Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC
A PROTEST FROM a losing bidder has delayed NASA plans to award four initial-design contracts for its Bantam low-cost launch-system demonstrator.
California-based Microcosm has filed a formal protest with the US Congress General Accounting (GA) office over NASA's decision to award Aerojet General, Pioneer Rocketplane, Summa Technology and Universal Space Lines six-month contracts totalling $8 million under "Cycle 1" of NASA's Bantam programme. The programme will be frozen for 60-90 days while the GA office investigates the complaint.
The chosen contractors are expected under Cycle 1 to analyse the small-payload market, complete preliminary design of their low-cost launch systems and develop business plans for commercial operation of the system. NASA plans to select two contractors early in 1998 for Cycle 2 of the programme, leading to flight tests of Bantam demonstrators in late 1999. It is hoped that the launch systems developed under the programme will be ready for commercial operation at the end of Cycle 2.
NASA is aiming for a launch cost of $1.5 million to place a 180kg payload into low-Earth orbit, compared with about $8 million today. Bantam competitor Pioneer Rocketplane has signed an agreement with Thiokol covering the supply of upper stages for its Pathfinder re-usable launch vehicle. Initially, Pioneer will purchase six Star 20 motors from Thiokol for use in Cycle 2 flight-testing of the Bantam demonstrators.
The agreement also covers development of a new small upper stage for the Pathfinder, capable of boosting 90-180kg payloads and using NASA-developed liquid-monopropellant engine technology. Finally, the agreement will provide Pioneer with volume pricing for purchases of three-axis-stabilised upper stages using Thiokol Star 37, 48 and 63 solid-rocket motors, for the launch of payloads in the 900-1,800kg range.
Denver, Colorado-based Pioneer, meanwhile, has revised the Pathfinder design by moving the two Pratt &Whitney F100 turbofan engines from the wing roots to the base of the vertical tail. This simplifies design of the delta wing, the company says. The Pathfinder will take off conventionally under turbofan power, then take on liquid oxygen from an airborne tanker before igniting its rocket motor to leave the atmosphere.
Source: Flight International
