The Perseus launcher project : addressing innovation, education and research
- Paper number
IAC-06-E1.1.08
- Author
Mr. Matthew Bullock, BERTIN Technologies, France
- Coauthor
Mr. Cedric Dupont, BERTIN Technologies, France
- Coauthor
Mr. Raymond Bec, Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), France
- Coauthor
Mr. Nicolas Berend, Office National d’Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA), France
- Coauthor
Ms. Elisa Cliquet, Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), France
- Coauthor
Dr. Michel Prevost, Office National d’Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA), France
- Year
2006
- Abstract
The PERSEUS project is a unique initiative that aims at federating networks of universities, laboratories and enterprises in the context of a launcher development. PERSEUS, led the CNES (French Space Agency), has 3 key objectives: to foster innovation in launch vehicle developments, to develop a small space transportation system and to serve as an educational platform. This project intends to foster innovation at the launcher system and the subsystem levels. Preliminary activities include launcher concept studies and design and development work in the field of hybrid propulsion. This project targets the design, development and qualification of a launch vehicle that is dedicated to nanosatellites, a class of satellites that has flourished thanks to several university efforts. The performance objective is to place on the order of magnitude of 10 to 30 kg on a minimum circular orbit of 250 km. PERSEUS also strives to serve as an educational platform, promoting space and science and attempting to involve students in all aspects of the project: from project management to ‘hands-on’ developments. The objective of this paper is to describe the key facets of the PERSEUS project: its position in the context of university and amateur launcher projects worldwide, its key objectives, the overall planning and its key phase, the types of partners and the project organisation and the concept of ‘macro-projects’. Macro-projects are intended to federate activities at regional levels. This paper will also provide a status report concerning the preliminary activities and a vision on short term and long term perspectives. The preliminary activities include the launcher concept studies, the on-going macro-projects (ex. hybrid propulsion,…) and associated educational activities (ex. Community of Ariane cities).
- Abstract document