Comparative Analysis of Payload Capabilities of Different Variants of Spacecraft Orbital Injection

Paper number

IAC-07-D1.I.03

Author

Mr. Sergey Matvienko, Ukraine

Coauthor

Mr. Alexander Degtyarev, Yuzhnoye State Design Office, Ukraine

Coauthor

Dr. Stanislav Konyukhov, Yuzhnoye State Design Office, Ukraine

Coauthor

Mr. Alexander Makarov, Yuzhnoye State Design Office, Ukraine

Year

2007

Abstract

At present, the basic criterion in creation of the new models of space systems is cost minimization at the phase of development and manufacture and at operation. The total cost of a space system consists of:
-	spacecraft (SC) development and manufacturing cost;
-	cost of SC injection into working orbit;
-	SC operation cost.
The reduction of injection cost is achieved by two ways:
1) Reduction of SC weight, which will allow to inject it into orbit by so-called cluster launch.
2) Increase of SC weight in order to increase its active lifetime and expand its functions.
This will lead to the use of super-heavy launch vehicles (LV). Such approach is characteristic of the market of communication and navigation SC. Taking into account high cost of such SC, realization of the "double launch" scheme becomes economically expedient, which will allow to not only inject a SC into working orbit but also to ensure SC in-orbit integration and servicing.
To inject a SC into orbit, LV of various classes are used. However, in some cases SC injection by one LV is impossible (for example, injection of SC of big mass into geostationary orbit (GSO)). In this case, a SC is injected into specified orbit by two or more LV launches with subsequent in-orbit integration of SC components, or SC with transport module (TM) integration. In latter case, one LV delivers TM into mounting orbit and the other delivers SC. After integration, the assembly TM-SC is put into specified orbit where SC is separated from TM. Realization of this concept and its key moment (technical realization of the principle of mating/ detaching of separate SC components is space) opens up the prospects for:
-	SC injection into GSO by light-class LV;
-	in-orbit assembly of SC of required configuration (for this purpose it is desirable to build generic modules/units of SC functional components);
-	prolongation of SC lifetime by replenishing with consumed materials in orbit (re-fueling);
-	SC servicing in orbit.
It also seems expedient to build TM using radio isotopic thermo-electrical propulsion system.

Abstract document

IAC-07-D1.I.03.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-07-D1.I.03.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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