Bids are in on a series of spaceplane technology demonstrations in support of US Department of Defense plans to field an operationally responsive space (ORS) capability to launch satellites at short notice.
The US Air Force Research Laboratory plans to award contracts in September for three ground experiments focused on maturing technology for a follow-on X-plane reusable launch vehicle flight demonstrator.
AFRL's Fully Reusable Access to Space Technology (FAST) programme will support the DoD's new joint ORS office, which was established in May at Kirtland AFB in New Mexico and will be fully implemented by October.
Spurred on by China's anti-satellite test in January, and anxious to enhance the survivability of US space capabilities, Congress looks set to increase funding for the ORS programme substantially beyond the $87 million sought by the DoD in fiscal year 2008.
Approved in April, the DoD's plan for operationally responsive space calls for the ability to meet urgent or unforeseen needs by rapidly reconstituting or augmenting existing communications and surveillance capabilities, as well as fielding new technologies. The only missions excluded from ORS are strike and "near space", says Joseph Rouge, associate director of the National Security Space Office.
A tiered approach is planned, beginning with Tier-1 "command it" - using existing assets on demand in minutes to hours then Tier-2 "deploy it" - launching available satellites in days to weeks and eventually Tier-3 "develop it" - delivering new capabilities in months, not years. "It's about generating effects to meet urgent needs," says Rouge. "A 30-50% solution on time is worth more than 80% too late."
Tier-3 will be supported by the FAST and Tactical Satellite demonstrations, the TacSat series of micro-satellites proving out technologies and operating concepts for future blocks of operational ORS "smallsats" to be built using common interfaces and subsystems. There is also a small expendable launch vehicle demonstration effort, which includes the planned launch of TacSat-1 on SpaceX's Falcon 1 later this year.
Under FAST, AFRL plans three ground experiments over the next four years. These will involve ground operations, adaptive guidance and control, and finally a large-scale airframe demonstration of integrated structures, propellant tanks, thermal protection and health management. These will be focused on a "vision X-vehicle" design for a rocket-powered vertical-launch/horizontal-landing flight demonstrator.
Funding for increased research into future launch vehicles is expected beginning in FY2010 as the US Air Force begins looking beyond its current Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle families. Satellite sizes for ORS have not been determined, and AFRL says a FAST X-vehicle will have to be sized to be both affordable and scaleable for payloads from 450kg (1,000lb) to 9,000kg into low-Earth orbit.
Source: Flight International
