A SEA-BASED MEDIUM PAYLOAD LOW COST LAUNCH SYSTEM

THE PROPOSED STUDY FOCUSES ON DETERMINING TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY AND VERIFYING LOW LIFE CYCLE COST OF SEA-BASED SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM. THE EFFORT CONCENTRATES ON SEPARATE DEFINITIONS OF AN ADVANCED LAUNCH VEHICLE IN BOTH EXPENDABLE AND REUSABLE FORMS, AND A SEA-BASED LAUNCHER. THE STUDY THEN COMPLETES A SYSTEM INTEGRATION TO VERIFY LAUNCH SYSTEM METHODS AND PROCESSES, LOGISTICS PECULIAR TO A SEABASED OPERATION, AND COST ESTIMATES UNDER EXPENDABLE AND REUSABLE MODES OF OPERATION. THE DEFINITION CONCENTRATES ON THE MEDIUM PAYLOAD CLASS VEHICLE WHERE NO NOTEWORTHY OPPORTUNITIES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN LAUNCH COSTS. SPACE TRANSPORTATION TARGETS TO BE EXAMINED INCLUDE LOW EARTH ORBIT, HIGHER EARTH ORBIT, AND EARTH ESCAPE.