Weights assessment for orbit-on-demand vehiclesFuture manned, reusable earth-to-orbit vehicles may be required to reach orbit within hours or even minutes of a mission decision. A study has been conducted to consider vehicles with such a capability. In the initial phase of the study, 11 vehicles were sized for deployment of 5000 lbs to a polar orbit. From this matrix, two of the most promising concepts were resized for a modified mission and payload. A key feature of the study was the use of consistent mass estimating techniques for a broad range of concepts, allowing direct comparisons of sizes and weights.
Document ID
19860050479
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Macconochie, I. O. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Martin, J. A. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Breiner, C. A. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Cerro, J. A. (Kentron International, Inc. Hampton, VA, United States)