Small Vehicle Launch Technology

The objective of this proposal is to develop innovative Small Launch Vehicle (SLV) technologies that provide responsive, cost effective solutions for Small Satellites. SpaceDev has identified several emergent technologies that have the potential toproduce significant advancements in SLV responsiveness, cost, performance and safety. SpaceDev proposes to develop a baseline SLV vehicle concept that uses both hybrid and Lox/RP1 propulsion systems to their best advantage. Because of hybrid propulsion'sinherent low cost, technologies to increase its mass fraction and performance without sacrificing low system cost are proposed. Our concept is based on multiple incremental improvements resulting in a low risk approach that has a high payoff. It leads toscalable, affordable propulsion systems that have many potential applications beyond a new SLV. We intend to leverage Schafer/AFRL's investment in Lox/RP1 engine manufacturing technology to both hybrid and Lox/RP1 propulsion. The SpaceDev Phase I projectwill define a baseline SLV to identify innovative solutions and enable trade-offs of performance versus cost. We will also define hardware technologies for reducing vehicle flight-control-systems cost. SpaceDev will prepare an improved conceptual designof its sub-orbital rocket to incorporate the new baseline SLV high-payoff technologies, and a Phase II plan for cost-risk mitigation testing. This project will define propulsion technologies and systems technologies that will enable the rapid andinexpensive development of an affordable, dependable small satellite launch system. This rocket technology has numerous commercial and military applications including launch-vehicle main stages, strap-ons, and upper stages to place small payloads into LowEarth Orbit (LEO); providing safe, low-cost reusable rocket engines for sub-orbital manned space planes, air launched rocket vehicles, the new proposed Orbital Space Plane, commercial and government sounding rockets; replacing current two-stage solidrockets used to transfer payloads from one orbit to another; and providing first stage propulsion for a future two-stage to orbit fully reusable launch vehicle to replace the Space Shuttle. The aim of this project is to develop a rocket motor withperformance to take up to 1000 lbs to LEO, while delivering high responsiveness, lower cost, high reliability, and greater safety relative to existing options.