The Space Congress® Proceedings 1984 (21st) New Opportunities In Space Apr 1st, 8:00 AM Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV) Missions Applications and Systems Requirements William G. Huber Manager, OMV Task Team, Marshall Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration David C. Cramblit Deputy Manager, OMV Task Team, Marshall Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.erau.edu/space-congress-proceedings Scholarly Commons Citation Huber, William G. and Cramblit, David C., "Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV) Missions Applications and Systems Requirements" (1984). The Space Congress® Proceedings. 6. https://commons.erau.edu/space-congress-proceedings/proceedings-1984-21st/session-7/6 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]. ORBITAL MANEUVERING VEHICLE (OMV) MISSIONS APPLICATIONS AND SYSTEMS REQUIREMENTS William G. Huber David C. Cramblit Manager, OMV Task Team Deputy Manager, OMV Task Team Marshall Space Flight Center Marshall Space Flight Center National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Aeronautics and Space Administration ABSTRACT the OMV system should be operationally demon­ strated prior to SS Initial Operational Capa­ The routine delivery of large payloads to low bility (IOC). In the aggregate of its future earth orbit has become a reality with the uses, the OMV will more than offset its initial Space Transportation System (STS). However, development costs. This paper summarizes the once earth orbit has been achieved, orbit mission needs for the OMV program, and the transfer operations represent an inefficient characteristics of a typical/representative use of the Space Shuttle. The Orbital Maneu­ design (Figure 1) suited to meeting these needs. vering Vehicle (OMV) will add a new and needed dimension to STS capabilities. Utilized in a reusable manner, the OMV is needed to deliver QMV MISSION NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES and retrieve satellites to and from orbital altitudes or inclinations beyond the practical As a remotely piloted vehicle, its maneuvering limits of the Space Shuttle and to support controlled by man with hand-controllers from a basic Space Station activities. The initial ground control station, the OMV extends the OMV must also be designed to permit the addi­ reach of both the STS and the envelope of man's tion of future mission kits to support the involvement. It will eventually provide a wide servicing, module changeout, or refueling of range of new and unique mission capabilities as satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geo­ summarized in Figure 2. The upper portion of stationary Earth Orbit (GEO), and the retrie­ this figure addresses mission capabilities that val and deorbit of space debris. This paper an initial or early OMV will provide; more addresses the mission needs along with the advanced missions involving SS support and resulting performance implications, design satellite servicing will be accommodated by requirements and operational capabilities modularly augmenting the basic OMV with mission imposed on the OMV planned for use in the "kits" as needed to support these more demand­ late 1980's. ing classes of missions. Early OMV uses will emphasize the delivery of payloads to orbital locations beyond the effective range of the INTRODUCTION STS. With its TV cameras and a flood-light system, the OMV will be able to view the The OMV, operating as a remotely controlled delivered satellite and verify all sensors/ free-flying reusable space tug at distances appendages are deployed correctly and are func­ out to 1500 nautical miles away from the tioning before the OMV returns back to the Orbiter, provides a substantial augmentation Orbiter for pickup and reuse. Should the to the range of delivery, retrieval, and delivered satellite malfunction, the OMV can reboost satellite services provided by the be remotely controlled to re-rendezvous and Space Transportation System (STS). Once dock with the satellite for contingency retrie­ developed, the OMV will offer a wide range val and return to the Orbiter/ground for of both basic and growth capabilities which repairing. The OMV will also be used for can be adopted for use by future spacecraft planned retrievals of spacecraft after they developers with resultant cost savings to the have completed their useful mission life or for individual projects. It will also be usable periodic servicing/updates. The OMV will also as a propulsion module to augment the per­ provide an efficient means for reboosting large formance of planned and future high energy observatory-class payloads (which have no upper stages for delivery of payloads to propulsion of their own) back to their desired altitudes up to and beyond geosynchronous higher operational orbits after their orbits orbit (GEO). As an essential support ele­ have decayed. Operating with both primary and ment of the future Space Station (SS) program, vernier (RCS) thrusters, the OMV can be 7-10 utilized as a free-flying sub-satellite, trans­ subsequent reuse on another Shuttle flight. ferring attached science payloads or sensors to Operating out of Shuttle, in "Orbit-Stored" large separation distances from the Orbiter, mode, the OMV is left on-orbit for extended followed by later return to the Orbiter for periods of storage between missions or for the retrieval. The duration of such missions conduct of more missions until its fuel supply may vary from days to weeks to months; with is depleted. It will be retrieved by a later extended orbital operational times provided Shuttle flight for return to ground or may be by an OMV power augmentation kit. In summary, refueled and serviced out of the Orbiter to the initial OMV will be required to: extend its orbital stay time/utility. Operating in a "Space Station-Based" mode, the OMV, once - Deliver satellite payloads to orbital delivered to orbit by the Shuttle, will fly to altitudes or inclinations beyond the prac­ the SS and remain based there. From the SS tical limit of the existing Space Shuttle. location, the OMV will support logistics/payload exchange missions between the SS and STS, and - Retrieve satellite payloads from payload services support missions between SS orbital altitudes or inclinations beyond and associated free-flying satellites or the practical limit of the existing Space unmanned space platforms. The early OMV will Shuttle. be ground-based, but must be readily capable of evolving to the other basing modes as future - Reboost satellites to original opera­ missions needs and economic considerations tional orbital altitudes or higher. dictate. These basing modes will be thoroughly examined during the conduct of OMV Phase B - Accommodate mission sharing by pro­ definition studies in CY 1984 and 1985. viding a means to deliver multiple payloads to different orbital altitudes and inclina­ Figure 5 addresses the generic class of OMV tions. missions associated with support to large observatories. In this particular mission, the - Safely deorbit satellites which have OMV has acquired the target from an initial completed their useful life. 10-15 nautical mile separation distance, and then maneuvered to within a safe proximity - Be readily adaptable to the support stand-off distance using a combination of main of basic Space Station activities by trans­ propulsion and primary RCS thruster burns. The ferring and maneuvering of modules and OMV retractable docking probe is then actuated logistic equipment. to its extended position and terminal maneuvers performed using a secondary non-contaminating, The basic vehicle will be configured in a way cold gas RCS system. This phase of the mission that will readily permit the modular add-on is directly controlled by an OMV operator from of future mission kits or new hardware fea­ a ground station, utilizing sensory aids tures essential to supporting potential (radar/optical) and TV data transmitted by the future mission needs, such as: associated on-board OMV subsystems. The dock­ ing concept involves the use of a payload- - The servicing, module changeout, or mounted fixture and a compatible OMV docking refueling of satellites and platforms operat­ end effector. Several docking configurations ing in LEO, GEO, or in formation with a and mechanisms are currently being evaluated Space Station. as part of MSFC's supporting development pro­ gram. After rendezvous and docking with the - The retrieval deorbit of space debris large observatory at its pickup altitude which could represent an orbital hazard to (typically 250-275 nautical miles), the OMV will future space missions. return the observatory to the Orbiter (160 nautical mile altitude) for servicing. Follow­ In the Space Station era, as shown in Figure ing servicing of the observatory in the Shuttle 3, it is anticipated that OMV missions will cargo bay, the OMV will then re-deploy it back be conducted in two major ways: many will con­ to a desired operational altitude which may tinue to be "based" out of the Orbiter for range anywhere from 320-400 nautical miles. support to the SS or for spacecraft missions After the observatory is safely deployed and going to orbital locations not involved with operational, the OMV will then return to the or compatible with the SS orbit. Other OMV Orbiter. uses, dedicated to operational support of the SS, will be station-based, where the OMV is To meet projected mission needs, the OMV must serviced, maintained, and controlled from an be capable of effective operations in a number OMV support facility at the SS. The complete of operating modes, as summarized in Figure 6. range of OMV basing concepts is shown in Except for control of the terminal rendezvous Figure 4. Operating out of the Shuttle, in a and docking operations (piloted mode, ground "Ground-Based" mode, the OMV is delivered to based) the OMV will be capable of automatic orbit, performs its mission, returns to the operations under programmed control of an on­ same Orbiter for retrieval, and is returned board computer.