A direction for advanced launch vehicles
- Paper ID
IAF-85-131
- author
- company
Aerojet TechSystems Company
- country
U.S.A.
- year
1985
- abstract
At this point in time several factors converge to produce what anounts to a clear opportunity for a geared-up European effort in the field of space processing : a - European capacity to design and conduct canplex space based operations has been demonstrated by the first Spacelab mission. b - A US-led space station with European participation will be available in the near future. c - A nunber of projects are proceeding that will provide the necessary " real estate " for space processing : manned : . Spacelab follcw-on . The Columbus project unmanned : . The EURECA platform . etc... i d - The Space Shuttle, besides being a carrier for the above, already provides a whole range of operational positions (Mid Deck Assembly, Getaway Specials,...). e - A vast arount of scientific work has been conducted in research laboratories in Europe under the auspices of ESA and national organisations, which result in a clearer picrture of the cnmercial possibilities of space processing. f - This latter point is of course well illustrated on the US side by the NASA/Mc Donnell/Ortho Electrophoresis in Space project. g - The proportion of ESA resources devoted to applications satellites is likely to be reduced in the near future. h - The configuration of a future (post-Ariane IV) European launcher is under review. This to our opinion maans that the ingredients are there for a new European initiative in space, with space processing as a leading opportunity. The succès of European efforts to take advantage of the space processing opportunity depends very much upon the level of involvement that can be obtained from potential users in industry, the scientific oormunity at large and the relevant public autorities. This sort of involvement cannot be achieved at once. As a conclusion to this paper, we nake a number of suggestions of an operational nature on such topics as : - Support organisation at European level. - Contractual arrangements. - Standardization of payloads. - A strong information drive on technical and financial topics. - A program scenario including simultaneous use of manned and un-manned space-based facilities together with extensive ground-based research.