If the United States hopes to continue as a leader in space, it must invest now in better earth-to-orbit technology by replacing obsolete launch facilities while also developing a new class of more robust and reliable vehicles.
From Earth to Orbit provides strategies to reduce launch costs while increasing the reliability and resiliency of vehicles. It also recommends continued improvements for the Space Shuttle Orbiter and its subsystems and the development of a Space Transportation Main Engine (STME).
- From Earth to Orbit
- Copyright
- Preface
- Contents
- Summary of Key Findings and Recommendations
- LAUNCH VEHICLES AND INFRASTRUCTURE
- PROPULSION
- TECHNOLOGY
- Terms, Acronyms, and Abbreviations
- 1 Introduction
- THE TASK
- APPROACH
- ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT
- NATIONAL POLICY CONSIDERATIONS
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- 2 A Path to a Desirable National Space Launch System
- SUPPORT FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE ATTRIBUTES
- LAUNCH VEHICLE AND PAYLOAD ATTRIBUTES
- ENGINE ATTRIBUTES
- 3 Projected Launch Requirements
- NEAR-TERM REQUIREMENTS
- INTERMEDIATE-TERM REQUIREMENTS
- LONG-TERM REQUIREMENTS
- 4 Launch Vehicle Options
- CURRENT U.S. EXPENDABLE LAUNCH SYSTEMS
- PROPOSED U.S. LAUNCH SYSTEMS
- National Launch System (NLS)
- Taurus
- Medium Launch Vehicle III (MLV III)
- CURRENT U.S. MANNED SYSTEMS
- PROPOSED U.S. MANNED SYSTEMS
- The Single-Stage Rocket Technology Program Delta Clipper (DC-Y)
- National Aero-Space Plane
- Assured Crew Return Capability
- EXISTING INTERNATIONAL LAUNCH SYSTEMS
- PROPOSED INTERNATIONAL LAUNCH SYSTEMS
- Ariane-5/Hermes
- Hotol
- Sanger
- 5 Propulsion Capabilities for Earth-to-Orbit Vehicles
- HISTORY OF LIQUID AND SOLID PROPULSION
- FLIGHT-PROVEN U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL ENGINES AND MOTORS
- Flight-Proven U.S. Engines and Motors
- F-1 and J-2 Engines
- MA-5 and RS-27 Engines
- LR-87 and LR-91 Engines
- RL10 Engine
- Space Shuttle Main Engine
- Ballistic Missile Solid Motors
- Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM)
- Flight-Proven International Engines and Motors
- RD-170 Engine
- RD-253 Engine
- Viking and Other Engines
- PROPOSED U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL ENGINES AND MOTORS
- Proposed U.S. Engines and Motors
- Space Transportation Main Engine (STME)
- Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM)
- Solid Rocket Motor Upgrade (SRMU)
- Proposed International Engines and Motors
- ENGINE AND MOTOR TESTING
- System Reliability and Tests
- Propulsion Test Facilities
- Government-Owned Test Facilities
- Industrial Test Facilities
- ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL PROPULSION
- PRIORITIES FOR INVESTMENT
- Space Transportation Main Engine
- Space Shuttle Propulsion Systems
- PRIORITIES FOR LONGER-TERM PAYOFF
- 6 Technology Development
- PROPULSION TECHNOLOGIES
- Hybrids
- Modular Plug Engine
- Modular Bell Engine
- Virtual Staging Engine Concepts
- Nuclear Propulsion and Power
- COMPONENT AND GENERAL TECHNOLOGIES
- Materials Technologies
- Health Monitoring of Rocket Systems
- Connectors and Interfaces for Fuel and Electrical Systems
- Guidance, Navigation, Control, and Autodocking
- Launch Operation Technology Needs
- Manufacturing Technologies
- CONCLUSION
- Biographical Sketches of Committee Members
- Appendix A AN APPROACH TO SPACE INFRASTRUCTURE
- DEFICIENCIES OF CURRENT SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM AND INFRASTRUCTURE
- Lack of Flexibility of the Launch System
- Lack of Resilience of the Launch System
- Scheduling Difficulties in the Launch System
- Shortage of Land for Construction of Launch Facilities
- DESCRIPTION OF RECOMMENDED INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS
- General
- Launch Complex Philosophy
- Launch Complex Elements
- Conceptual Launch Complex
- Appendix B LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
- Appendix C BIBLIOGRAPHY
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