Session
Technical Session IV: Cost / Schedule / Quality / Risk
Abstract
The past decade has seen efforts to lower costs by "doing more with less," instead of making innovative changes in the way missions are designed and implemented. Now, the industry is turning towards more intelligent approaches to mission design. AeroAstro has developed the Small Payload ORbit Transfer (SPORT™) system to provide a flexible low-cost orbit transfer capability, enabling small payloads to use low-cost secondary launch opportunities and still reach their desired final orbits. This capability allows small payloads to effectively use a wider variety of launch opportunities, including numerous under-utilized GTO slots. Its use, in conjunction with growing opportunities for secondary launches, enable "better, cheaper, faster" missions through innovative mission design and lower cost access to space, not increased risk. SPORT uses a suite of innovative technologies that are packaged in a simple, reliable, modular system. The command, control and data handling of SPORT is provided by AeroAstro's Bitsy™ Kernel, which will be demonstrated on the Shuttle under a NASA MSFC-sponsored program in late 2001 and is available for very low cost due to its highly repeatable nature. SPORT achieves its orbit transfer capability through a combination of chemical propulsion and aerobraking technology. This paper will discuss the SPORT design and its application to overall small satellite mission development.
Small Payload ORbit Transfer (SPORT™) System: An Innovative Approach to Lowering Missions Costs Without Increased Risk
The past decade has seen efforts to lower costs by "doing more with less," instead of making innovative changes in the way missions are designed and implemented. Now, the industry is turning towards more intelligent approaches to mission design. AeroAstro has developed the Small Payload ORbit Transfer (SPORT™) system to provide a flexible low-cost orbit transfer capability, enabling small payloads to use low-cost secondary launch opportunities and still reach their desired final orbits. This capability allows small payloads to effectively use a wider variety of launch opportunities, including numerous under-utilized GTO slots. Its use, in conjunction with growing opportunities for secondary launches, enable "better, cheaper, faster" missions through innovative mission design and lower cost access to space, not increased risk. SPORT uses a suite of innovative technologies that are packaged in a simple, reliable, modular system. The command, control and data handling of SPORT is provided by AeroAstro's Bitsy™ Kernel, which will be demonstrated on the Shuttle under a NASA MSFC-sponsored program in late 2001 and is available for very low cost due to its highly repeatable nature. SPORT achieves its orbit transfer capability through a combination of chemical propulsion and aerobraking technology. This paper will discuss the SPORT design and its application to overall small satellite mission development.
