LAUNCH SYSTEMS
Col. John Keesee
5 September 2003
Outline
Launch systems characteristics
Launch systems selection process
Spacecraft design envelope &
environments.
Lesson Objectives
Each student will
Understand launch system characteristics, sizing and
trade-offs.
Estimate launch system sizes, staging requirements.
Be able to select appropriate launch system for a given
mission from available systems.
Be able to estimate spacecraft requirements driven by
launch vehicle induced environments.
Determine costs of launch systems.
Rocket Basics
me
Fuel in
pc
Ve
Pe
Ae
pf
Throat
Thrust
Oxidizer in
Thrust
F m eVe Ae( pe pf)
Specific impulse
where K depends on J and the engine pressure ratio
Isp { F
m g
T
Isp K c
M
Rocket Equation
a
m Isp g
F
M
M
veh
veh
veh
M o m t
tf dm dt
'V a d t Isp g d t
dm t
M
to o dt
'V g Isp "n
Mo M
Mo
propellant
Mo
g Isp "n
M
f
g Isp "n R
Mo
Where R M is the mass ratio
f
(Assumes zero losses due to drag and gravity)
Rocket Equation (Cont.)
'V
'V /Isp g
Isp
g
Mp M e
1 Mo 1e
f
Mp = mass of propellant
Mo = initial mass
Mf = final mass
'V = vehicle velocity change
Mveh = vehicle mass
Staging
Near burnout, rocket acceleration is diminished because
payload mass includes entire launch systems structure.
Staging removes lower stage structural weight
M
'V g Isp "n oi
i
M
f i
Moi = initial mass of rocket including all upper stages and
payload.
Mfi = final mass after stage has burned before separation.
i = stage number
'V = 'Vi
Staging (Cont.)
O = payload fraction =
or O Mpayload
i
m
i
payload
Mo
oi
Mpayload i = mass of payload plus all upper stages
n
O 3O
i 1 i
M
M
Structure fraction Hsi Msi M M si
M
oi
pi
si
payload i
Msi = mass structure for stage i
Mpi = mass propellant for stage i
Launch Vehicle Forces
x
D
I
V
Angle of attack
Flight path angle
cp
D
W
g T sin I D D cos D L sin D
W
W
W
D
L
az g cos I D sin D cos D
W
W
T ax
Launch System
Selection Process
Mission needs and objective
Mission requirements
Altitude
Inclination
Right ascension of ascending node (RAAN)
Payload dimensions
Launch system performance, availability, cost,
reliability
Fairings
Upperstage
Example Launch Systems
Launch
System
Upper
Stage
LEO
(kg)
GTO
(kg)
GEO
(kg)
Polar
(kg)
Atlas
IIAS
Centaur 8640
2A
3606
1050
7300
Delta II
7920/25
PAM-D 5089
1840
910
3890
Pegasus
XL
Shuttle
Taurus
460
IUS
24,400
Star 37
1400
Titan IV Centaur
345
5900
2360
450
1060
14,110
8620
4540
Example Orbit
Transfer Vehicles
Characteristics
PAM-D
IUS
Centaur
Length (m)
2.04
5.2
9.0
Diameter (m)
1.25
2.9
4.3
Mass (kg)
2180
14,865
18,800
Thrust (N)
66,440
200,000
147,000
Isp
292.6
292.9
442
Structure mass
180
1255
2100
Propellant mass
2000
9710
16,700
Airborne support
equipment mass
1140
3350
4310
Launch Sites Criteria
Minimum inclination
Launch azimuth
Weather
Orbital
motion
To sun
Earth rotation
US Launch Sites and Launch
Systems
Western range (Vandenberg AFB):
LMMS Titan II, IV-B, Athena
Boeing Delta II, III, EELV
OSC Taurus, Minotaur, Pegasus
Equatorial launch site:
Boeing SeaLaunch
Alaska Spaceport
OSC Minotaur
US Launch Sites and Launch
Systems (continued)
Eastern Range (Cape Canaveral Air Station,
Kennedy Space Center):
STS
LMMS Titan IV; Atlas II, IIA, IIAS; EELV
Boeing Delta II, III, EELV
Orbital Pegasus XL, (Taurus, Minotaur)
Coleman/TRW/IAI Shavit
Wallops Island
Pegasus XL, Minotaur
Typical Launch Vehicle
Integration Tasks
Mission Orbit Planning
Effect of launch delays, launch window definition
Launch vehicle and spacecraft performance analyses
LV performance variations vs mission impacts
Defining, implementing mission unique requirements
Ground processing, ground testing
Launch vehicle interfaces - power, command, telemetry, etc.
Critical s/c commands: self-generated, booster provided, backup
timers?
Flight safety systems - range destruct protocols: installation and test of
range destruct packages
Developing multi-agency day-of-launch launch ops procedures
Example: Go/No-Go limits
Launch Services - Scheduling
LMMS Atlas Commercial template
@ 36 months, select a 3 month window
@ 12 months, select a 30 day slot
@ 6 months, select a launch day
STS templates:
36+ months for a Primary payload
24 months minimum for secondary payloads
Payload Integration
Fairing size and shape
Maximum accelerations
Vibration frequencies and magnitudes
Acoustic frequencies and magnitudes
Temperature extremes
Air cleanliness
Orbital insertion accuracy
Interfaces to launch site and vehicle
Ground handling, ground and airborne
transportation, and launch environment may be
more severe than space operating environment
Fairings
Protection from aerodynamic loading
Diameter and length constraint
Acoustic environment
Jettison Altitude
Structural & Electrical Interface
Physical support adaptors
Separation/deployment system
Kick motor/Spin tables
Electrical interface
Access
Physical
Electrical
Optical
Radio frequency
Payload Environments
Thermal
Pre-launch
Ascent fairing radiant
Aero-heating (Free molecular heating)
Electromagnetic
Contamination
Venting
Acceleration
Vibration
Acoustics
Shock
Acceleration Load Factors
Lift off
Max
Airloads
Stage 1
shutdown
Stage 2
shutdown
Vehicle
Axial
Axial
Axial
Axial
Titan 34D/IUS steady
Dynamic
+1.5
+1.5
Atlas II steady
dynamic
Later
al
Lateral
Later
al
0 - +4.5
+ 5.0
+2.0
+ 1.0
+ 2.5
+ 4.0
+1.3
+1.5
+1.0
+2.2
+ 0.3
+0.4
+ 1.2
+5.5
+ 0.5
Delta steady
dynamic
+2.4
1.0
2 to 3
Shuttle IUS steady
Dynamic
+3.2
+3.5
+2.5
+3.4
Later
al
+ 2.0
0 +2.5
+ 4.0
+ 2.0
+ 0.5
+4.0
+ 2.0
0.5
+6.0
+1.1
to 3.2
+0.25 to
0.59
+3.2
+0.59
Vibration Environments
Caused by
Launch system propulsive dynamic acceleration
Unsteady aerodynamic effects
Acoustic pressure from engines
Amplified mechanical response of vehicle structure
Includes ground and airborne transportation
Yields structural stiffness requirement on
payload and adaptor/interface.
Shock Loads
Caused by pyrotechnic devices used to separate
from launch.
Staging, engine starts and shut down.
Acoustic Environments
Caused by
Reflected sound energy from launch pad structures
and facilities.
Maximum dynamic pressure (max q) aerodynamics.
Affected by fairing design
Injection Accuracy
Final stage guidance and propulsion
performance determines injection accuracy.
Apogee, perigee, inclination
Payloads Attitude Determination and Control
System must capture and correct linear and
rotational tip-off rates, and injection errors.
Payload Integration Procedures
Mating spacecraft to launch vehicle.
Spin tests.
Propellant loading.
Pre-launch test of all subsystems.
Payload Processing
Receiving inspection
Payload & ground support equipment
Installing hardware (batteries, guidance
systems)
Pressure checks
Communication and payload functional test
Launch System
Cost Estimate
Determined from supplier.
Should include integration and check out costs,
launch support systems and launch integration
costs.
Small payloads may ride as a secondary
payload.
Example launch system costs.
References
Launch system user handbooks.
Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Orbital, etc. (or www)
AIAA Launch Vehicle Summary (in Library)
International Space Industry Report
Reducing Space Mission Costs. Wertz and Larson
