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Small Satellites and the DARPA/Air Force Falcon ProgramThe FALCON ((Force Application and Launch from CONUS) program is a technology demonstration effort with three major components: a Small Launch Vehicle (SLV), a Common Aero Vehicle (CAV), and a Hypersonic Cruise Vehicle (HCV). Sponsored by DARPA and executed jointly by the United States Air Force and DARPA with NASA participation, the objectives are to develop and demonstrate technologies that will enable both near-term and far-term capability to execute time-critical, global reach missions. The focus of this paper is on the SLV as it relates to small satellites and the implications of lower cost to orbit for small satellites. The target recurring cost for placing 1000 pounds payloads into a circular reference orbit of 28.5 degrees at 100 nautical miles is $5,000,000 per launch. This includes range costs but not the payload or payload integration costs. In addition to the nominal 1000 pounds to LEO, FALCON is seeking delivery of a range of orbital payloads from 220 pounds to 2200 pounds to the reference orbit. Once placed on alert status, the SLV must be capable of launch within 24 hours.
Document ID
20040161559
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Weeks, David J.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Walker, Steven H.
(Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Arlington, VA, United States)
Sackheim, Robert L.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
September 7, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2004
Subject Category
Launch Vehicles And Launch Operations
Report/Patent Number
IAC-4-IAA.4.11.5
Meeting Information
Meeting: International Astronautical Congress Meeting
Location: Vancouver
Country: Canada
Start Date: October 4, 2004
End Date: October 8, 2004
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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