orb
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Spaceflight Now: Launch firms forge ahead in commercial crew program
News ATK & Astrium Liberty™ Launch Vehicle
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ky
Director of Manned Spaceflight
NASA And ATK Full-Scale Solid Rocket Motor Test Set For Sept. 8
Link:http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/aug/HQ_M11-177_Rocket_Test.html
NASA and Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK) will conduct a full-scale test of a five-segment, solid rocket motor at the ATK Aerospace Systems test facility in Promontory, Utah, at 4:05 p.m. EDT, Thursday, Sept. 8.
The static firing of the five-segment solid rocket motor, designated Development Motor-3 (DM-3), will last approximately two minutes. DM-3 is the third in a series of development motors and the most heavily instrumented solid rocket motor in NASA history, with a total of 37 test objectives measured through more than 970 instruments.
The DM-3 incorporates several performance-based improvements to the designs of the first two development motors. Additionally, the core of DM-3 will be heated to 90 degrees Fahrenheit for this full-duration firing to verify the motor's performance at high temperatures.
This test will continue to advance understanding of five-segment solid rocket motor performance and specifically assess performance at the highest end of the motor's accepted temperature range. Through development testing, the solid rocket motor will be certified to fly at ambient temperatures ranging from 40 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
The DM-3 test will follow wind constraint requirements different than past development motors. Two days before the test, ATK's public relations will notify registered media of a go/no-go decision. If no-go, the test will slip to the next day. Notification of a decision to proceed will be made via email, website www.atk.com/dm3 and social media (Facebook and Twitter).
The solid rocket motor is managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. ATK Space Systems is the prime contractor.
Link:http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/aug/HQ_M11-177_Rocket_Test.html
NASA and Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK) will conduct a full-scale test of a five-segment, solid rocket motor at the ATK Aerospace Systems test facility in Promontory, Utah, at 4:05 p.m. EDT, Thursday, Sept. 8.
The static firing of the five-segment solid rocket motor, designated Development Motor-3 (DM-3), will last approximately two minutes. DM-3 is the third in a series of development motors and the most heavily instrumented solid rocket motor in NASA history, with a total of 37 test objectives measured through more than 970 instruments.
The DM-3 incorporates several performance-based improvements to the designs of the first two development motors. Additionally, the core of DM-3 will be heated to 90 degrees Fahrenheit for this full-duration firing to verify the motor's performance at high temperatures.
This test will continue to advance understanding of five-segment solid rocket motor performance and specifically assess performance at the highest end of the motor's accepted temperature range. Through development testing, the solid rocket motor will be certified to fly at ambient temperatures ranging from 40 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
The DM-3 test will follow wind constraint requirements different than past development motors. Two days before the test, ATK's public relations will notify registered media of a go/no-go decision. If no-go, the test will slip to the next day. Notification of a decision to proceed will be made via email, website www.atk.com/dm3 and social media (Facebook and Twitter).
The solid rocket motor is managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. ATK Space Systems is the prime contractor.
Orbinaut Pete
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MEDIA ADVISORY : M11-189
NASA, ATK Announce New Commercial Crew Agreementhttp://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/sep/HQ_M11-189_Commercial_Crew_Agreement.html
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA and Alliant Techsystems (ATK) managers will announce an agreement that could accelerate the availability of U.S. commercial crew transportation capabilities at 3 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, Sept. 13. The announcement will occur at the Press Site auditorium at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The event will not be carried live on NASA Television. NASA TV's Video File segment will air highlights.
The announcement participants are:
-- Ed Mango, Commercial Crew Program manager, NASA
-- Kent Rominger, vice president, Strategy and Business Development, ATK Aerospace
-- John Schumacher, vice president, Space Programs, EADS North America
Journalists without permanent NASA Kennedy accreditation need to apply for credentials by 4 p.m., Sept. 12. New international media accreditation is closed. Badges can be picked up at the Kennedy Space Center's Badging Office on State Road 405 starting at 10 a.m. on Sept. 13. Media must apply for credentials online at:
https://media.ksc.nasa.gov
For NASA TV downlink information, Video File schedules and links to streaming video, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
For information about ATK, visit:
http://www.atk.com/
For information on NASA's Commercial Crew Program, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial/
NASA, ATK Announce New Commercial Crew Agreementhttp://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/sep/HQ_M11-189_Commercial_Crew_Agreement.html
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA and Alliant Techsystems (ATK) managers will announce an agreement that could accelerate the availability of U.S. commercial crew transportation capabilities at 3 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, Sept. 13. The announcement will occur at the Press Site auditorium at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The event will not be carried live on NASA Television. NASA TV's Video File segment will air highlights.
The announcement participants are:
-- Ed Mango, Commercial Crew Program manager, NASA
-- Kent Rominger, vice president, Strategy and Business Development, ATK Aerospace
-- John Schumacher, vice president, Space Programs, EADS North America
Journalists without permanent NASA Kennedy accreditation need to apply for credentials by 4 p.m., Sept. 12. New international media accreditation is closed. Badges can be picked up at the Kennedy Space Center's Badging Office on State Road 405 starting at 10 a.m. on Sept. 13. Media must apply for credentials online at:
https://media.ksc.nasa.gov
For NASA TV downlink information, Video File schedules and links to streaming video, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
For information about ATK, visit:
http://www.atk.com/
For information on NASA's Commercial Crew Program, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial/
orb
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Florida Today - The Flame Trench: NASA, ATK To Sign Commercial Crew Pact:
When I saw the title of the thread, I immediately thought of this attraction at our local theme park :lol: :
Seriously, though, looks interesting. And, I'd like to see the proposed patchwork addon as well :thumbup:
Seriously, though, looks interesting. And, I'd like to see the proposed patchwork addon as well :thumbup:
Orbinaut Pete
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ATK and NASA Sign Space Act Agreement for Liberty Launch System
Agreement Includes International Partnership
Sep 13, 2011
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., Sept. 13, 2011 -- ATK (NYSE: ATK) and NASA announced a partnership today to work together during the development of ATK's commercial Liberty™ Launch System, an agreement that also supports the 2010 National Space Policy by furthering international partnerships.
The team signed an unfunded Space Act Agreement (SAA) that enables NASA and the Liberty program office to provide technical interaction for the launch system during the Preliminary Design Review phase of the program.
"This SAA enables us to exchange information with NASA and receive valuable insight as we develop our fixed-price commercial crew vehicle and prepare it for test flight as early as 2014," said Kent Rominger, ATK vice president and program manager for Liberty. "This helps us to ensure that we provide the safest, most reliable, cost-effective and capable launch vehicle for crew transport."
The launch vehicle combines two of the world's most reliable propulsion systems. ATK is the prime, providing the human-rated five-segment solid rocket motor as the first stage, and Astrium (an EADS Company), is providing the core stage from the Ariane 5 rocket, including the Vulcain 2 engine as Liberty's upper stage. Liberty has the capability to lift 44,000 pounds to low-Earth-orbit, the highest pounds to orbit of any other vehicle currently working under commercial agreements.
The Liberty Launch System program has been underway for more than a year following the approval of international technical exchange agreements. Since that time, the team has successfully conducted a System Requirements Review and a System Development Review and continues to work towards a Preliminary Design Review—all efforts that have been supported exclusively by internal funding.
The SAA continues through at least March 2012, and the Liberty team will work with NASA's Commercial Crew Office out of Kennedy Space Center. A total of four milestones will be met under the SAA.
"With this SAA we believe NASA will benefit from gaining insight into the various systems we are developing, and we can benefit from the feedback," said Rominger. "In the end we hope to offer a commercial solution to NASA, the Department of Defense and other commercial human spaceflight programs."
ATK plans to implement a launch system to serve various commercial markets, including crew, cargo, and government satellite markets.
Both of the Liberty propulsion systems were designed for human rating. The five-segment motor is derived from the Space Shuttle Reusable Solid Rocket Motors and the core stage for the Ariane 5 was originally slated to lift the Hermes Space Plane. The fact that its upper stage was designed to lift a winged vehicle gives Liberty additional capability. The current goal is to have a test launch in 2014, with a crewed flight on the vehicle's third flight in 2015.
"Now that we are working closely with NASA, we will also look for other funding sources to further speed the development of Liberty," said Rominger.
ATK is an aerospace, defense, and commercial products company with operations in 22 states, Puerto Rico, and internationally, and revenues of approximately $4.8 billion. News and information can be found on the Internet at www.atk.com.
Agreement Includes International Partnership
Sep 13, 2011
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., Sept. 13, 2011 -- ATK (NYSE: ATK) and NASA announced a partnership today to work together during the development of ATK's commercial Liberty™ Launch System, an agreement that also supports the 2010 National Space Policy by furthering international partnerships.
The team signed an unfunded Space Act Agreement (SAA) that enables NASA and the Liberty program office to provide technical interaction for the launch system during the Preliminary Design Review phase of the program.
"This SAA enables us to exchange information with NASA and receive valuable insight as we develop our fixed-price commercial crew vehicle and prepare it for test flight as early as 2014," said Kent Rominger, ATK vice president and program manager for Liberty. "This helps us to ensure that we provide the safest, most reliable, cost-effective and capable launch vehicle for crew transport."
The launch vehicle combines two of the world's most reliable propulsion systems. ATK is the prime, providing the human-rated five-segment solid rocket motor as the first stage, and Astrium (an EADS Company), is providing the core stage from the Ariane 5 rocket, including the Vulcain 2 engine as Liberty's upper stage. Liberty has the capability to lift 44,000 pounds to low-Earth-orbit, the highest pounds to orbit of any other vehicle currently working under commercial agreements.
The Liberty Launch System program has been underway for more than a year following the approval of international technical exchange agreements. Since that time, the team has successfully conducted a System Requirements Review and a System Development Review and continues to work towards a Preliminary Design Review—all efforts that have been supported exclusively by internal funding.
The SAA continues through at least March 2012, and the Liberty team will work with NASA's Commercial Crew Office out of Kennedy Space Center. A total of four milestones will be met under the SAA.
"With this SAA we believe NASA will benefit from gaining insight into the various systems we are developing, and we can benefit from the feedback," said Rominger. "In the end we hope to offer a commercial solution to NASA, the Department of Defense and other commercial human spaceflight programs."
ATK plans to implement a launch system to serve various commercial markets, including crew, cargo, and government satellite markets.
Both of the Liberty propulsion systems were designed for human rating. The five-segment motor is derived from the Space Shuttle Reusable Solid Rocket Motors and the core stage for the Ariane 5 was originally slated to lift the Hermes Space Plane. The fact that its upper stage was designed to lift a winged vehicle gives Liberty additional capability. The current goal is to have a test launch in 2014, with a crewed flight on the vehicle's third flight in 2015.
"Now that we are working closely with NASA, we will also look for other funding sources to further speed the development of Liberty," said Rominger.
ATK is an aerospace, defense, and commercial products company with operations in 22 states, Puerto Rico, and internationally, and revenues of approximately $4.8 billion. News and information can be found on the Internet at www.atk.com.
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orb
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Orbinaut Pete
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RELEASE : 11-300
NASA Begins Commercial Partnership With Alliant Techsystemshttp://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/sep/HQ_11-300_ATK_SAA.html
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA and Alliant Techsystems (ATK) of Salt Lake City have agreed to collaborate on the development of the company's Liberty Launch System as part of the agency's Commercial Crew Development Round 2 activities.
The unfunded Space Act Agreement (SAA) through NASA's Commercial Crew Program will allow the agency and ATK to review and discuss Liberty system requirements; safety and certification plans; computational models of rocket stage performance; and avionics architecture designs. The agreement outlines key milestones including an Initial System Design review, during which ATK will present to NASA officials the Liberty systems level requirements, preliminary design, and certification process development.
"This agreement will provide the opportunity to look at the Liberty system to understand its design solution and risks, its capabilities and how it could be used to fly our NASA crew," said Ed Mango, NASA's Commercial Crew Program manager. The program is based at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA will provide feedback to ATK based on its human spaceflight experience for advancing crew transportation system capabilities and the agency's draft human certification requirements.
"With this SAA we believe NASA will benefit from gaining insight into the various systems we are developing, and we can benefit from the feedback," said Kent Rominger, vice president, strategy and business development for ATK Aerospace. "In the end, we hope to offer a commercial solution to NASA, the Department of Defense, and other commercial human spaceflight programs."
For information about NASA's Commercial Crew Program, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial
NASA Begins Commercial Partnership With Alliant Techsystemshttp://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/sep/HQ_11-300_ATK_SAA.html
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA and Alliant Techsystems (ATK) of Salt Lake City have agreed to collaborate on the development of the company's Liberty Launch System as part of the agency's Commercial Crew Development Round 2 activities.
The unfunded Space Act Agreement (SAA) through NASA's Commercial Crew Program will allow the agency and ATK to review and discuss Liberty system requirements; safety and certification plans; computational models of rocket stage performance; and avionics architecture designs. The agreement outlines key milestones including an Initial System Design review, during which ATK will present to NASA officials the Liberty systems level requirements, preliminary design, and certification process development.
"This agreement will provide the opportunity to look at the Liberty system to understand its design solution and risks, its capabilities and how it could be used to fly our NASA crew," said Ed Mango, NASA's Commercial Crew Program manager. The program is based at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA will provide feedback to ATK based on its human spaceflight experience for advancing crew transportation system capabilities and the agency's draft human certification requirements.
"With this SAA we believe NASA will benefit from gaining insight into the various systems we are developing, and we can benefit from the feedback," said Kent Rominger, vice president, strategy and business development for ATK Aerospace. "In the end, we hope to offer a commercial solution to NASA, the Department of Defense, and other commercial human spaceflight programs."
For information about NASA's Commercial Crew Program, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial
Oh good, at least this thing isn't being funded...
I found this point spectacularly annoying, considering the two are entirely different launch vehicles and the engine on Soyuz failed for a reason;
Also the link between Liberty, Ariane, and Ariane 5 originally being designed to lift Hermes... but isn't Liberty a vehicle entirely different aerodynamics wise to Ariane 5? :dry:
The only major capability Liberty can really claim over other launchers is its supposed reliability. I don't know, maybe that makes sense. And Liberty isn't Ares I, but weren't the Ares I LOC figures botched? Or at least unrealistic initially...
I don't think it is a good idea to lull oneself into complacency about safety. It happened with the Shuttle and 14 people paid the price.
Also on the issue of deliverable payload for price... Falcon Heavy without crossfeed does what to LEO? 20-30 tons? If we assume that the SpaceX cost figure of $80-125 million cost figure grows by 30-40%, you get a cost of maybe $110-175, which is at the most comparable to Liberty. And that is assuming that the advertised Liberty price figure stays the same.
Of course, Falcon Heavy is a 27-engine monster. You could call that reliability into question, but the design ethic there is different: multiple engines, to ensure comprehensive engine-out capability. But which is truely better? More engines to avert LOM caused by a non-catastrophic engine failure, or fewer engines to avert LOM/LOC caused by catastrophic engine failure?
I found this point spectacularly annoying, considering the two are entirely different launch vehicles and the engine on Soyuz failed for a reason;
Also the link between Liberty, Ariane, and Ariane 5 originally being designed to lift Hermes... but isn't Liberty a vehicle entirely different aerodynamics wise to Ariane 5? :dry:
The only major capability Liberty can really claim over other launchers is its supposed reliability. I don't know, maybe that makes sense. And Liberty isn't Ares I, but weren't the Ares I LOC figures botched? Or at least unrealistic initially...
I don't think it is a good idea to lull oneself into complacency about safety. It happened with the Shuttle and 14 people paid the price.
Also on the issue of deliverable payload for price... Falcon Heavy without crossfeed does what to LEO? 20-30 tons? If we assume that the SpaceX cost figure of $80-125 million cost figure grows by 30-40%, you get a cost of maybe $110-175, which is at the most comparable to Liberty. And that is assuming that the advertised Liberty price figure stays the same.
Of course, Falcon Heavy is a 27-engine monster. You could call that reliability into question, but the design ethic there is different: multiple engines, to ensure comprehensive engine-out capability. But which is truely better? More engines to avert LOM caused by a non-catastrophic engine failure, or fewer engines to avert LOM/LOC caused by catastrophic engine failure?
Kyle
Armchair Astronaut
I think this would make for a great orbiter addon!!
But, imo I don't buy it.
It seems like Ares-1 revisited with the same promises of 'safer, sooner, simpler'.
The Vulcan engine cannot air start, nor could the SSME. That lead to them switching to J2X.
My hat is still in for Falcon 9/Dragon or CST-100.
But, imo I don't buy it.
It seems like Ares-1 revisited with the same promises of 'safer, sooner, simpler'.
The Vulcan engine cannot air start, nor could the SSME. That lead to them switching to J2X.
My hat is still in for Falcon 9/Dragon or CST-100.
Not currently, no. I've read though that modifying Vulcain for air-start is apparently far less challenging than doing so with the SSME...
I'd imagine that swapping Vulcain out for J-2X would be a pretty nontrivial engineering challenge and probably not practical.
Kyle
Armchair Astronaut
Also, the Ariane 5 core is NOT man rated, sure it was man rated back in the day for Hermes, but it was cheaper after Hermes's cancellation just to have Ariane 5 do without. Mind you, it has all the systems to manrate, so it would probably be a quicker process than man-rating the Delta IV.
N_Molson
Addon Developer
They are planning to use the Vulcain 2 for the second stage, that is mostly an Ariane 5 first stage, designed for that engine and not a J2-X. Those are different technologies.
If they thought that this design was possible, I guess they are convinced that there is a way to start the Vulcain 2 in a near-vacuum environnement. Now reliability is a different matter.
I don't believe very much in this one, mostly because the second stage would be built by european contractors. Not the best idea for a commercial program supposed to boost the US space industry.
But honestly, as long as it can be used as a reliable Canaveral to ISS ferry, why not ? I'm getting less and less selective as the currently only flight-proven alternative is the Falcon9/Dragon, that is still some years away to send people in space. As long as it is safe, and works... Fair enough...
If they thought that this design was possible, I guess they are convinced that there is a way to start the Vulcain 2 in a near-vacuum environnement. Now reliability is a different matter.
I don't believe very much in this one, mostly because the second stage would be built by european contractors. Not the best idea for a commercial program supposed to boost the US space industry.
But honestly, as long as it can be used as a reliable Canaveral to ISS ferry, why not ? I'm getting less and less selective as the currently only flight-proven alternative is the Falcon9/Dragon, that is still some years away to send people in space. As long as it is safe, and works... Fair enough...
Is the vacuum environment really that problematic for engine start? I thought it had more to do with changes in acceleration (depending on the engine) and the existence (or lack thereof) of support equipment.
Atlas.
Which is flight-proven. More so than Falcon 9 in fact.
Liberty isn't flight proven. Its upper stage has flight history as the core stage of the Ariane 5, but it hasn't flown in this configuration. The 5-seg SRB has been ground-tested, but it hasn't flown as a first stage. Ares I-X doesn't count, as it didn't even use the 5-seg.
The Liberty vehicle does not exist yet. The Falcon 9 vehicle does and has flown twice, the Atlas V vehicle has flown multiple times. Both of those vehicles provide a capability. If the capability exists there is no need for Liberty.
I'm still trying to figure what the massive huge safety advantages of solid motors are. I think that a lot of it can just be regarded as spin at this point. At least the basis for Falcon 9's reliability is described (redundant avionics, engine out capability, verifying engine status, etc).
In addition, Falcon 9 will hopefully have a considerable flight history before people are placed on top. Presumably less so with Liberty.
If solids truely are that safe/cheap, why aren't they a fixture of many space launch vehicles? Why do vehicles like Delta and Atlas and Angara use liquid-fueled first stages? Aren't these things therefore deathtraps and satellite-manglers, as per ATK's logic?
Also... is any spacecraft builder/operator really going to pick this vehicle? They claim "people are interested", but whom? Where? When?
Urwumpe
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The Vulcain II can be made rather easily for air-start, since it is gas generator cycle. if you can start the gas generator, you can start the engine. They just already ignite it on the ground for Ariane V because of one reason: Health checking. When the system was designed, it was a really new technology for Europe, such strong cryogen engines had been new.
They are really reliable enough now for air start, and really flight-proven. The thing that needs to be changed is moving the (minimal) ground equipment into the stage, that is needed for ignition.
The SSME on the other hand, needs already almost no ground equipment for ignition, but has such small thermal constraints for ignition, that it is almost impossible to guarantee them during air-start. Also, the ignition sequence of the SSME depends on the resonance of pressure oscillations in the propellant lines of the engine - during different apparent gravity (ballistic flight), the frequency of the oscillations will vary.
What makes the SSME harder to air-start than the Vulcain II is simply its power density. The Vulcain II is a large tame engine, that needs only minimal intelligence for running, the SSME a wild beast, that needs a powerful engine controller to not explode or stall any other fraction of a second. And it is soo instable during operation, that it is actually impossible to calculate the main engine parameters during ignition on the fly. The ignition is pretty much uncontrolled except getting some parameters within target range at set times, only if it reaches "main stage", the engine controller is able to approximate the behavior in a small window of certified thrust levels.
Damn, isn't the SSME sexy?
They are really reliable enough now for air start, and really flight-proven. The thing that needs to be changed is moving the (minimal) ground equipment into the stage, that is needed for ignition.
The SSME on the other hand, needs already almost no ground equipment for ignition, but has such small thermal constraints for ignition, that it is almost impossible to guarantee them during air-start. Also, the ignition sequence of the SSME depends on the resonance of pressure oscillations in the propellant lines of the engine - during different apparent gravity (ballistic flight), the frequency of the oscillations will vary.
What makes the SSME harder to air-start than the Vulcain II is simply its power density. The Vulcain II is a large tame engine, that needs only minimal intelligence for running, the SSME a wild beast, that needs a powerful engine controller to not explode or stall any other fraction of a second. And it is soo instable during operation, that it is actually impossible to calculate the main engine parameters during ignition on the fly. The ignition is pretty much uncontrolled except getting some parameters within target range at set times, only if it reaches "main stage", the engine controller is able to approximate the behavior in a small window of certified thrust levels.
Damn, isn't the SSME sexy?
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orb
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Parabolic Arc: ATK Plans Major Announcement About Liberty on Wednesday:
