A SEA BASED MEDIUM PAYLOAD LOW COST LAUNCH SYSTEM

THE PROPOSED STUDY FOCUSES ON DETERMINING TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY AND VERIFYING LOW LIFE CYCLE COST OF A SEA BASED SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM. THE EFFORT CONCENTRATES ON SEPARATE DEFINITIONS OF AND ADVANCED LAUNCH VEHICLE AND A SEA BASED LAUNCHER. THE STUDY THEN COMPLETES A SYSTEM INTEGRATION TO VERIFY LAUNCH SYSTEM METHODS AND PROCESSES, LOGISTICS PECULIAR TO A SEA BASED OPERATION AND A LIFE CYCLE COST ESTIMATE. THE DEFINITION CONCENTRATES ON THE MEDIUM PAYLOAD CLASS OF VEHICLE WHERE NO NOTEWORTHY OPPORTUNITIES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR SIGNIFICANT LOWERING OF LAUNCH COSTS. SPACE TRANSPORTATION TARGETS TO BE EXAMINED INCLUDE LOW EARTH AND GEOSYNCHROUNOUS ORBITS.