The Logistical Challenges of the SpaceLiner Concept

The SpaceLiner concept developed at DLR combines extremely fast transport (90 minutes from Europe to Australia) with the experience of Space flight. As such it is different from the spaceflight which focuses exclusively on space tourism but it combines space tourism with for example business travel. The SpaceLiner is designed to carry 50 passengers in suborbital flight. The conceptual technical design presents some challenges which have already been partially investigated at DLR [1]. However, the overall commercial concept presents a number of different challenges. This paper will identify and describe the logistical challenges involved

Progress on Advanced Cryo-Tanks Structural Design Achieved in CHATT-Project

The EU-FP7-funded study called CHATT (Cryogenic Hypersonic Advanced Tank Technologies) was initiated early 2012 and successfully finished in June 2015. One of its core objectives has been the investigation of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) cryogenic pressure tanks. The focus of the paper is on the technology development tasks of the study and its major obtained results including manufacturing and testing of four subscale tanks

NOVEL HYPERSONIC LAUNCHER CONCEPT USING THIN-PLY CFRP COMPOSITES

Thin-ply carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites may allow for significant structural mass reductions of space launch vehicles, and could even become a break-through technology for space transportation. To evaluate the potential mass savings and their implications for the feasibility of novel launcher configurations, the Aurora hypersonic launcher studies were initiated in late-2015/early-2016. The task of these studies is to define a series of spaceplane type launchers using thin-ply CFRP composites, to quantify the weight saving potential on vehicle level when using thin-ply composites as well as the latest technologies in other areas, and eventually to evaluate whether new types of launch vehicles can be realized that are infeasible with conventional technology. This paper will provide a brief overview of the thin-ply technology and will discuss a first evaluation of vehicle level mass savings for a rocket propelled Aurora configuration. The vehicle system design and structural analysis approaches are still simplified, but do nevertheless allow for a first order assessment of the relative mass saving potentials compared to conventional structures. The preliminary results presented in this paper indicate that thin-ply composites could indeed lead to large scale mass savings on vehicle level, and encourage to further advance this promising technology. Finally, the paper provides an outlook on the future development line of Aurora and associated technologies

Nongenomic effects of aldosterone on phosphocreatine levels in human calf muscle during recovery from exercise.

Nongenomic in vitro effects of aldosterone on the sodium-proton antiport and intracellular second messengers have been described in human mononuclear leukocytes, vascular smooth muscle cells, and endothelial cells. To test the potential physiological relevance of these effects, an in vivo 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy study on the human calf at rest and during exercise was performed in 10 healthy volunteers receiving either 1 mg aldosterone or placebo iv in a double blind, randomized, cross-over trial. Spectra were analyzed for phosphocreatine, ATP, phosphomonoesters, inorganic intracellular phosphate, and intracellular pH. Resting values remained unchanged by aldosterone. After isometric contraction of the calf (50% body weight for 3 min), phosphocreatine recovered to significantly higher levels after application of aldosterone compared with placebo. Other parameters were not significantly changed by aldosterone. Effects appeared immediately after isometric contraction and, thus, occurred within 8 min of aldosterone administration. They are, therefore, likely to represent the first contemporary evidence of nongenomic in vivo effects of aldosterone in man. These findings also point to an involvement of aldosteron in the acute stress adaptation of cellular oxidative metabolism in human muscle physiology

Technical Assessments of Future European Space Transportation Options

The paper describes some of the most recent activities in Germany in the technical assessment of future European launcher architecture. In focus is a joint effort of DLR-SART with German launcher industry in the definition of a next generation upper-medium class expendable TSTO with an initial operational capability after 2020. Involved companies are EADS astrium and MT Aerospace. This DLR-agency funded study WOTAN investigates fully cryogenic launchers as well as those with a combination of solid and cryogenic stages, fulfilling a requirement of 5000 kg single payload into GTO. Solid strap-on boosters should allow both versions further payload growth capability. In its second part the paper analyzes options for new liquid fuel upper stages to be put on the P80 solid first stage of the Vega small launcher. Versions with storable as well as cryogenic propellants are investigated in a preliminary launcher system lay-out and their technical viability is critically assessed

Exploiting technological synergies for future launch vehicles

Two launch vehicle concepts based on technologies available today or in a short term future in Western Europe are presented. The design of both launchers has the goal of exploiting synergies with current European programs to limit development and operational costs. Technologies of particular interest here are the high performance solid rocket motors with carbon-epoxy filament wound monolithic motor cases and the future high performance cryogenic expander cycle engine Vinci. The first concept dubbed ANGELA (A New GEneration LAuncher) is a study financed with funds of the German Ministry of Economics and managed by the DLR Space Administration. The project, which started in the summer of 2012 aims at designing a low cost versatile launcher able to place payloads between 2 and 5 tons into GTO. Three architectures have been considered during the first phase of the study. This phase was concluded in March 2013 with the preliminary stagings, which will be the starting point of more detailed analyses. The first architecture is made out of an H110 (stage with 110 tons of LOx/LH2) equipped with two Vulcain 2 engines with shortened nozzles and an H29 propelled by a Vinci engine. In addition the variation of the number of P36 solid rocket boosters allow to reach the entire range of payload performance. The second architecture differs from the first one only by the use of a new staged-combustion engine instead of two Vulcain 2 engines. The new engine, which should deliver 1800 kN in vacuum, allows a reduction of the size of the stages to H90-H24, enhanced with P34 boosters. The third and last architecture is a so called Multi PPH. The first stage is a bundle of 2 or 3 P120 solid rocket motors. The second stage is made out of one single P120, strictly similar to those used for the first stage. Finally the upper stage is an H23 equipped with a Vinci engine, the same as the two other architectures. The second launcher concept described in this paper is the small TSTO launch vehicle. It consists of a large solid rocket motor first stage P175 and a cryogenic upper stage propelled by the Vinci engine, H26. The preliminary design performed at DLR-SART considers two target performances. The light version of the small TSTO shall perform Galileo satellite replacement single launch missions to MTO corresponding to a payload performance of about 1400 kg in GTO. A heavy version of the launch vehicle shall be able to launch payloads up to 3000 kg in GTO. The performance increase for the heavy version is made possible by the addition of two pairs of P23 boosters, the second pair being ignited with a delay

Cryogenic Propellant Tank and Feedline Design Studies in the Framework of the CHATT Project

The EU-funded project CHATT (Cryogenic Hypersonic Advanced Tank Technologies) has been initiated early 2012 and is part of the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). CHATT focuses on the development of novel cryogenic tank and propellant supply technologies. One of the tasks within the project is the investigation of adequate propellant crossfeed systems. Propellant crossfeed principally allows large mass savings for parallel burn vehicles such as the visionary passenger transport concept “SpaceLiner” which has been proposed by the Space Launcher Systems Analysis Department of the German Aerospace Center DLR. Therefore the tank and feedline systems of the SpaceLiner concept are studied by means of reference data and the results of simulations conducted with in-house and commercial tools

Powerful & Flexible Future Launchers in 2- or 3-stage Configuration

Semi RLV configurations are investigated with reusability of 1st or booster stages arranged in parallel with an expendable upper compartment. The non-symmetrical architecture consists of a winged RLV-stage and attached ELV-part comprising either one or two stages. The rocket propulsion is mostly cryogenic LOX-LH2 with the option of a storable propellant upper stage. The paper summarizes major results of the preliminary technical design process. The overall shape and aerodynamic configuration, the propulsion and feed system, the architecture and structural lay-out of the stages are described and some indicators on the configuration’s launch cost efficiency are provided