Aerospace |
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Pioneer Rocketplane Corporation signed an agreement with Thiokol Corporation for the development and acquisition of a range of upper stages for its new reusable launch vehicle, Pathfinder. The three-part agreement provides upper stages for Pioneer as it brings Pathfinder from the test and development stage through to full operation, when the vehicle will be launching payloads in the 2,000 to 4,000 pound class. Early work under the agreement will directly support Pioneer's work on Cycle 1 of the Bantam Systems Technology Program Flight Demonstrator program, a contract recently awarded to the company by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. The Bantam program aims to significantly lower the cost of access to space for small satellites. In part one of the agreement with Thiokol, Pioneer will purchase six Star 2OB's, to be used for launch testing under Cycle 2 of the Bantam program, if Pioneer is selected for the next phase of that effort. The surplus motors, originally developed for the US Air Force anti-satellite program, will be recycled for use as upper stages for small science payloads under the Bantam program. In the second phase, Pioneer and Thiokol will develop a new small liquid upper stage for long-term use on the Pathfinder vehicle. Capable of boosting between 200-400 pounds, these upper stages will be developed during the Bantam Cycle Two effort. This effort will utilize new liquid monopropellant and liquid engine technologies developed at NASA's Lewis Research Center and Marshall Space Flight Center. The final phase of the arrangement will provide for Pioneer large volume pricing for purchases of three axis stabilized upper stages using Thiokol propulsion subsystems, such as the STAR 37, 48 and 63. Target opportunities for missions of this size include Teledesic and other low-Earth orbit spacecraft in the 2,000 to 4,000 range. Pathfinder is a piloted aircraft which employs both existing jet and rocket engines. The aircraft takes off from a conventional runway under its own power loaded with fuel, but empty of oxidizer. The aircraft receives the necessary oxidizer from an airborne tanker, which transfers to it a large amount of liquid oxygen. After separation from tanker, the aircraft ignites its rocket engine and leaves the atmosphere. The payload bay of the aircraft is opened and a small upper stage, with payload attached, is released. This upper stage delivers the payload into its final orbit, and is expended. It is the only element to the launch system that is not used again. By using upper stages of various sizes, payloads from the very small up to 5,000 pounds can be economically delivered to low-Earth orbit. The aircraft, meanwhile, reenters the atmosphere, re-ignites its jet engines, and lands on any ordinary runway. Pioneer Rocketplane is an entrepreneurial space company founded to develop revolutionary aviation technologies and vehicles. |
