NASASpaceFlight.com » Altair http://www.nasaspaceflight.com Giving space it's place on the web Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:25:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 Bolden Directs MSFC Special Team to evaluate HLV alternatives http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009/10/bolden-directs-msfc-special-team-to-evaluate-hlv-alternatives/ http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009/10/bolden-directs-msfc-special-team-to-evaluate-hlv-alternatives/#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:06:20 +0000 Chris Bergin http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/?p=12184 NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden has asked for a “Special Team” at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to evaluate the Heavy Lift alternatives – including DIRECT’s Jupiter launch vehicle – as a “top priority”. The team has been asked to create a report on their findings in time for Thanksgiving, in an apparent reaction to the final Augustine Commission report – which will be published on Thursday.

SD HLLV (HLV) Latest:

The Space Shuttle Program (SSP) is coming to the end of an evaluation phase on the “currently favored” Heavy Lift Vehicle (HLV) – otherwise known as the Shuttle Derived Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (SD HLLV), as they move into a consultation period with the Constellation Program (CxP).

The vehicle, side mounted to the current design of the External Tank, is a true Shuttle Derived concept, with heritage from a previous concept known as Shuttle-C. The concept is capable of launching 80mt (metric tons) into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and around 54mt to the moon.

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Over the past couple of months, numerous status reports have been posted on the Shuttle Standup/Integration reports – which SSP use to bring the teams up to date on vehicle and program status. The vast majority of updates have been positive, as the well-oiled Shuttle teams took a deeper look into the concept at the request of the Augustine Commission.

The concept appeared to suffer from only one drawback – via the large mass its payload carrier – before that was cleared as part of the “no showstoppers” conclusion last month.

Following a presentation of their findings to Bill Gerstenmaier, Associate Administrator of the Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD), the HLV concept has since been presented to the directors of both the Johnson Space Center (JSC) and MSFC (this week).

A2The latest update also noted that the concept is now in a dialog stage with the Constellation Program, with the aim of receiving feedback.

“Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (HLV) (NASA/JSC): HLV presented to the Center Director and had a good discussion. Got a bunch of questions and some actions,” noted this week’s opening Shuttle Standup/Integration report (L2).

“One action was to brief the Cx Program and other Centers about what they are doing. So, on Friday they presented to the Cx Program and had many questions from them. Starting to have a dialog.

“This week, HLV will go to MSFC to brief the Center Director. Have put out a preliminary draft of a HLV FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) document. Looking for feedback.”

HLV Special Team/Jupiter:

It was via an update on last week’s Standup report that the first mention was made relating to a “Special Team” that has been ordered to evaluate the other HLV alternative vehicles. With the SSP HLV team asked to support this MSFC-based effort, the standup noted this had become the top priority.

“HLV has been asked to support a special team looking at evaluating HLV alternatives,” noted the report. “The HLV Team is now treating this as a top priority. A report will be ready by Thanksgiving.”

Further inquires into the specific evaluations being carried out by the Special Team revealed that all viable – per the Augustine Commission’s initial options – HLV alternatives are being looked at “fairly”, with General Bolden himself responsible for ordering the report.

A3Sources note that the DIRECT team’s Jupiter launch system – an updated version of MSFC’s very own NLS (National Launch System) concept from the 1990s – has dominated early discussions at the Special Team meetings.

This runs parallels with the Augustine Commission, which presented the SD HLLV and Jupiter launch vehicle as the top two “Shuttle Derived” options during presentations over the last couple of months. Both of the SD options are also deemed as the best route to cater for the extension of the Shuttle Program.

Ironically, it was an earlier MSFC study which found “serious issues” with Jupiter’s performance and capabilities, whilst claiming the vehicles lacked the “operational safety and simplicity” of Ares. Those findings led to a 100 page rebuttal document being published by the DIRECT team.

The Special Team have also been asked to look into the CONOPs (Concept of Operations) for the HLV alternatives, although such an effort will be somewhat open-ended, as a final forward path for NASA’s exploration strategy is yet to be confirmed.

Waiting for the forward path:

With job losses already being suffered by the shuttle workforce, managers continue to send out updates to their employees on when NASA can expect to have a clear forward path, which – according to SSP manager John Shannon – is not expected until December at the earliest.

“The entire conversation – at the JSC Senior Staff Retreat – revolved around workforce requirements over the next few years. There are a great deal of rumors floating around, but little hard information,” noted Mr Shannon via the Standup report. “The week after Thanksgiving, the November Passback will be put out and this should clarify the near-term NASA budget.

“The Agency has demonstrated a strong commitment to exploration. SSP expertise will be tapped to support this goal. No decisions are being made at this time, as we await the budget information. Beginning in December and through the early part of next year, all of the stakeholders will convene to lay out the way forward.”

While Shuttle Extension remains on the cards – at least until the end of this year – as one of the options available to President Obama via the Augustine Commission’s findings, Mr Shannon has been consistent in not intimating the likelihood of any addition to the six remaining flights on the manifest.

“Everyone must remain calm and focused on the task at hand. We have six flights ahead of us, with this coming year likely to be very challenging and filled with complicated missions,” Mr Shannon added. “We must make sure that we continue to do everything to the best of our ability.

“After this is accomplished, we can turn our eyes back towards exploration. All future plans are keyed on operating the SSP correctly and safely performing its tasks over the coming year. (I have) absolute confidence in the Team being able to accomplish this work.”

Altair Defunded:

On the subject of exploration, the state of NASA’s plans continue to deteriorate, with sources noting they were informed on Monday that the Altair Lunar Lander project has been defunded. No official statement has been made at this time.

A4Very little has been heard from the Altair Program since heading into the opening development cycles (DACs) last year, which had been building from the Minimum Functionality Approach – as the relatively small team went about defining the lander concept.

The last cycle of the lander baseline, which was known simply as the ‘p711-b Lunar Lander’, had visible heritage in the ESAS (Exploration Systems Architecture Study) ’spider lander’. This concept was expected to change during downstream DACs – related to numerous elements, including the capabilities of the Ares V that was tasked to lift it into space.

With large scale funding shortages across the Constellation Program, and no realistic – from a monetary and schedule standpoint – lunar plans being built, the decision to end or mothball the Altair Program may be strategic, although it is likely they simply ran out of money.

With all of Constellation’s efforts being focused on the Ares I program – a vehicle that won’t be ready in time to launch to the ISS before it is currently scheduled to be deorbited and many years from playing a role in a Lunar mission – the need for increased funding is being made ever more apparent by decision makers at NASA, as the Agency continues to move towards a gap of up to seven years in human space flight capability.

L2 members: Documentation – from which the above article has quoted snippets – is available in full in the related L2 sections, now over 4000 gbs in size.

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]]> http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009/10/bolden-directs-msfc-special-team-to-evaluate-hlv-alternatives/feed/ 0 Altair project buying into Orion lessons for development process http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2008/02/altair-project-buying-into-orion-lessons-for-development-process/ http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2008/02/altair-project-buying-into-orion-lessons-for-development-process/#comments Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:09:20 +0000 Chris Bergin
  • Saving spaceship Orion – Zero Base Vehicle task complete NASA Constellation and Lockheed Martin engineers have completed the first...
  • Orion weight saving refinements continue – focus on ISS access The Lockheed Martin Orion spacecraft has received a new set...
  • Orion PDR delay could stretch into 2010 The requirement to carry out an additional Design Analysis Cycle...
    • ]]>     As Orion and Ares progress towards PDR (Preliminary Design Review) and the next phase of development cycles (DACs), the Altair Project is beginning to seriously study potential configurations for the lunar lander.While still a long way off a final design, the project is working on its alignment with the ongoing changes to the capabilities of its launch vehicle – Ares V – while using lessons learned with Orion in a “smart buyer” design approach.

    Huge amounts of Constellation related insider news, presentations and videos – THE most comprehensive place to follow Ares/Orion development – are available for download on L2. See list at the end of this article.

    All of this article is based on documented L2 information. For an overview of how L2 works, **click here for sample**

    **ARES I / ORION LIVE UPDATE PAGES**

    **ARES V / Mars LIVE UPDATE PAGES**

      

    Article: 

    As Ares V’s capabilities continue to morph, from the taller, heavier version of the vehicle (as revealed by this site in April, 2007) so does Altair. The starting point is known as the ‘Minimum Functionally’ vehicle, with the aim of the concept lander to define the goals and requirements of a flyable design.  

    This will look considerably different to the design of the eventual Altair that will fly, given it is the absolute minimum vehicle capable of satisfying the requirements – along with no extras, such as multi-fault tolerance. 

    The primary driving force behind the effort is to ‘provide early, critical insight into the overall viability of the architecture,’ as the project refines towards what is hoped will be a 2019 return to the moon for NASA.

    ‘Minimum Functionality Approach: Minimum Functionality is a design philosophy that begins with a vehicle that will perform the mission, and no more than that,’ noted a new presentation on Altair, created this week – and available on L2. ‘(The design) does not consider contingencies, (and) does not have added redundancy (‘single string’ approach). 

    ‘Altair has taken a Minimum Functionality design approach (as it) provides early, critical insight into the overall viability of the end-to-end architecture, (and) provides a starting point to make informed cost/risk trades and consciously buy down risk.’ 

    Following the path of the CEV (Crew Exploration Vehicle – Orion) ‘smart buyer’ approach, the lander will incorporate lessons learned during Orion’s development to streamline the process from conception to flight.  

    As such, Altair’s goals at the moment are to focus on defining the lander concept: studying components and equipment that will be required, perform consumables and resource analyses, and sub-system performance analysis.  

    ‘A Minimum Functionality vehicle is NOT a design that would ever be contemplated as a ‘flyable’ design! The Minimum Functional design approach is informed by: Design Development Test and Evaluation (DDT&E),’ added the presentation.

    ‘Considerations for Safe and Reliable Human Rated Spacecraft Systems. CEV ‘Smart Buyer’ lessons learned. Recent CEV ‘Buyback’ exercises.’ 

    The current lander baseline, known simply as the ‘p711-b Lunar Lander’, has visible heritage in the ESAS (Exploration Systems Architecture Study) ‘spider lander’.  

    The deck height is still seven meters above the surface, but this will change with the new 10 meter Ares V shroud and EDS (Earth Departure Stage), with yet-to-be-released conceptual work understood to show a much wider/shorter lander – aligned with building dimensions at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and the continuing changes to Ares V. 

    Capable of supporting a four person crew for seven days in sortie mode or a 180 day outpost mission, the crewed version weighs in at 45,586 kg – including reserves – while carrying 500kg of additional cargo with the crew on a sortie mission.  

    The sortie version incorporates a 7.5 meter squared external airlock module that remains attached to the descent stage allowing a smaller ascent module.  

    The LH/LOX descent stage is powered by an RL-10 derived engine producing 18,500 lbs of thrust. The ascent stage is baselined for the N2O4/MMH powered OME/RL-18 from the shuttle, but retains the option to go to LOX/Methane. RCS (Reaction Control System) propellants are also hypergols at this time. 

    The 53,600 kg cargo lander concept deletes the ascent stage and replaces it with 14,631 kg of cargo on the upper deck. Cargo capacity can be increased depending on the landing site. The requirement is 15-17 metric tons of dedicated cargo anywhere on the surface. 

    The design maturation process will continue using industry input and independent reviews. The schedule shows detailed design cycles beginning in 2010, kicked off by a vehicle requirements review to baseline requirements. Hardware test beds will be built in the 2009-2011 timeframe to reduce risk on new technologies.

    ‘Detailed Approach for Design Team: Initial task was developing a preliminary in-house design: 6-9 month duration (Agency wide team – Expert designers from across the agency),’ added the presentation. 

    ‘Minimalist approach – add people on a case-by-case basis, only as needed (Subsystems, not elements. Approximately 20 – 25 people on the core team Co-located initially (approx 2 months). Working from home centers following initial co-location period.) 

    ‘Focused on Design (‘D’ in DAC): Developed detailed Master Equipment List (over 2000 components). Developed detailed Powered Equipment List. Produced sub-system schematics. NASTRAN analysis using Finite Element Models. Performed high-level consumables and resource utilization analysis. Sub-system performance analysis by sub-system leads. 

    ‘Keep process overhead to the minimum required: Recognizing that a small, dynamic team doesn’t need all of the process overhead that a much larger one does. But… It still needs the basics.’ 

    The knowledge gained from the in-house design will go towards drafting the final requirements and developing a preliminary government design – a long road, which will span many years to come.

    Selection of L2 Resources For Ares I, V and Constellation: 

    Altair Overview Presentation, Feb 26, 08. Ares I Risks and Status, Feb 25, 08. Ares I-X Booster Recovery Images and Video, Feb, 08. Ares I-X Pad Images, Feb 08. Ares I-Y Mission Overview Video (50mb – Superb).  Orion Lunar Transit CGI Video. (Several more videos, including first video of Orion splashdown).   

    Orion Rendezvous with the ISS CGI Video, plus AERCam Inspections. Ares I Thurst Oscillation Update Section.  Images of completed PA-1 boilerplate Command Module at LaRC.  CxP Planning for Architecture Closure – Feb 19. Ares V Overview Presentations. Other Major CxP Updates for Feb (List restricted to L2).

    Orion 607 Overview Presentation (Jan 08), Constellation Program Status/Budget and new Manifest to Orion 20 Presentation (Jan, 08). Michoud Transition to Ares I/V (Jan 17, 08). Several MLAS (Max Launch Abort System) Presentations. Over 60 Hi Res Images of Orion Mock-up at JSC (Hatch, Seats, Flight Deck) – December.      

    Lunar Habitat Assembly. PRCB Presentations on hardware and infrastruction transition (from Palmdale to MLP Park) ’Follow live’ Lightning Towers Construction images. Latest Mobile Launcher details. Orion/Ares I/Delta IV Heavy NEO Feasibility Study (Video). Constellation EVA Study Presentation. Superb Gene Kranz address to CxP workforce (Apollo to Orion feature) video. MOD ‘LEO to Mars’ presentations.

    Superb Ares I Launch Ascent, Pad Abort Test CGI Videos (three). Integrated Stack (IS) Technical Interchange Meeting (TIM) notes - Nov 6 to Nov 15. The full ’8th Floor News’ – Constellation Update (performance issues) – Nov 5. Ares I Mobile Launcher PMR.

    ‘Proposed’ Ares I SRBSF (Mini VAB) and graphic. LSAM (LDAC-1) Video and Images. Several Constellation All Hands Videos and Presentations. Ares I Pad Rollercoaster (Old and New presentation and slides – the very cool ‘CGI ride on the Ares pad coaster’ video. Ares I VAB ‘In-Line’ Stacking presentation slides. 

    Presentation of Ares/Orion impacts relating to Shuttle manifest acceleration. Ares I Interstage diagrams. Ares V Super Crawler. Ares I Launch Pad images (ML etc.) Hi Res images of Ares I-X Upper Stage. Orion 606-7 Data Updates. Updates Constellation launch schedule through to Orion 15. Orion Seat test photos. New ML Graphic and info. New Ares V graphic and baseline data. Large collection of hi res Orion paracute drop tests. SIX Part Series of Ares I Upper Stage Graphical Overviews. DAC-1C DDD Vast Slides on Vehicle Design. ATK First Stage Presentation. 39B Lightning Towers Slides. DAC-1C Departure points to DAC-2 Upper Stage Graphcs (Many Changes).

    Orion/CEV Display Layout Presentation (40 pages). ATK figures on the 5-Seg Booster weight for CLV. Weather Shield (Rain Shield) for Orion on the pad. New Super hi-res images of Ares I. ATK Cutaway graphics of Ares I – perspective and axonometric. Ares I/Orion CxP 72031 Requirements Validation Matrix Information. CEV Paracute Assembly System (CPAS) Presentation.

    Orion Launch Abort System (LAS) overview presentation. Changes to Ares I Upper Stage – expansive details and data. Ares I/Orion CxP 72031 Requirements Validation Matrix Information. CLV Umbilical Trade Matrix XLS. Vehicle interfaces for the DAC 1C version of Orion Ares. Ares I-X Test Flight Plan (full outline) Presentation. Ares I-X timeline and modification expanded info. Ares I Reference Trajectory. Boeing’s STS to Ares – Lessons Learned Presentation. CLV DAC-1C (Changes to CLV Upper Stage).

    Ares I-X: Four Seg+Dummy ‘Tuna Can’ stage. Ascent Developmental Flight Test Presentation. CLV Pad 39B Handover Info and Latest. New images of CLV on top of new MLP and LUT. Lockheed Martin CEV/Orion Updates. ATK figures on the 5-Seg Booster weight for CLV.
     

    90 Minute Video of Constellation all hands meeting. Escape System Trade Study Presentation. CEV-CLV Design Analysis Cycle Review (DAC-2) Presentation. Flight Design and Dynamics Division CEV update. CLV Mono-propellant RCS system. CEV pressurisation system review. CLV/CEV Configuration Images. The 2×3 Seg SRB Crew Launch Vehicle Option Presentation…

    ….plus much more (L2 Constellation over 100gb in size). 

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