NASA Awards Heavy-lift Rocket Studies

[Salo]

http://www.spacenews.com/civil/101109-nasa-awards-rocket-studies.html

Tue, 9 November, 2010
NASA Awards Heavy-lift Rocket Studies[/size]
By Amy Klamper

    WASHINGTON — NASA hopes to lay the groundwork over the next six months for developing an affordable heavy-lift launch vehicle with $7.5 million in study contracts it plans to spread across 13 U.S. companies.

   The study contracts, announced Nov. 8, are NASA's initial response to the 2010 NASA Authorization Act, which requires the agency to begin work this year on a vehicle capable of lifting at least 70 metric tons to low Earth orbit by 2016.

    The bill, which U.S. President Barack Obama signed into law Oct. 11, gives NASA just 90 days to settle on a heavy-lift architecture and report back to Congress. However, Cris Guidi, deputy director of NASA's Constellation Systems Division here, said the agency is asking lawmakers for more time.

    "NASA is currently negotiating some relief on reporting requirements contained within the Authorization Act," Guidi said in a Nov. 9 e-mail, adding that NASA hopes to give each of the 13 companies six months to complete work under the terms of the fixed-price study contracts.

    The studies are expected to cover options including systems derived from NASA's space shuttle and from the Ares family of rockets that were being developed under the Moon-bound Constellation program, which Obama canceled in the 2011 budget blueprint he sent lawmakers in February. Obama instead proposed spending up to five years and some $3 billion researching propulsion technologies before choosing a design for the United States' first exploration-class rocket since the Saturn 5. But the authorization bill has put the heavy-lift rocket back on NASA's near-term agenda.

    The studies are also expected to include alternative architectures that rely on different propulsion combinations and mission scenarios for delivering astronauts to deep space destinations such as asteroids and Lagrange points.

    NASA spokesman Michael Braukus said the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., would manage the study contracts and that the $7.5 million would come from a funding line appropriated in 2010 for the Ares 5 rocket, the shuttle-derived heavy lifter designed under the Constellation program.

    Guidi said the 13 studies were chosen from responses to a NASA Broad Agency Announcement, or BAA, issued in July.

    The specific capabilities of the heavy lifter called for in the 2010 NASA Authorization Act appear to dictate a solution based at least in part on the giant solid-rocket boosters that help lift the space shuttle into orbit. These motors, built by Alliant Techsystems (ATK) of Minneapolis, also were integral to the Ares 1 and Ares 5 vehicles targeted for cancellation by the White House.

    ATK is among the companies selected for the latest heavy-lift vehicle studies. The others are: Aerojet General Corp., Rancho Cordova, Calif.; Analytical Mechanics Associates, Huntsville, Ala.; Andrews Space, Tukwila, Wash.; Boeing Co., Huntsville; Lockheed Martin Corp., Huntsville; Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Huntsville; Orbital Sciences Corp., Chandler, Ariz.; Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Canoga Park, Calif.; Science Applications International Corp., Huntsville.; Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Hawthorne, Calif.; United Launch Alliance, Centennial, Colo.; and United Space Alliance, Huntsville.

    Guidi said the studies are expected to meet performance requirements issued by an internal team of NASA experts tasked with fleshing out Obama's overhaul of the nation's manned spaceflight program. Formally known as the Human Exploration Framework Team, or HEFT, the group was chartered in the spring to determine requirements for sending humans to visit an asteroid by 2025.

    In September the HEFT briefed NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and his deputy on a deep space exploration plan that rejected some key assumptions of the president's strategy but which aligned technically with a the NASA Authorization Act.

    "The goal is to transition HEFT's strategies and concepts into systems that will actually be built," Guidi said. "Determining what can realistically be developed is best done by talking to the people who will do the work."

[Chilik]

Новость позитивная в принципе (лучше делать хоть что-то, чем ничего), но её надо правильно оценивать. Полный бюджет работы 7.5 миллиона на 13 компаний. В среднем чуть больше, чем полмиллиона на организацию. В детстве меня учили, что квалифицированный работник стоит 200 K$ в год. Но это общепромышленное, в аэроспейс больше, а тут нужны не просто квалифицированные, а ещё и с фантазией.
Короче - бюджет на бумажную работу 1.5 сотрудников. Или нормального сотрудника с девочкой (девочка - это не половозрастное, а функциональные обязанности работника).

[V.B.]

Наверно расчет на то, что компании добавят что-то из своих средств. Если конечно хотят в будущем производить тяжелую РН.

[Ну-и-ну]

Собственно, бюджетно-политическая ситуация такова, что вероятных вариантов по супертяжу три:
- медленно и относительно дёшево делать "Директ попроще" без ясной цели и сроков (гибкий путь, ага)
- ещё медленнее делать "типа А-5 / Директ подороже", опять же без цели и сроков (гибкий путь, вид в профиль)
- не делать ничего, под разговоры про гибкий путь, коммерцию и альтернативные средства выведения

7.5. лямов более в третий вариант вписывается. Хоть недорого, и на том спасибо.

[Salo]

Заявленная ПН в 70т на LEO сразу задвигает второй вариант в дальний угол.  А намерение использовать ускорители от ATK наводит на мысль, что наиболее вероятен Shuttle C в каком либо варианте.

[Ну-и-ну]

Первый вариант, очевидно, самый вероятный. Однако, политика под лозунгом "денегнет" может привести к весьма интересным результатам.

Я ставлю на сидение на МКС до 2023-25-го, гордое перелезание на Драгон в 2016-2017 и очень медленное ковыряние Ориона и Директа (на уровне чуть быстрее забастовки) с выходом на полёты после 2020. И будет куча исследований альтернативных средств(ов) в MS Excel / PowerPoint.

[Дмитрий В.]

7.5. лямов ....

Это, наверное, на закупку канцтоваров для оформления давно готовых предложения по тяжелому носителю :wink:

[Lev]

7.5. лямов ....

Это, наверное, на закупку канцтоваров для оформления давно готовых предложения по тяжелому носителю :wink:

Во всех сметах на проекты есть такая статья - бумага, картриджи к принтерам, авторучки...
Иногда получается впихнуть в эту статью халявные флешки...

[Ну-и-ну]

Ага. Проблема в том, что цена этим предложениям - именно что копейка. Помнится, оригинальный Арес-1 (да и -5) получались из Шатла практически нахаляву.

[Ну-и-ну]

7.5. лямов ....

Это, наверное, на закупку канцтоваров для оформления давно готовых предложения по тяжелому носителю :wink:

Во всех сметах на проекты есть такая статья - бумага, картриджи к принтерам, авторучки...
Иногда получается впихнуть в эту статью халявные флешки...

В одной знакомой звукостудии водка проходила в смете как "постановка голоса актёров перед звукозаписью".

[Agent]

То что прописано у сенаторов практически однозначно определяет носитель.
3 SSME на первой ступени (возможно 4), 5 сегментные бустеры (возможно 4 сегментов), опциональная вторая ступень на J2X

Этот конкурс - чистая формальность. Заодно создает видимость деятельности практически забесплатно - бюджет то еще не принят и существенные суммы на новый проект тратить запрещено.

[Петр Зайцев]

Ага. Проблема в том, что цена этим предложениям - именно что копейка. Помнится, оригинальный Арес-1 (да и -5) получались из Шатла практически нахаляву.

Это просто была ложь гриффиновских шестерок. Когда стали делать всерьез, все факты-то и вылезли, типа 80 миллардов (8*10e10 на один Арес-1. Такая холява, атомный удар по MSFS был бы дешевле.

[Ну-и-ну]

Ага. Проблема в том, что цена этим предложениям - именно что копейка. Помнится, оригинальный Арес-1 (да и -5) получались из Шатла практически нахаляву.

Это просто была ложь гриффиновских шестерок. Когда стали делать всерьез, все факты-то и вылезли, типа 80 миллардов (8*10e10 на один Арес-1. Такая холява, атомный удар по MSFS был бы дешевле.

Если это не опечатка, то не пойму, зачем постить инфу, если она не проходит базовую проверку на вшивость?

[Salo]

ATK sets rocket priorities under continuing resolution[/size]
BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: November 10, 2010

Responding to guidance directing NASA to lean on space shuttle and Ares rocket technologies for a new heavy-lift launch vehicle, rocket-builder ATK is fast-tracking work on parts of an extended five-segment solid-fueled booster likely to be incorporated on future exploration missions.


File photo of the DM-2 test firing Aug. 31. Credit: NASA

The Minneapolis-based aerospace and arms contractor is putting other portions of the five-segment motor design on the back burner, choosing to focus on technologies most likely to be used on a heavy launcher derived from shuttle and Ares designs.

Alliant Techsystems Inc., or ATK, is still receiving federal funding for the Ares 1 rocket first stage, despite its cancellation by the Obama administration and in a NASA authorization bill signed into law last month.

Thanks to a continuing resolution, which continues funding for NASA programs near last year's levels, ATK is continuing development of a five-segment solid rocket motor originally designed for the Constellation program.

The money allows ATK to press on with preparations for a third development motor, called DM-3, to be fired in the late summer of 2011, according to Charlie Precourt, vice president and general manager of space launch systems at ATK.

In an Oct. 27 interview, Precourt said four segments of the motor have already been cast with solid propellant. The fifth segment will be filled by the end of 2010, then the whole rocket will be X-ray tested and moved to a hillside test area in the spring of 2011.

Engineers will place hundreds of sensors on the test motor to collect data on forces, pressures, temperatures and other variables during the planned two-minute, five-second burn.

Two development motors were successfully tested in September 2009 and August 2010. ATK managers previously said each development motor firing costs about $75 million.

The Ares first stage test regime called for four development motor firings, followed by three qualification tests.

DM-3 is one of three priorities identified by ATK and NASA. Officials are also continuing development and testing of an upgraded avionics package and planning a critical design review.

Work in those areas will come at the expense of other tasks, including a new forward skirt and frustum design that was specific to cancelled the Ares 1 rocket, Precourt said.

"If this is for heavy-lift as a side strapped-on booster, then we may go back to the nose cone shape that we had on shuttle," Precourt said. "We prioritized on those types of logical thinking."

NASA agreed to the scope changes.

"We didn't do this unilaterally. We worked this with NASA," Precourt said. "What are the things that make the most sense to work first during the continuing resolution that enable the system to be most ready for the outcome in this budget process, which could redefine, to some extent, what we end up producing as an end product."

ATK's goal is to advance the motor's design as much as possible, making it an attractive candidate for use on a heavy-lifter.

"We picked three key items to work on through the continuing resolution and into (fiscal year 2011) as the final decision-making goes on," Precourt said. "Those three things are to continue DM-3 to a test firing because that data is crucial to any configuration that we would fly. The second item is to continue to mature the design to CDR and make it ready for flight-testing with other elements as soon as possible. And third is to continue to work on the avionics. We have gone a long way in avionics improvement on this system from what was on shuttle."

The solid motor's 1553 avionics bus is adaptable for nearly any role on a future launcher, accepting interfaces with most upper stages or flying on strap-on boosters, according to Precourt.

The continuing resolution was passed by Congress before it recessed for the mid-term elections. The current continuing resolution expires Dec. 3, when it will be replaced by a fiscal year 2011 appropriations bill or renewed through early next year.

ATK is receiving $78 million under the Ares 1 first stage contract through Dec. 3, according to J.D. Harrington, a NASA spokesperson.

Although the Ares 1 rocket - the new crew launch vehicle in project Constellation - is no longer in NASA's future, ATK is using the extra few months of funding to further mature the first stage motor.

The authorization act gave a blueprint for NASA's 2011 budget, calling for the immediate development of a heavy-lift launch vehicle for exploration missions beyond Earth orbit. Crew transportation services to the space station, one of the missions for the Ares 1 rocket, will be turned over to the private sector.


Artist's concept of the Ares 5 rocket, the heavy-lift launcher terminated with the cancellation of the Constellation program. A new heavy-lifter using more shuttle parts could replace the Ares 5. Credit: NASA
 
Congress also directed NASA to reuse as many systems as possible from the space shuttle program and work already underway on the Ares rocket.

That language was inserted with the help of legislators from Utah, the site of ATK's sprawling solid rocket motor assembly and test facility. It gave ATK's solid rocket motor design a clear advantage as engineers study the design of the heavy-lift booster, company leaders said.

"I think we're very well-positioned," said Mark DeYoung, ATK president and CEO. "I think that NASA will look for opportunities to examine other technologies for those vehicles. We intend to participate in the pursuit of other technologies and other solutions for those vehicles, as well as leverage our solid capability in solid propulsion, no pun intended."

The five-segment motor produces 3.6 million pounds of thrust. The rocket could be used as strap-on boosters on the heavy-lift launcher, but NASA has not decided how it will select a design for the rocket.

"I think we're in a very good position if they choose to compete," DeYoung told investors Nov. 4. "If they choose to continue down the path of the investments which have been made in heavy launch and in manned spaceflight, we're clearly an incumbent that would be ready to receive a sole-source award."

Precourt said ATK participates in heavy-lift rocket studies with NASA. The company was also one of 13 firms selected by NASA this week for negotiations that could lead to contract awards for systems analysis and trade studies on the super-rocket.

The industrial studies were solicited in a Broad Agency Announcement released in June.

Other companies selected by NASA include Aerojet General Corp., Analytical Mechanics Associates, Andrews Space, Boeing Co., Lockheed Martin Corp., Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Orbital Sciences Corp., Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Science Applications International Corp., Space Exploration Technologies Corp., United Launch Alliance and United Space Alliance.

Michael Braukus, a NASA spokesperson, said the total value of the potential awards is $7.5 million from fiscal year 2010 funds. The maximum value of each individual contract is $625,000.

NASA is asking the firms for reports on heavy-lift launch vehicle architectures using heritage shuttle and Ares systems. The companies will also evaluate alternative designs and identify propulsion technology gaps, according to NASA.