Multi-Role RC Credit - NASA via Marcus Lindroos

Britain was the only European Space Agency member opposed to ESA's ambitious man-in-space plan, and the British conservative government refused to approve the November 1987 plan. However, the British aerospace industry did propose some interesting alternatives, such as the $2-billion 'Multi-Role Recovery Capsule'.

British Aerospace Ltd. (BAe) regarded the French Hermes mini-Shuttle as too expensive and complicated. Instead, they felt a simple crew capsule would make more sense as an 8-man 'lifeboat' for Space Station Freedom (NASA issued a competitive request for proposals in late 1987). MRC was to be launched on the existing Ariane-40 rocket and the capsule could be flown manned or unmanned, for sensitive microgravity experiments in orbit.

Article by Marcus Lindroos

Unit Cost $: 183.000 million. Crew Size: 4. Length: 4.28 m (14.04 ft). Maximum Diameter: 4.00 m (13.10 ft). Mass: 7,000 kg (15,400 lb). Payload: 500 kg (1,100 lb). RCS Impulse: 2,142 kgf-sec. Main Engine Thrust: 1.608 kN (361 lbf). Main Engine Propellants: N2O4/MMH. Main Engine Propellants: 700 kg (1,540 lb). Main Engine Isp: 312 sec. Spacecraft delta v: 157 m/s (515 ft/sec). Electrical System: Solar Panels. Electric System: 0.70 average kW. Electric System: 84.00 kWh. Associated Launch Vehicle: Ariane 4.

• MRC DM.  Other Designations: Descent Module. Part of: Multi-Role Recovery Capsule. Class: Manned. Type: Spacecraft Module. Purpose: Reusable re-entry capsule.

  Crew Size: 6. Length: 3.28 m (10.74 ft). Basic Diameter: 4.00 m (13.10 ft). Maximum Diameter: 4.00 m (13.10 ft). Habitable Volume: 6.00 m3. Mass: 6,204 kg (13,677 lb). Structure Mass: 1,161 kg (2,559 lb). Heat Shield Mass: 666 kg (1,468 lb). Recovery Equipment: 270 kg (590 lb). Navigation Equipment: 120 kg (260 lb). Telemetry Equipment: 75 kg (165 lb). Electrical Equipment: 230 kg (500 lb). Crew Seats and Provisions: 445 kg (981 lb). Crew mass: 500 kg (1,100 lb). Miscellaneous Contingency: 840 kg (1,850 lb). Environmental Control System: 487 kg (1,073 lb). Payload: 500 kg (1,100 lb). RCS Coarse No x Thrust: 12 x 400 N. RCS Fine No x Thrust: 20 x 30 N. RCS Propellants: N2O4/MMH. RCS Isp: 312 sec. RCS Impulse: 2,142 kgf-sec. Main Engine: 210 kg (460 lb). Main Engine Thrust: 1.608 kN (361 lbf). Main Engine Propellants: N2O4/MMH. Main Engine Propellants: 700 kg (1,540 lb). Main Engine Isp: 312 sec. L/D Hypersonic: 0.32. Spacecraft delta v: 157 m/s (515 ft/sec). Electrical System: Solar Panels. Electric System: 0.50 average kW. Electric System: 60.00 kWh.

• MRC SM.  Other Designations: Service Module. Part of: Multi-Role Recovery Capsule. Class: Manned. Type: Spacecraft Module. Purpose: Expendable equipment section.

  Length: 1.00 m (3.20 ft). Basic Diameter: 4.00 m (13.10 ft). Maximum Diameter: 4.00 m (13.10 ft). Mass: 796 kg (1,754 lb). Structure Mass: 214 kg (471 lb). Heat Shield Mass: 64 kg (141 lb). Reaction Control System: 70 kg (154 lb). Navigation Equipment: 5.00 kg (11.00 lb). Electrical Equipment: 80 kg (176 lb). Communications Systems: 175 kg (385 lb). Miscellaneous Contingency: 108 kg (238 lb). Environmental Control System: 80 kg (176 lb).

• Hempsell, C M and Hannigan, R J, Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, "Multi-Role Capsule System Description", 1989, Volume 42, page 67.