초록 ▼

A configurable space launch system of multiple different vehicle configurations that use a common reusable spaceplane and cost effective external tanks is presented. Each vehicle configuration in the system incorporates one or more reusable spaceplanes and most or all ascent propellant in multiple r

A configurable space launch system of multiple different vehicle configurations that use a common reusable spaceplane and cost effective external tanks is presented. Each vehicle configuration in the system incorporates one or more reusable spaceplanes and most or all ascent propellant in multiple releasable external tanks. The flight trajectory of each vehicle has multiple in-flight staging points to increase vehicle performance efficiency. The system is governed and configured by a unique set of eight prescripts that together minimize launch costs.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for providing a low-cost-per-flight configurable space launch system of a plurality of space launch vehicles, comprising:selecting a reusable spaceplane wherein the reusable spaceplane selecting step includes at least the substep of excluding any permanently installed or integral ascent

1. A method for providing a low-cost-per-flight configurable space launch system of a plurality of space launch vehicles, comprising:selecting a reusable spaceplane wherein the reusable spaceplane selecting step includes at least the substep of excluding any permanently installed or integral ascent propellant tanks within the reusable spaceplane; combining for each space launch vehicle in the configurable space launch system, one or more reusable spaceplanes with a plurality of liquid propellant tanks detachably mounted external to the one or more reusable spaceplanes; supplying more than 90 percent of total ascent propellant volume in the detachably mounted external tanks; including means for achieving a plurality of in-flight staging points greater than the number of spaceplanes; and configuring the plurality of space launch vehicles to perform a broad spectrum of space launch missions at optimal low cost-per-flight.