Launch and Deployment Analysis for a Isp = specific impulse, sec Small, MEO, Technology Demonstration k = spring constant, Nt/mm KLC = Kodiak Island Launch Complex Satellite MTO = medium transfer orbit transfer orbit 1 LEO = low earth orbit Tyson Karl Smith 2 LMA = Lockheed Martin Aerospace Stephen Anthony Whitmore M = final mass after insertion burn, kg Utah State University, Logan, UT, 84322-4130 final Mpayload = mass of payload after kick motor jettison, kg A trade study investigation the possibilities of delivering M = propellant mass consumed during a small technology-demonstration satellite to a medium prop earth orbit are presented. The satellite is to be deployed insertion burn, kg in a 19,000 km orbit with an inclination of 55°. This Mstage = mass of expended stage after jettison, payload is a technology demonstrator and thus launch kg and deployment costs are a paramount consideration. NRE = non-recurrent engineering, kg Also the payload includes classified technology, thus a Nspring = number of springs in Lightband® USA licensed launch system is mandated. All FAA- separation system licensed US launch systems are considered during a MTO = MEO transfer orbit preliminary trade analysis. This preliminary trade OSC = Orbital Sciences Corporation analysis selects Orbital Sciences Minotaur V launch R = apogee radius, km vehicle. To meet mission objective the Minotaur V 5th a stage ATK-Star 37FM motor is replaced with the Rp = perigee radius, km smaller ATK- Star 27. This new configuration allows R⊕ = local earth radius, km for payload delivery without adding an additional 6th SDL = Space Dynamics Laboratory stage kick motor. End-to-end mass budgets are SLV = space launch vehicle calculated, and a concept of operations is presented. SMC = USAF Space and Missile Systems Monte-Carlo simulations are used to characterize the Center expected accuracy of the final orbit. An optimal launch trajectory is presented. SSBS = Space Based Space Surveillance mission Nomenclature TLV = target launch vehicle USU = Utah State University a = semi-major axis of orbit, km VAFB = Vandenberg Air Force Base Aref = reference area, m2 WFF = Wallops Flight Facility ATK = Alliant Technology Systems Xmax = spring stroke, mm CCAFB = Cape Canaveral Air Force Base ΔV = required velocity change during orbit CEA = Chemical Equilibrium with insertion, km/sec. Applications (computer program) ΔVavailable = available velocity change for a given CONOPS = concept of operations motor loading, km/sec. C3 = specific launch energy, km2/sec2 ΔV = equivalent launch velocity due to E = separation spring stored potential maneuver maneuvering, km/sec. energy, joules ΔV = equivalent launch velocity along track e = orbit eccentricity track due to earth’s rotation, km/sec EELV = evolved expendable launch vehicle FAA = Federal Aviation Administration η = spring energy storage efficiency μ = planetary gravitational constant for Fspring = spring force, Nt 5 3 2 GFE = government furnished equipment earth, 3.986004418x10 km /sec GPS III = next generation Global Positioning w = argument of perigee, deg. Satellite constellation Ω = right ascension of ascending node, GTO = geostationary transfer earth orbit deg. 5 GUI = graphical user interface Ω⊕ = angular velocity of earth, 7.292155x10 g0 = acceleration of gravity at sea level, rad/sec 9.8067 m/sec2 I = orbit inclination, deg. I. Introduction 1 Graduate Student, Mechanical & Aerospace Sandia National Laboratory is investigating Engineering Dept advanced technologies required for nuclear explosion 2 Assistant Professor, Mechanical & Aerospace monitoring sensors to be deployed with the next- Engineering Dept. 22nd Small Satellite Conference 1 11-14 August, 2008, Logan, Utah generation of Global Positioning System (GPS III) (CCAFB), but this would require an inclination satellites. GPS III is expected to use new sensor and change during launch, which requires additional signal processing technologies. In order to verify that propellant, that in turn results in greater cost and less these technologies are fully developed and space- mass available for the payload. qualified, Sandia is developing a small satellite with A preliminary trade analysis was performed prototype bus architecture. The satellite is to be to consider every available US launch system. The deployed in a medium earth orbit (MEO) and have a preliminary trade relied on manufacturers’ mission mission life between one and three years. This payload charts as well as impulsive ΔV calculations satellite has been named SandiaSat. The Utah State performed using data derived from independently University (USU) Department of Mechanical and published system information. Systems with launches Aerospace Engineering along with The Utah State available from WFF were given priority in the trade University Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) are analysis. Launches from the west coast test range at developing the notional mission plan, concept of Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) are operations (CONOPS), preliminary satellite and incompatible with the required orbit inclinations, and ground station designs, launch options, and were not considered for this mission. associated cost estimates. This paper addresses the launch and deployment options for this mission. A. Preliminary Launch Systems Trade Analysis Fundamental mission objectives require the payload The Current Federal Aviation Administration to be delivered to a circular orbit at 19,000 km ii altitude at an inclination of 55o. The orbit right (FAA)-certified launch systems licensed to carry a ascension, argument of perigee, and true anomaly classified USA payload are listed below (vendor in (phasing within the orbit) are not critical to mission. parenthesis). The deployment orbit was selected to be a “junk orbit” and post mission de-orbit of both the payload - Atlas (United Launch Alliance), and expended apogee kick stage is not required. It is - Athena (Lockheed Martin Aerospace), anticipated that the completed SandiaSat system will - Delta (United Launch Alliance), be available for launch during the first quarter of - Pegasus (Orbital Sciences Corporation), calendar year 2012. - Taurus (Orbital Sciences Corporation), - Minotaur (Orbital Sciences Corporation), - Falcon (Space-X), II. Launch Vehicle Selection - Space Shuttle (United Space Alliance, NASA), - Zenit3SL (Sea Launch Odyssey LTD, Multi- A wide array of launchers are available to deliver the National). payload. Many factors drive the selection of the best commercial launch systems. Figure 1 shows the characteristics of the Atlasiii In selecting a launcher for this mission the family of launch systems including payload to LEO, launch vehicle needs to be able to deliver the payload payload to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), launch mass to the required orbit while allowing for costs in US dollars (Circa 2002), date of the first sufficient mass margin. The MEO orbit selected for flight, and available launch sites. All of the members this study is considerably higher then the usual orbits of this launch family have medium- or heavy-lift considered for small launch systems. Usually for GTO capability, and were primarily designed for MEO orbits a medium-lift launch vehicle is selected, large military payloads or for sizeable geostationary but due to the small payload mass (< 350 kg) communications satellite. They all possess “excess launchers originally used for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) lift” capability and have launch costs that vary for were considered. $75-110 million. For this small technology- Primary constraints for the SandiaSat demonstration program the costs of these systems mission are 1) cost, 2) security, 3) launch site were considered to be prohibitive. availability. The payload is a part of a technology demonstration and not an operational mission, thus launch and delivery costs are a paramount consideration. The payload includes classified technologies, thus the launcher is required to be a USA licensed launch system. Also the high inclination (55°) orbit favors a launch out of NASA Wallops Flight Facility (WFF).i It is possible to reach this orbit from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base 22nd Small Satellite Conference 2 11-14 August, 2008, Logan, Utah Figure 1. Atlas Series Launch Systems. The Falcon 1 has insufficient lift capacity and is eliminated from consideration. The Zenit costs Figure 2 shows the characteristics of the exceed $75 million and combined with the launch Athenaiv,v and Deltavi family of launch systems. logistics eliminated this system from consideration. Payload data to LEO, to geostationary transfer orbit During the late 1990’s, riding along with the Space (GTO), launch costs in US dollars, date of the first Shuttle as a secondary payload on one of the ISS flight, and available launch sites are all shown. The supply missions would have been an attractive Delta III and IV systems have excess ΔV capability option. But with the impending retirement of the and launch costs that vary from $85 to 170 million. space shuttle in 2010, the shuttle was eliminated from These costs are considered prohibitive for this consideration for this mission. The larger Space-X mission. The Athena I system has insufficient lift Falcon 9 medium-lift launch vehiclexi is not capability and was eliminated from consideration. considered to be of sufficient maturity to be The Athena II and Delta II launch systems have at recognized during this trade analysis. least minimal lift capacity for the MEO mission, and have moderate costs varying from $22 million (Athena II)