NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #27/NN_1992_27.iso/spool/sci/space/shuttle/2787

Text File | 1992-11-19 | 11.2 KB | 250 lines

Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Path: sparky!uunet!pipex!warwick!coventry!enf021
From: [e-mail] (Achurist)
Subject: Re: DCX, etc information request
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Sender: [e-mail] (news user)
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Organization: Coventry University
References: <[e-mail]>
Distribution: sci
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 16:55:42 GMT
Lines: 236

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Gregory Fedor) writes:
>With all the talk lately about DCX, DC-Y, DC-1, Delta Clipper, etc. I have to
>admit that I know little if anything about these projects.  Where can I look
>to get more detailed info about these concepts/projects?
>
>Thanks in advance.

>--
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Gregory A. Fedor                      Email: [e-mail]
>Sverdrup Technology                   NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland OH
>Space Experiments Department          Thermal Energy Storage Experiment
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Hello,

    Achurist in england calling, here's some info on the amazing DC-X
    which if all goes well with solve everything we've ever wanted in
    space for the next century. I'll try to get the other more important
    stuff as well....enjoy







This was prepared as part of a packet of information on the SSRT
project
and the DCX and DCY vehicles. Permission is granted to reproduce and
distribute any way you want.

   Allen
--------------------------------

                  20  question about the Delta Clipper

1>  What is the Delta Clipper?
     A new spaceship that will take off straight up and land the
     same way, not gliding but under power, just like the rocketships
     in the 1950's science-fiction movies.  Because of its improved
     engines, high-tech light-weight materials, and airline-like
     service procedures, the Delta Clipper could reduce the cost of
     getting to and from space by 90% or greater. Because it will be
     certified for flight like an aircraft, it will be able to operate
     from spaceports located in any state.

2>  What will it look like?
     The production model Delta Clipper will be conical shaped,
     approximatley 130 feet high and 40 feet accross the base. It will
     have eight or more rocket engines, providing safe return engine
     out capability like any airliner. The Delta Clipper will not have
     wings like the Shuttle but will use small moveable flaps to help
     maneuver. It will not require strap-on external tanks or boosters.

3>  When will it be flying?
     A 1/3 sized experimental vehicle, the DC-X, is on schedule for
     launch in April of 1993. The full sized orbital prototype, the
     DC-Y, could be ready to fly as early as the summer of 1997.

4>  Where will it launch from?
     Test flights will be from White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico,
     but when the Delta Clipper goes into production any state in the
     Union will be able to have its own spaceport.  Unlike the
     Shuttle, the Delta Clipper won't need a long runway, huge Vehicle
     Assembly Building, or Mission Control but only a 200 foot
     diameter concrete pad, a maintenance hangar, and a
     hydrogen/oxygen fuel facility.  It will use existing global
     positioning satellites for navigation.

5>  What will it cost to design and build the 1st Delta Clipper?
     The total cost of developing the first flight certified Delta
     Clipper will be comparable to or less than the development of a
     new commercial airliner. The cost of building an experimental
     prototype vehicle to demonstrate the concept and validate the
     operating and cost goals would be substantially less.

6>  What will I have to pay to fly the Delta Clipper?
     The ticket price for early versions of the Delta Clipper, if it
     met current cost goals, could be less then the price for a
     round-the-world cruise on the QE2 ($40,000 to $140,000). A second
     generation vehicle could  further reduce this cost.





7>  How dangerous will it be?
     Once fully operational the Delta Clipper will be safe as flying
     on a typical commercial airliner. Delta Clipper will have engine
     out and all altitude abort capability. Plans are to have the
     Delta Clipper certified by the Department of Transportation,
     Office of Commercial Space  flight.

8>  What about air pollution, especially near the ozone layer?
     The Delta Clipper will burn only hydrogen and oxygen. Its exhaust
     consists primarily of pure water vapor.

9>  What about sonic booms and noise when launching or landing?
     When an airplane flies above the ground faster than sound,
     it generates a cone-shaped shock wave which we experience as a
     sonic boom.  For this reason, the Concorde jet can't fly
     supersonically to inland airports in the US.  Since the Delta
     Clipper launches straight up, the sonic boom is largely
     restricted to the spaceport area. When landing, the Delta
     Clipper will slow down to sub-sonic speed at about 70,000 feet
     altitude, thus minimizing the sonic boom.

10> Who's building it?
     McDonnell Douglas, under a contract from the Strategic
     Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO), is building the DC-X for
     demonstration of the technological and operational feasibility of
     single stage rockets for supporting either suborbital flights.
     Based on successful testing of the DC-X, SDIO is interested in
     developing a fully reusable suborbital rocket to support their
     numberous suborbital test missions. The design, test results, and
     concepts will be available to other agencies to develop and
     demonstrate the orbital vehicle, the DC-Y. We hope to find
     another "home" for the DC-Y and Delta Clipper in DoD or NASA.

11> How much will the Delta Clipper be able to carry?
     Two crew members and 10 tons of cargo and/or passengers to
     Low Earth Orbit or 2 crew members and 5 tons of cargo/passengers
     to Polar Orbit.

12> Will it be able to fly to the Moon?
     A Delta clipper derivative vehicle, re-fueled in Low Earth Orbit,
     would be able to fly to the Moon, land there, and then return to
     Earth. The modifications required, however, would be substantial.

13> How often will the Delta Clipper be able to fly?
     The anticipated turn-around time for the Delta Clipper is a maximum
     of seven days. However, a one day turnaround may be feasible.














14> Why haven't we built a single-stage rocket before?
     The reason most rockets, including the Shuttle, have parts that
     drop off (stages) is this: every additional pound of vehicle that
     we lift all the way to orbit requires additional pounds of fuel.
     The additional fuel requires a little larger, and heavier, fuel
     tank, which then requires even more fuel to carry, and so on.
     There are three ways to deal with this problem: 1) make the
     rocket so huge (and expensive) that it can carry enough fuel to
     lift itself all the way to orbit, or 2) toss off empty tanks as
     you go (the traditional multi-stage method), or 3) make your
     engines and vehicle structure so efficient and light weight that
     you don't need to carry huge amounts of fuel or throw away pieces
     of your ship. This last is the principle behind the Delta
     Clipper. It is only recently, under such programs as NASP, and
     aircraft developments that we have sufficently developed and
     demonstrated light weight materials that will allow the Delta
     Clipper to work.

15> What if something goes wrong during a flight?
     Commercial airplanes don't need all their engines to fly
     safely.  The same principle will be used with the Delta Clipper.
     If there is an engine malfunction during the assent, the Delta
     Clipper will be capable of either continuing on to orbit
     or returning to the spaceport. If the Delta Clipper needs to
     return from orbit sooner than expected, it will be able to
     maneuver over 1200 miles to either side.
     Unlike the Shuttle, which requires a three mile long landing
     strip, the Delta Clipper will be able to land on nbalmost any
     reasonably flat spot.

16> Why should I believe all these claims for the Delta Clipper
    when similar ones were made for the Shuttle twenty years ago?

     The Shuttle's design was "frozen" in the 1970's.  Using the
     technology available then would have resulted in a SSTO that was
     extremely large and expensive. A Delta Clipper sized SSTO based
     on 1970's technology would not have ben able to reach orbit. In
     the 20 years since then, we have learned a lot about design,
     light-weight materials, trajectory optimization, avionics,
     computers, and engine design.

     In addition, the Delta Clipper is being designed with
     supportability and operability as priority considerations. For
     example, the engines on the Delta Clipper won't run at 110% of
     their design capacity, as the Shuttle's do, so they won't have
     to be torn down and repaired before each flight. If on-board
     diagnostic instruments indicate a problem with a Delta Clipper
     engine or any other component, it is designed so components
     (called line replaceable units) can be pulled and replaced
     quickly after landing.

17> Why isn't NASA building the Delta Clipper?
     The task of proving the technology availability for a single
     stage rocket vehicle was assigned to SDIO. SDIO with its
     streamlined management style is an excellent agency for
     developing and demonstrating new technology initiatives. Once the
     technology demonstration is completed,
     the concept will be available for either Department of Defense or
     NASA to develop an orbital capable Delta Clipper.

18> Why isn't industry building the Delta Clipper?
     McDonnell Douglas and its teammates have already made a significant
     investment in the basic technologies and the skills and
     facilities necessary to develop a SSTO. The government needs to
     take the next step of funding an experimental prototype vehicle
     to prove the Delta Clipper's basic concepts and technologies.
     Once demonstrated, the commercial sector may be interested in
     investing in an operational system. Such a system could have an
     enormous impact on the development of space as an commercial
     market as well as the future of the US space program.

19> What factors could cause the Delta Clipper program to founder?
     Money: Though the Delta Clipper program is cheaper than many
     Federal programs, it still is in danger from a budget-conscious
     Congress who may not be aware of the benefits of the Delta
     Clipper or who feel the program has no real constituency.  We
     hope to change their minds about this.

20> What can I do to help?
     Get on our mailing list, be willing to write letters to Congres
     when asked, learn about the Delta Clipper, ask all your friends
     to support it too.

--
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Allen W. Sherzer | "If they can put a man on the Moon, why can't they     |
|  [e-mail]     |  put a man on the Moon?"                               |
+----------------------234 DAYS TO FIRST FLIGHT OF DCX----------------------+