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Reusable Launch & Space Vehicle News:Space Access Society 2002 - Review
This is a review of the 2002 conference of the Space Access Society. It is held on the last weekend of April in Phoenix, Arizona. A review of the 2001 meeting is in the archive.
See the RLV News for recent links and info. Older material can be found in the archives:
Apr 2002 Jan-Mar 2002 Jun-Dec 2001 Apr-May 2001 Jan-Mar 2001
Jul-Dec 2000 Apr-Jun 2000 Jan-Mar 2000 Sep-Dec 1999 Apr-Aug 1999
April 29, 2002
Space Access 2002 Review
Another great Space Access Society meeting took place last week in Phoenix, Arizona.
// Дальше — www.hobbyspace.com
Mockingbird - Jordin Kare gave a review of this fascinating vehicle design that he and colleges at Lawrence Livermore Lab developed in 1994. The vehicle's only purpose was to prove that single stage to orbit and return was feasible.
The bowling pin shaped vehicle stood only 5 meters tall. It was 1 meter in diameter at the bottom and then tapered to a sharp point at the top. It took off on the thrust of 8 engines designed for low altitudes and then switched to a single central engine for high altitudes. The oxidiser was 98% H2O2 for JP-5 fuel.
A super lightweight approach, such as very thin walls that served as both hull and fuel tanks, would be needed to achieve a dry mass of 75kg and a liftoff weight of 1500kg. Since it was only meant as a SSTO demo, the fact that it could only take a kg or so of payload was not important (they also called the vehicle the "Bricklifter"). For return an unbrella like shield opened up on the bottom to act as an aerobrake.
The project was actually approved by the missile defense chief at the time and would have cost about $20M. But the project was canceled when the BMDO leader was transferred.
Kare says there will soon be a document posted on the web that gives details about the project.
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