Technologies requirements (i.e., targets). The concept studies will focus on SSTO rocket-powered Operations technologies include operations concepts. Emphasis will be placed on enhancement technologies (e.g., health development, operational costs, and maintenance systems, etc.) and advanced performance. The concept definition avionics (e.g., automated flight control). A process will: goal of the operations enhancement area is to develop and demonstrate technologies • Evaluate the merits of vehicle concepts that will permit automation and the reduce for a given set of mission and system manpower requirements associted with: requirements --with a focus on reduced between flight maintenance, the launch operations costs. complex, and required ground based flight • Provide the operating environments and operations support. A goal of the advanced targets for the candidate technologies as avionics area is to shift the more of the a means for evaluation of the readiness responsbility for mission control from the of the candidates. ground to the flight vehicle. Propulsion Technologies For the first time within space launch vehicle programs, a detailed reliability, This technology area develops and maintainability, and supportability (RM&S) demonstrates the operational and app,;oach will be established. The RM&S performance characteristics of engine and Program will be carried through the entire main propulsion systems, and defines technology and X-33 / X-34 program derived requirements for an operational development. These are focused on assuring propulsion system. Key obiectives for the that the vehicle can indeed be operated in an RLV propulsion system must be robustness, efficient and cost-effective manner. In operability, high thrust-to-weight ratio, and addition to these specific technology tasks, an affordable development program with the requirements to achieve low operations acceptable risk. The technology component costs (i.e., minimal personnel and cost for development will validate design capability, refurbishment, inspection, and prelaunch define component hardware response, and processing) will be integrated into the other demonstrate manufacturing processes. technology areas. Vehicle Structural Technologies Flight Demonstrators This program area addresses technology maturation for reusable cryogenic tank Flight demonstration is a key and integral systems, reusable composite primary part of the overall RLV technology program. structures, and thermal protection systems. It is clear that flight demonstration will force The goal is to demonstrate representative the real technology development issues to systems which are manufacturable, operable, surface early m the program, thus and traceable/scaleable to an SSTO system. minimizing technical issues during the more The efforts focus on the integration and life costly full scale development phase. The cycle demonstrations of the load carrying overall objectives which are common to all structure, cryogenic insulation (as required), three demonstrators (DC-XA, X-34, and X- thermal protection material, and associated 33) include: Page 3 • Provide an integrated systems testbed RLV Technology Program Phase I (1994 - for advanced technologies 1996) • Demonstration of capabilities in realistic ground and flight environments The primary objective of the Phase I effort is of a next generation system to demonstrate capability to achieve low • Demonstration of operability, opt:rational cost by bringing a wide range of maintainability, and reusability required tecnnology candidates to a level of maturity for a next generation system sufficient to permit a narrowing of • Demonstration of mass fraction scalable component and materials choices to permit to a full-scale SSTO (X-33 only) cost effective large scale (Phase II) • Demonstration of rapid prototyping technology demonstrations. A prime • Demonstration of the ability to perform emphasis in this activity is demonstration of "faster, better, cheaper" attributes that will enable low operational costs. Multiple technology system concepts will be evaluated in scaled relevant RLV TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM environments. Results will be used to IMPLEMENTATION validate the analytical models which will permit the construction of large scale ground The RLV technology program is an and flight systems in Phase II. The integrated, fast-track approach for reducing technology elements in Phase I range from the technical and business risk in developing subscale materials and components to economical, operational, reusable launch approximately one-third scale hardware that vehicles. An integrated ground and flight can permit concept selections to be made. test program is being implemented to The following technology areas are being characterize key component technologies addressed in this phase: and to validate their systems' capabilities, both from a performance and operations Operations Technologies viewpoint. The program will develop and Graphite Composite Primary validate vehicle, propulsion, and operations Structure technologies. The integrated program is Reusable Cryogenic Tanks shown on Figure l -- RLV Technology Long Life/Low Maintenance TPS Implementation. Advanced Propulsion Systems. To commit to specific component RLV Technology Program Phase II (1996 technologies for both the flight - End of Decade) demonstrators and the full-scale operational vehicle, it is necessary to demonstrate that In Phase II, large scale hardware will be components have robust and well- developed with a focus the X-33 Advanced understood design margins relative to the Technology Demonstrator (ATD) vehicle. applications for which they are intended.
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