Study investigates the use of spent launch vehicle stages and modules to support earth orbital operations and functions after successful completion of the primary mission. Emphasis is placed primarily on determination of those uses that afford the greatest utility with minimum possibility of degradation to the primary mission

Cummings, A.

Dowdy, W.

Morita, W. H.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

April 1968	 Brief 68-10038 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
NASA Tech Briefs are issued to summarize specific innovations derived from the U.S. space program, 
to encourage their commercial application. Copies are available to the public at 15 cents each 
from the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Virginia 22151. 
Concept to Standardize Space Vehicle Piggyback Experiment Modules 
In the employment of larger, more powerful space 
vehicles such as Saturn V, primary mission demands 
will not, in some cases, exhaust the capabilities of the 
launch vehicle. There is, therefore, a residual capabil-
ity which, if put to advantageous use, could perform 
an additional task which would otherwise require a 
lesser (though still quite expensive) launch vehicle for 
its implementation. A means is, therefore, sought to 
take advantage of this otherwise unused residual capa-
bility to bring to fruition lesser (than primary) mis-
sions which, while quite desirable, fall short of 
justifying a separate launch vehicle and its attendant 
expensive related services. 
To this end, a study has been conducted to inves-
tigate the practicality and desirability of using spent 
launch vehicle stages and modules to support earth 
orbital operations and functions after successful com-
pletion of the primary mission. The stages can be 
utilized both with and without modification either 
prior to launch or after orbital establishment. Em-
phasis is placed primarily on determination of those 
uses that afford the greatest utility with minimum 
possibility of degradation to the primary mission. 
Criteria and a methodology for evaluation of each
concept are established and can be used in subsequent 
analyses to determine the practicality of other con-
cepts. Cost estimates associated with the design and 
implementation of various concepts are delineated and 
may be used to establish resource requirements. Re-
search required to support anticipated technological 
advances directly applicable to the candidate con-
cepts has been identified. 
Note: 
Copies of the above mentioned study may be re-
quested from: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Marshall Space Flight Center 
Huntsville, Alabama 35812 
Reference: B68-10038 
Patent status: 
No patent action is contemplated by NASA. 
Source: W. H. Morita, W. Dowdy, 
and A. Cummings 
of North American Aviation, Inc. 
under contract to 
Marshall Space Flight Center 
(M FS- l697) 
Category 05 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
will be free from privately owned rights.
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Concept to standardize space vehicle piggyback experiment modules

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