Session
Technical Session III: New Approaches to Space Launch
Abstract
This paper summarizes a study conducted for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of the technical and economic feasibility of using a light gas gun to launch small satellites. The launcher concept is based upon a distributed-injection gun, which, in principle, can produce high muzzle velocities at relatively low acceleration levels. To establish initial system requirements for the launcher and spacecraft, the deployment of a large constellation of telecommunications satellites is chosen as a reference mission. This choice reflects the dominance of telecommunications in current commercial LEO market projections, but the results obtained for this mission are later generalized to encompass other applications. The spacecraft mass budget is most affected by large mass fraction allocations for structure and power subsystems. High acceleration loads are responsible for the increase in structural mass, and the increase in battery mass is tied to volume limitations that restrict the battery technology that can be used. The results of the financial analysis suggest that achieving a competitive specific launch cost requires a launch rate beyond current market projections. But a low-volume launch business could provide an attractive total mission cost relative to current systems.
The Feasibility of Launching Small Satellites with a Light Gas Gun
This paper summarizes a study conducted for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of the technical and economic feasibility of using a light gas gun to launch small satellites. The launcher concept is based upon a distributed-injection gun, which, in principle, can produce high muzzle velocities at relatively low acceleration levels. To establish initial system requirements for the launcher and spacecraft, the deployment of a large constellation of telecommunications satellites is chosen as a reference mission. This choice reflects the dominance of telecommunications in current commercial LEO market projections, but the results obtained for this mission are later generalized to encompass other applications. The spacecraft mass budget is most affected by large mass fraction allocations for structure and power subsystems. High acceleration loads are responsible for the increase in structural mass, and the increase in battery mass is tied to volume limitations that restrict the battery technology that can be used. The results of the financial analysis suggest that achieving a competitive specific launch cost requires a launch rate beyond current market projections. But a low-volume launch business could provide an attractive total mission cost relative to current systems.
