Future requirements and applications for orbital transfer vehicles
Abstract
The Space Transportation System (STS) has the objective to provide increased launch opportunity at a lower cost. The present investigation is concerned with orbital transfer vehicles (OTV) for a transfer from low earth orbit to higher orbits. High OTV performance minimizes the need for propellants and maximizes payload. The highest performance in a chemical combustion rocket propulsion system can currently be obtained by using hydrogen and oxygen as propellants. For this reason, the Centaur is being incorporated into the STS. Centaur is the world's first liquid-hydrogen-powered space vehicle. It is expected that hydrogen-oxygen OTV will be employed for many years until noncombustion propulsion (chemical-electric) becomes available. Integrating a modified Centaur high-energy stage with the Space Shuttle offers a significant increase in the high earth orbit and earth-escape performance capabilities of the STS. A space-based OTV is envisioned for far-term requirements.
- Publication:
-
IN: Space - The next twenty years; Proceedings of the Twentieth Space Congress
- Pub Date:
- 1984
- Bibcode:
- 1984snty.proc.....C
- Keywords:
-
- Centaur Launch Vehicle;
- Hydrogen Oxygen Engines;
- Orbit Transfer Vehicles;
- Payload Transfer;
- Technology Assessment;
- Transfer Orbits;
- Geosynchronous Orbits;
- Nasa Programs;
- Space Commercialization;
- Space Stations;
- Space Transportation System;
- Launch Vehicles and Space Vehicles