Overview of EELV Secondary Payloads
- Paper number
IAC-09.B4.5.-D2.7.1
- Author
Dr. Jeffery Emdee, The Aerospace Corporation, United States
- Year
2009
- Abstract
The Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) launch systems, consisting of Atlas V and Delta IV, have been used in the past to deliver secondary payloads to orbit. The Delta IV Heavy Demo mission launched a secondary nano-sat payload in 2004 and the Atlas V STP-1 mission utilized the EELV Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA) to successfully launch several experimental payloads to orbit in 2007. There are many additional secondary payload missions in design or development, including those that use the ESPA carrier. An overview will be provided of the efforts in place to provide access to space for small spacecraft using EELV. This paper will discuss use of excess performance margin to provide access to space, integration challenges, orbital debris and disposal issues and current policies. Lessons learned in each of these areas will be discussed.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)