The Rocketplane Kistler Reusable Launch Vehicle Development Programs
- Paper number
IAC-07-D2.4.06
- Author
Mr. Charles Lauer, Rocketplane Ltd., United States
- Year
2007
- Abstract
Rocketplane Kistler, Inc. was formed in late 2006 by the merger of Rocketplane Limited and Kistler Aerospace Corporation to develop a fleet of fully reusable suborbital and orbital launch vehicles. Rocketplane Limited was developing the XP suborbital spaceplane for space tourism, microgravity research and remote sensing applications. Kistler was developing the K-1 two stage reusable launch vehicle for commercial satellite launch applications and commercial cargo and crew delivery to the International Space Station (ISS). Rocketplane Kistler Inc. (RpK) submitted a proposal to NASA for the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program in March 2006. Of the 20 proposals received by NASA under this Request for Proposals, RpK was selected as one of two companies to receive a $207 million contract under a NASA funded Space Act Agreement (SAA).
The K-1 two stage reusable launch vehicle is a medium lift (Delta II class) RLV using LOX / kerosene propellants and a parachute / air bag recovery system for both stages. The stage separation occurs at 180,000ā altitude, where the second stage initiates its orbital insertion burn while the first stage restarts an engine to fly back uprange to return to the launch site in Woomera Australia. The second stage Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) engine circularizes the orbit and position the vehicle for deployment of the payload to complete the payload delivery. For commercial satellite launch missions the entire flight takes about one day. For ISS cargo delivery missions the total mission duration is about two to three weeks. The first K-1 test flight is scheduled for April 2009.
In addition to the K-1 RLV, the Rocketplane XP suborbital spaceplane will also be developed and tested during the same time frame. The XP development program is another type of public /private partnership with the State of Oklahoma for creation of new jobs in the emerging space tourism market sector. The XP is a four seat fighter-sized horizontal takeoff and landing vehicle which uses jet engines for takeoff and landing and a LOX / kerosene rocket engine for the ascent to the 100 km suborbital apogee. The primary mission is suborbital space tourism, but the XP provides about four minutes of high quality microgravity during the ballistic coast to apogee and back down to reentry. Peak accelerations during rocket boost phase and reentry deceleration are about 4 Gās.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-07-D2.4.06.pdf (š authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.