Patent ID: 6360994
Filing Date: 2002-03-26
Classification: B64G

Abstract:
A method for providing a low-cost-per-flight configurable space launch system of a plurality of space launch vehicles, comprising:selecting a reusable spaceplane wherein the reusable spaceplane selecting step includes at least the substep of excluding any permanently installed or integral ascent propellant tanks within the reusable spaceplane; combining for each space launch vehicle in the configurable space launch system, one or more reusable spaceplanes with a plurality of liquid propellant tanks detachably mounted external to the one or more reusable spaceplanes; supplying more than 90 percent of total ascent propellant volume in the detachably mounted external tanks; including means for achieving a plurality of in-flight staging points greater than the number of spaceplanes; and configuring the plurality of space launch vehicles to perform a broad spectrum of space launch missions at optimal low cost-per-flight.