 | Rockwell 1971
Rockwell 1971 shuttle proposal Isometric
Credit - © Mark Wade
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NASA went through a long iterative process in designing and selecting the space shuttle design. By mid-1969, the ambitious new NASA Administrator, Tom Paine, had proposed an extensive manned space exploration program as the logical follow-on to Apollo. A new modular, reusable space transportation system consisting of the space shuttle as well as interplanetary nuclear and chemical "space tugs" and space stations would be required to set up bases on the Moon and Mars during the 1970s and 1980s. The first major goal was a 12-man space station by 1975 and NASA awarded $2.9-million study contracts to North American Rockwell and McDonnell-Douglas in July 1969. The space station would later evolve into a 50-man "space base" by 1980 and additional " way-stations" would be deployed in geostationary, lunar and Mars orbit during the 1980s.
George Mueller’s "space shuttle" effort also appeared to be picking up speed as the Apollo project grew to a close. NASA awarded four $0.3-million space shuttle / integral launch & re-entry vehicle "phase-A" study contracts to North American Rockwell, McDonnell-Douglas, Lockheed and General Dynamics in January 1969. Martin Marietta’s bid was rejected, but the company nonetheless decided to participate using its own funds. The range of possible concepts was very large and some 120 different permutations were investigated by the contractors. The requirements called for "Integral Launch & Re-entry Vehicles" having a 12-crew capability, 720km re-entry cross range, and a 2.268-22.68t payload capability by 1974. The most important mission was expected to be space station resupply payloads weighing about 11,340kg. Initial Phase A concepts were for two stages, both either winged or lifting bodies, both recovered at the launch site for reuse. NASA explored some alternative concepts, including Lockheed's LS200 single orbiter with drop tank, and Chrysler's SERV ballistic single stage to orbit vehicle, before proceeding to Phase B.
Space Shuttle Mission Model (mid-1969)
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|
1975 |
1976 |
1977 |
1978 |
1979 |
1980 |
1981 |
1982 |
1983 |
1984 |
1985 |
TOTAL |
|
UNMANNED SATELLITES |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
22 |
|
UNMANNED PLANETARY PROBES |
7 |
1 |
8 |
3 |
4 |
6 |
5 |
2 |
7 |
5 |
3 |
51 |
|
SPACE STATION (ROTATE 12-CREW EVERY 3 MTHS.) |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
35 |
|
SPACE BASE (5 FLIGHTS/QUARTER TO ROTATE ENTIRE 50-CREW) |
|
|
|
|
|
23 |
23 |
23 |
23 |
23 |
23 |
138 |
|
LUNAR PROGRAM (6-MAN LUNAR ORBITAL STATION + 6-MAN MOONBASE) |
|
|
|
48 |
48 |
34 |
34 |
34 |
34 |
34 |
34 |
300 |
|
=TOTAL UNMANNED FLIGHTS |
9 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
29 |
|
=TOTAL MANNED FLIGHTS |
7 |
7 |
7 |
55 |
55 |
57 |
57 |
57 |
57 |
57 |
57 |
473 |
|
TOTAL SHUTTLE FLIGHTS: |
16 |
10 |
17 |
60 |
61 |
65 |
64 |
61 |
66 |
64 |
62 |
546 |
The Phase B designs were more refined but still used the same two-stage approach. Mueller set up a NASA space shuttle task group headed by LeRoy Day to evaluate potential uses of the vehicle. The shuttle requirements had changed considerably as a result of the new post-Apollo program which required a total of 546 shuttle launches in 1975-85. In May, Mueller instructed the task group to increase the payload capability to 22,680 kg to comply with US Air Force requirements, but also because there would be a need to launch vast quantities of low-density rocket propellants into Earth orbit for future space stations in geostationary and lunar orbit. The mission requirements also grew significantly more complex and diverse as the Shuttle had to be capable of launching unmanned satellites and space probes as well. At this point the controversy were over large cross-range winged designs, medium cross-range lifting body designs, and minimal cross-range stub-wing designs. NASA's Faget strongly pushed for the stub-wing design. Eventually the Nixon administration advised NASA that not only were there to be no flights to Mars, no nuclear interplanetary stages, no space station, no more Saturn V's, no orbital transfer vehicle - but there wouldn't be a space shuttle either if NASA couldn't get the development cost down and get the USAF to participate. A USAF requirement was a large cross-range to allow recovery of the orbiter at Vandenberg AFB from polar orbits in the case of abort-once-around scenarios. This drove NASA to the delta wing, and the reduction in development cost led it to throw away the concept of reusing anything but the engines and guidance systems. Instead the shuttle would be boosted by cheap solid fuel boosters and, taking a concept from Lockheed, the propellants would be put in a big expendable drop tank.
Space Shuttle Mission Requirements (mid-1969)
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ORBITAL CHARACTERISTICS |
SPACE STATION / BASE LOGISTICS SUPPORT |
PLACEMENT AND RETRIEVAL OF SATELLITES |
DELIVERY OF PROPULSION STAGES & PAYLOAD |
DELIVERY OF PROPELLANTS |
SATELLITE SERVICING & MAINTENANCE |
SHORT DURATION ORBITAL MISSIONS |
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ALTITUDE (KM) |
370 TO 555KM |
185 TO 1480KM |
185 TO 230KM |
370 TO 555KM |
185 TO 1480KM |
185 TO 555KM |
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INCLINATION (DEG.) |
28.5 - 90 |
28.5 - 98 |
28.5 - 55 |
28.5 - 55 |
28.5 - 98 |
28.5 - 90 |
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DURATION (DAYS) |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 TO 15 |
7 TO 30 |
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PAYLOAD CHARACTERISTICS |
SPACE STATION / BASE LOGISTICS SUPPORT |
PLACEMENT AND RETRIEVAL OF SATELLITES |
DELIVERY OF PROPULSION STAGES & PAYLOAD |
DELIVERY OF PROPELLANTS |
SATELLITE SERVICING & MAINTENANCE |
SHORT DURATION ORBITAL MISSIONS |
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CREW |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
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PASSENGERS (MIN.) |
50 MEN / QTR |
2 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
10 |
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PAYLOAD DIAMETER (M) |
4.57 |
4.57 |
4.57 |
4.57 |
4.57 |
4.57 |
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ASCENT PAYLOAD WT. |
31750KG / QTR |
4536-22680KG |
11340-22680KG |
22680KG |
2268-6804KG |
11340-22680KG |
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ASCENT PAYLOAD VOL. |
|
142-283 M3
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283 M3
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283 M3
|
142-283 M3
|
113-170 M3
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RETURN PAYLOAD WT. |
20412KG / QTR |
4536-22680KG |
-- |
-- |
6804KG |
22680KG |
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RETURN PAYLOAD VOL. |
-- |
142-283 M3
|
-- |
-- |
142-283 M3
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113-170 M3
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An important result of Tom Paine’s "bold thinking" and cost-is-no-object approach was that only fully reusable VTHL TSTO concepts were considered because they offered the lowest cost per flight and better operability, high payload capability and flexibility. NASA directed its Phase A contractors to concentrate on fully reusable shuttle concepts from August 1969 onwards after the Shuttle task group had investigated the potential life-cycle costs of three classes of 22,680-kilogram payload RLVs. An advanced low-cost expendable rocket plus reusable spacecraft would have cost an estimated $2.5 billion (=$11.35B in 1999 dollars) to develop and $43.1 million (=$195.7M, or $8600/kg in FY’99 $) per launch. The ILRV/Starclipper-type partially reusable SSTO would have had a development cost of $3.9B (=$17.7B in FY’99 $) and the cost per launch was $5.3-12.6M (=$24.1-57.2M / $1000-2500/kg) depending on the production cost of the expendable propellant tanks. Finally, NASA estimated that a simple fully reusable TSTO configuration such as the GD Triamese would have a development cost $4.5B (=$20.5B at 1999 economic conditions) but the cost per launch would only be $3.2 million (=$14.5M in FY’99 $s, or $640/kg).
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AACB Class 1
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In 1965-1966 NASA and the Department of Defense jointly studied two-stage-to-orbit reusable launch vehicles as a follow-on to existing expendable launchers. Following...more.
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AACB Class 2
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The AACB Class II launch vehicle was a fully reusable, two-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle. Both stages would be lifting bodies and be powered by Lox/LH2 engines....more.
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AACB Class 3
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The AACB Class III launch vehicle was an advanced concept use air-breathing stages, but still requiring two stages to achieve orbit. The joint NASA/USAF panel concluded...more.
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Starclipper
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Lockheed ILRV design created for the USAF in 1966. X-24B lifting body configuration orbiter with linear aerospike engine and wrap-around drop tank. Related to Lockheed Shuttle LS200 proposal....more.
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Starclipper Light
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Downsized version of the Starclipper, equipped with conventional bell nozzle engines, released by NASA for public consumption in 1968....more.
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Spacemaster
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Martin-Marrietta shuttle Phase A design. X-24B type lifting body orbiter with unique catamaran-configuration booster....more.
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McDonnell-Douglas ILRV
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The McDonnell-Douglas ILRV design featured fold-out wings for improved low-speed lift-to-drag ratio during final descent and landing. All of the vehicle’s propellants...more.
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Triamese
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The General Dynamics proposed an ingenious "Triamese" concept for the US Air Force "Integral Launch & Re-entry Vehicle" program. This system (originally developed...more.
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Shuttle FR-3
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General Dynamics shuttle proposal phase A of October 1969. Unwinged flat-bottom configuration booster and orbiter with V butterfly-tails....more.
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Shuttle LS A
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Lockheed shuttle proposal phase A of December 1969. X-24B lifting body orbiter with delta-wing booster....more.
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Shuttle MDC
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The McDonnell Douglas Space Shuttle Phase A studies were conducted under contract NAS9-9204. Their baseline Class III vehicle design was completed in November 1969...more.
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Shuttle MDC A Alternate
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McDonnell-Douglas shuttle proposal phase A of November 1969. Delta wing first stage and HL-10 lifting body second stage....more.
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Shuttle NAR A
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North American's Phase A shuttle design was completed under contract NAS9-9205 in December 1969. North American had learned that the way to win a NASA design competition...more.
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Shuttle DC-3
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Marshall Spaceflight Center shuttle concept of April 1970 using Faget low cross range stub-winged booster and orbiter....more.
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Shuttle H33
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Grumman/Boeing alternate shuttle proposal of July 1971. Shuttle orbiter with drop tanks, delta booster....more.
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Shuttle HCR
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McDonnell-Douglas/Martin Marrietta shuttle high cross-range proposal phase B of December 1970. Swept wing booster, delta wing orbiter....more.
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Shuttle LCR
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McDonnell-Douglas/Martin Marrietta shuttle low cross-range proposal phase B of December 1970. Swept-wing booster, Faget straight wing orbiter....more.
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Shuttle LS200
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Lockheed Skunk Works alternate shuttle proposal of June 1971. X-24B lifting body orbiter with wrap-around external tank....more.
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Shuttle R134C
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Rockwell/General Dynamics shuttle proposal phase B, November 1970. Delta wing high-cross range orbiter and booster....more.
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Shuttle R134G
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Rockwell/General Dynamics shuttle proposal phase B, November 1970. Straight wing low-cross range orbiter....more.
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Saturn Shuttle
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A winged recoverable Saturn IC stage was considered instead of solid rocket boosters after the final shuttle design was selected....more.
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Shuttle LRB 1972
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Original design for a shuttle with liquid rocket boosters, completed in March 1972 as part of the shuttle design decision process...more.
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