Possibilities of New Business Growth: Unmanned Orbiter

launch vehicles, space shuttle, spacecraft, spaceplane No Responses »

Aug 282019

Continuing…

In 1985 Rockwell pondered the idea of an unmanned Orbiter. The US did not proceed with that concept, while the Soviets did with their Buran. It was an interesting notion and for the time reasonably advanced tech… but it’s clearly a very silly idea (even more so with Buran). The whole purpose of the Orbiter as compared to any other launch vehicle is to *return* stuff. With the Space Shuttle, the stuff it returned was sometimes payload, always avionics, engines and crew. Making the Orbiter unmanned means… why the hell are you launching a crew cabin? Buran was even worse; it didn’t even bring back the main engines.

Possibilities of New Business Growth: “Hump Back” Orbiter

launch vehicles, rockets, space shuttle, spacecraft, spaceplane 2 Responses »

Aug 272019

Continuing…

Last time, Rockwell pondered the possible need to stretch an orbiter to fit in a longer payload. This time, what if the Shuttle needs to launch payloads of larger diameter?

Next time: an unmanned orbiter.

See the amazing diagram after the break.

Possibilities of New Business Growth: Stretched Orbiter

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Aug 262019

Continuing…

In 1985 Rockwell suggested stretching the Orbiter to create a 75-foot-long cargo bay in order to carry longer – though clearly not heavier – payloads. Exactly what those payloads might be was not given, but they would presumably be sizable yet relatively light structures… deployable structures such as solar arrays and radar arrays seem not unlikely. Interestingly, the main landing gear were to be moved slightly forward, the nose gear well aft.

Up next: the “hump-backed” Orbiter, with the most amazing shuttle diagram EVAR.

Hey. Hey.

Possibilities of New Business Growth: Stretched STS

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Aug 252019

Continuing. By stretching the ET and adding a segment to each of the SRBs, an additional 30 to 35 thousand pounds (!) of payload could be carried to polar orbit.

Next time: Stretching the Orbiter itself!

Possibilities of New Business growth: Docking Module

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Aug 232019

Continuing…

The notion of adding a “docking module” to the Shuttle to allow it to dock with another spacecraft. Here’s one that actually got built and used for docking to Mir and ISS.

Next time: a stretched External Tank & SRBs for increased payload.

Possibilities of New Business growth: OMS kit

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Aug 212019

Continuing… An idea for added propellant tanks for the rear of the cargo bay. The propellant would feed not the SSME’s, but the orbital maneuvering system engines. This would allow the Shuttle to reach higher orbital altitudes.

Possibilities of New Business growth: Graphite structures

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Aug 182019

Continuing. This time, discussion of possibilities of swapping out existing Orbiter structures with graphite composites. The advantage would be lowered dry mass of the Orbiter, leading to potentially higher payload performance. this would, presumably, be of interest for USAF launches from Vandenburg, a possibility that Challenger put to bed.

If this sort of stuff is of interest or use, why not help support the project? A monthly subscription to the APR Monthly Historical Documents Program would not only help support the project, it would also provide you with a monthly package of rare aerospace documents and diagrams.

Possibilities of New Business growth: Orbiter recertification & improvements

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Aug 162019

Continuing…

Rockwell: “Possibilities for New Business Growth,” 1985

hypersonic, launch vehicles, nukes, research, rockets, space shuttle, space station, spacecraft, spaceplane 3 Responses »

Aug 152019

One sizable document I’ve scanned for preservation is a Rockwell presentation package from October, 1985, showing a large number of space programs that the company could capitalize on. These included everything from minor mods to the Space Shuttle to major changes… stretching the orbiter, stretching the tank, adding additional boosters. Heavy lift boosters to put SLS to shame; heavy lift SSTOs; small experimental spaceplanes; manned military spaceplanes; space-based weaponry; space stations; space based nuclear power. Figured this stuff might be of some modest interest. So why not, I’ll post little bits of it from time to time.

repost: US Launch Vehicle Projects #06: Solar Power Satellite Launchers

launch vehicles, rockets, space shuttle, spacecraft, spaceplane, US Launcher Projects No Responses »

Jul 212019

Now available… the newest and biggest issue in the US Aerospace Projects line.

US Launch Vehicle Projects #6

Cover art was provided by Rob Parthoens, www.baroba.be

US Launch Vehicle Projects #06 is now available (see HERE for the entire series). Issue #6 is devoted to the launch vehicles proposed for the 1970’s Solar Power Satellite program. This required millions of tons of payload delivered into Earth orbit over a span of decades, with flight rates of several times per day for each vehicle. This program produced some of the largest and most ambitious launch vehicles ever designed, and was the last time that launchers of this size were ever seriously contemplated. Appropriately, USLP#6 is by far the largest issue of US Aerospace projects to date at over seventy pages, three times the size of a usual issue.

Topics in this issue include the Rockwell Star-Raker, several Boeing Space Freighters, the Boeing “Big Onion” Low Cost Heavy Lift Vehicle (antecedent and descendant designs), a Grumman two-stage HLLV, a Rockwell HLLV and “small” HLLV, NASA-JSC heavy lifters, a Boeing/Rockwell Personnel Launch Vehicle and a Boeing winged SSTO. Along with orthogonal views, a number of perspective diagrams are also included.

USLP #6 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $9:

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