Design work has begun on the Lockheed Launch Vehicle (LLV) 2, in an effort to attack the growing commercial market for launches of 1,800kg payloads into low-Earth orbit (LEO). Lockheed's first vehicle, the LLV 1 - which will resemble this engineering model at Vandenberg AFB, California - will be launched between June and December on a demonstration flight, carrying the CTA 150kg GEMStar communications satellite. The LLV 1 is a two-stage vehicle, with Castor 120 and Orbus 21D solid-propellant motors. The LLV 2 will have an additional Castor 120 as the second stage. Lockheed has two firm contracts from TRW and CTA to launch NASA's Lewis and Clark spacecraft.
Source: Flight International
