2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE

PROGRAMS & CONCEPTS

Associate Administrator for 

Commercial Space Transportation (AST)

January 2000

WITH A SPECIAL SECTION ON SPACEPORTS
ABOUT THE OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR

COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION (AST)

The Federal Aviation Administration’s

Associate Administrator for Commercial

Space Transportation (AST) licenses and

regulates U.S. commercial space launch

activity as authorized by Executive

Order 12465 and Commercial Space

Launch Activities, Title 49 of the United

States Code, Subtitle IX, Chapter 701

(formerly the Commercial Space Launch

Act of 1984). AST’s mission is to

regulate the U.S. commercial launch

industry; license commercial launch

Cover Page Images (clockwise, from top left)

“Skylon” RLV concept (courtesy: Reaction

Engines Ltd., UK).

LEO satellite constellation, artist’s conception

(courtesy: Futron Corporation).

DC-XA RLV concept (courtesy: McDonnell

Douglas).

Vision Spaceport (courtesy: Vision Spaceport

Project, a joint-sponsored research agreement

(NCA10-0030) between NASA, Industry, and

Academia, initiated by NASA JCS).

operations to ensure public health and

safety and the safety of property; and

protect national security and foreign

policy interests of the United States

during commercial launch operations. In

addition, the Federal Aviation

Administration is directed to encourage,

facilitate, and promote commercial space

launches. Additional information

concerning space transportation can be

found on AST’s web site at

http://ast.faa.gov.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................... 1

THE PUBLICATION..................................................................................................................................................... 1

RLV INDUSTRY BACKGROUND................................................................................................................................. 1

1999 DEVELOPMENTS............................................................................................................................................ 3

OVERVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS................................................................................................. 5

UNITED STATES COMMERCIAL PROGRAMS................................................................................................. 6

ASTROLINER – KELLY SPACE AND TECHNOLOGY..................................................................................................... 6

K-1 – KISTLER AEROSPACE CORPORATION .............................................................................................................. 7

PATHFINDER – PIONEER ROCKETPLANE.................................................................................................................... 8

ROTON C-9 – ROTARY ROCKET COMPANY............................................................................................................... 9

SA-1 – SPACE ACCESS LLC................................................................................................................................... 10

SPACE CRUISER SYSTEM – VELA TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................ 11

VENTURESTARTM – LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION ........................................................................................ 12

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS .............................................................................................. 14

SPACE SHUTTLE...................................................................................................................................................... 15

X-33 ....................................................................................................................................................................... 16

X-34 ....................................................................................................................................................................... 17

X-38/CREW RETURN VEHICLE................................................................................................................................ 18

X-40A/MILITARY SPACEPLANE .............................................................................................................................. 19

X-37 ....................................................................................................................................................................... 20

INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS............................................................................................................................ 22

AVATAR – DEFENSE RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (INDIA)............................................................ 22

HOPE-X – NATIONAL SPACE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF JAPAN .......................................................................... 23

SINGLE-STAGE-TO-ORBIT SPACEPLANE – NATIONAL AEROSPACE LABORATORY (JAPAN)..................................... 24

SPACECAB/SPACEBUS – BRISTOL SPACEPLANES LTD. (ENGLAND)......................................................................... 25

X PRIZE® COMPETITORS.................................................................................................................................... 26

THE X PRIZE......................................................................................................................................................... 26

SPACEPORTS.......................................................................................................................................................... 30

COMMERCIALLY-LICENSED SPACEPORTS ............................................................................................................... 31

U.S. FEDERAL SPACEPORTS.................................................................................................................................... 36

PROPOSED SPACEPORTS.......................................................................................................................................... 40

ACRONYMS............................................................................................................................................................. 45

ENDNOTES .............................................................................................................................................................. 46
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

INTRODUCTION PAGE 1

Introduction

The Publication

In January 1998, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Associate Administrator for

Commercial Space Transportation (AST) released the first edition of the Reusable Launch

Vehicle Programs and Concepts report. The report provided company background, vehicle

design, and technical information on commercial, government, and international reusable launch

vehicle (RLV) programs. The report filled a need for up-to-date, objective information on

reusable launch vehicle activities.

In January 1999, the second edition of this report was published, providing updated information

on the important strides made by several of the RLV concepts during 1998. These strides

included the development and testing of spacecraft components and systems, and in some cases

flight testing.

This third edition of Reusable Launch Vehicle Programs and Concepts is similar to its

predecessor, with some important additions and changes. Each individual entry has been updated

with the most recent publicly available information on the RLV’s financial, technical, testing,

and manufacturing progress. A key addition to this edition is a section providing an overview of

launch sites, i.e., Spaceports, including information on the relevant infrastructure in place at the

site and the status of development of new facilities.

Following the introduction, this report provides a chronology of many events in the RLV industry

in 1999. The report then divides the RLV programs into four categories: United States

Commercial Programs, United States Government Programs, International Concepts, and X

PRIZE® Competitors. The report also contains a summary table of all of the vehicles, which

provides company, technical, performance, and market information at a glance. The final part of

this report contains the new section on Spaceports.

RLV Industry Background

The United States Government and other governments have been exploring the design and

development of RLVs for several decades. During the mid-1990s, however, several small “startup” companies, staffed with entrepreneurs, engineers and other technical personnel with years of

experience in the aerospace and launch vehicle industries, proposed to develop commercial

reusable launch vehicles. While many of these vehicles are being built with the expectation that

there will be significant demand for launches of communication and remote sensing satellites to

low Earth orbit (LEO), some hope to serve other new markets such as space station resupply and

commercial microgravity missions. Some RLV operators also hope to serve the market for

geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) launches as well. In addition, over a dozen RLV designs are

proposed specifically to help foster a market for space tourism.

Also during the mid-1990s, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) began

development of testbed vehicles that would prove technologies and operations concepts for next-
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

INTRODUCTION PAGE 2

generation RLVs. The X-33 vehicle is undergoing assembly, while one of the three X-34

vehicles has been constructed, with the second X-34 vehicle scheduled to make a powered flight

test in 2000. The new X-37 vehicle is beginning development and is scheduled to be carried into

orbit by the Space Shuttle in 2002. NASA hopes that the technologies tested and refined in these

programs will be applied to future operational RLVs.

The RLV concepts proposed for development present a variety of launch, landing, and

propulsion concepts. Several vehicles employ a “spaceplane” design that takes off and lands

horizontally like an airplane, possibly incorporating air-breathing engines for atmospheric flight.

These designs generally use upper stages to carry payloads to orbit, while the spaceplane remains

on a sub-orbital trajectory. Several concepts plan single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicles to

deliver payloads directly to orbit, while other vehicles use a multi-stage vertical-launched

approach in which each stage returns to Earth for recovery and reuse. The X-vehicles under

development by the United States government are designed to test technologies and operational

concepts and therefore represent varied designs and mission profiles.

The development of RLVs is driven by the desire to reduce launch costs. Potential reduction in

RLV long-term production costs is attributed to vehicle refurbishment and reuse after each flight,

rather than replacement. RLVs are designed for quick-turnaround operations that will allow for a

higher volume and launch rate, resulting in economies of scale. Many studies suggest that

reductions in launch costs will enable the emergence and development of new space missions

and businesses.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

1999 DEVELOPMENTS PAGE 3

1999 Developments

Last year saw a number of significant steps toward the development of fully operational reusable

launch vehicles. Several RLV companies conducted flight and component hardware tests.

Rotary Rocket Company completed its initial translational flight of the Roton atmospheric test

vehicle. NASA concluded its X-34 captive carry flight tests, gathering valuable information on

the vehicle’s aerodynamics. It was also during 1999 that three new vehicles were introduced.

NASA and Boeing Co. signed an agreement to develop the X-37, and two new X-PRIZEentrants

unveiled plans to develop RLVs. COSMOPOLIS XXI of Moscow, Russia stated their intention

to build a RLV (as yet unnamed) and TGV Rockets, Inc. of Bethesda, Maryland announced plans

to develop its MICHELLE-B vehicle.

The following chronology summarizes many key events related to the reusable launch vehicle

industry in 1999:

• January- Successful tests at the X-33 launch site validated a new, laser-guided vehicle

positioning system which will help Lockheed Martin meet its goal for rapid turnaround of

future RLVs between flights.

• January 15- Successful testing completed on the first powerpack for the X-33’s linear

aerospike engine.

• January 18- Kistler Aerospace Corp. delays the inaugural flight of its K-1 reusable launch

vehicle until early 2000. Kistler cited funding concerns brought on by conditions in the bond

market as the reasoning behind the decision.

• February- An industry-led study, the “Space Transportation Architecture Study,” concluded

that replacing the current U.S. space shuttle fleet with a new generation of RLVs could

reduce the cost and improve the safety of travelling to space.

• March 1- Rotary Rocket unveiled its $2.8 million, full-size atmospheric test vehicle at

Mojave, California.

• March 17- Northrop Grumman, seeking a larger role in Kistler Aerospace Corp.’s K-1

program, agreed to adjust its 1998 financial results and write off a $30 million investment in

the K-1 program.

• April 30- Orbital Sciences Corp. rolled-out the A-1 X-34 vehicle, the first in a series of three

X-34 vehicles for NASA.

• May- Richard Branson, British billionaire, established Virgin Galactic Airways for space

tourism flights.

• June- X-PRIZE entrant Burt Rutan of Scaled Composites flew the first stage of Proteus nonstop from Bangor, Maine to Le Bourget, France.

• June 10- X-PRIZE entrant Steven Bennett of the Starchaser Foundation unveiled a full-size

mockup of his Thunderbird craft at Blackburn Rovers Field in England.

• June 29- The A1 X-34 completed its initial captive-carry test while affixed to the bottom of

an L-1011 carrier aircraft from NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

1999 DEVELOPMENTS PAGE 4

• July 4- A 1/3 scale model of X-PRIZE entrant Bristol Spaceplane “Ascender” passenger

spaceplane was displayed at the “Tomorrow’s World Live” exhibition held at the Earl’s

Court 1 Exhibition Centre in West London.

• July 5- Rotary Rocket Co. stated that it intended to use a derivative of NASA’s

developmental Fastrac engine to power its Roton vehicles representing a major change from

previous plans to develop the main engine on its own. Several Fastrac-derived engines will

be clustered together to generate the thrust necessary for the Roton.

• July 14- NASA and Boeing Co. signed a $173 million cooperative agreement to develop the

X-37 vehicle.

• August 9- Marshall Space Flight Center awarded Summa Technology Inc. a manufacturing

and operations contract for the Fastrac engine to be used in the X-34.

• August 24- Orbital Sciences Corp. announced that engineers from Orbital and NASA’s

Dryden Flight Research Center will upgrade A-1 X-34’s first airframe. Following a series of

tow tests on the ground at Dryden, the A-1 X-34 will be used to conduct unpowered test

flights from Orbital’s L-1011 carrier aircraft.

• August 25- Kistler Aerospace Corp. announced that its current plans call for test flights of the

K-1 within the next 10 months.

• September- The first series of hot fires were conducted on the X-33 linear aerospike engine at

Stennis Space Center.

• September 13- Space Access LLC announced that it will pursue special government

certification for its planned SA-1 reusable spaceplane. This action will allow Space Access

to officially classify the SA-1 as a commercial airplane.

• September 29- Lockheed Martin indicated that it plans to use an external payload bay on the

VentureStar vehicle instead of the internal payload bay now used on the X-33.

• October- CEOs from Kelly Space and Technology, Kistler Aerospace, Pioneer Rocketplane,

Rotary Rocket Co. and Space Access LLC testified before Congress at a House Science

Committee hearing on commercial spaceplanes.

• October 5- NASA concluded X-34 captive carry flight tests for 1999. These flight tests

allowed NASA to gather information on the X-34’s aerodynamics and helped qualify the

Lockheed Martin L-1011 airplane as a reliable launcher.

• October 12- Rotary Rocket Co. completed its initial translational flight of the Roton

atmospheric test vehicle, reaching an altitude of 22.5 meters during the four-minute flight.

• October 13- NASA stated that it is considering creating a prize of $10 million to $20 million

to spur development of new launchers.

• November 3- The outer skin of the X-33’s hydrogen tank was fractured during pressurization

tests at Marshall Space Flight Center.

• November 5- COSMOPOLIS XXI of Moscow, Russia and TGV Rockets, Inc. of Maryland

registered to compete for the X-PRIZE bringing the total number of entrants to 17.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

OVERVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS PAGE 5

Overview of Development Programs

This report divides RLV programs into four categories: United States Commercial Programs,

United States Government Programs, International Concepts, and X PRIZE Competitors.

United States Commercial Programs include vehicles under development that will perform both

payload launch and human passenger/crew missions. Most of the concepts in this section are

being developed by small private companies with plans to launch satellites into low Earth orbit,

resupply the International Space Station, or provide flights for space tourists.

United States Government Programs include testbed vehicles and other programs intended to

advance the state-of-the-art technologies for advanced space transportation concepts such as

RLVs. The focus of the U.S. government RLV program is on NASA’s X-vehicles. However,

the USAF also has plans to explore the development of a spaceplane.

International Concepts include proposed vehicles from non-U.S. government and commercial

organizations. The governments of Japan and India are proceeding with long-range plans for

RLV development, while Bristol Spaceplanes Ltd. in Great Britain is developing commercial

vehicle concepts.

X PRIZE Competitors are presented separately from the other commercial vehicles because of

the unique nature of their intended mission. The X PRIZE competition will award a $10 million

prize to the first entrant that proves it can carry at least three people to a 100-km altitude and

repeat the flight within two weeks. X PRIZE vehicles are specifically designed to accomplish

this mission, although some X PRIZE vehicles plan follow-on vehicles for commercial satellite

launch missions. Two entrants, Kelly Space and Technology and Pioneer Rocketplane, are

focused primarily on satellite launch missions and therefore have been included in the United

States Commercial Programs section.

In addition to the programs described in detail in this report, there are three additional RLV

concepts under consideration for development, but for which limited information is available. In

March 1998, Platforms International Corporation, a developer of software for crewless aerial

vehicles, proposed the Spaceray, a spaceplane capable of carrying an expendable booster for

satellite launches. Platforms International has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with

“some of the leading aerospace companies in Russia” for the development of the Spaceray

system.1 In another program, the Russian aerospace company Molniya is reportedly developing

the Molniya Multipurpose Aerospace System (MAKS), which consists of a spaceplane that

would be air-launched from the back of an AN-124 transport aircraft. The MAKS would be able

to carry 9,000 kg to orbit.2 Finally, Universal Space Lines is planning on developing a fullyreusable TSTO vehicle called the SpaceClipper, which will be designed primarily for space

tourism and transportation missions. The vehicle design is based on the Clipper Graham/DC-X

program originally funded and tested by the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO).3
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

UNITED STATES COMMERCIAL PROGRAMS PAGE 6

United States Commercial Programs

The private sector is developing a variety of RLV concepts with plans to begin commercial

launch operations within the next few years. The vehicles described in this section are in various

stages of development.

Astroliner – Kelly Space and Technology

Kelly Space & Technology (KST) is developing

the Astroliner vehicle based on its patented towlaunch technique. The Astroliner will be towed

into the air by a modified Boeing 747 aircraft to

an altitude of 6 km where the 38-meter long

RLV will be released and proceed on a suborbital trajectory under its own power.

Astroliner will then use expendable upper stages

to inject payloads into orbit.

The Astroliner will be powered by a reusable

rocket engine, such as Rockwell Rocketdyne

Division’s aerospike or RS-27, NPO’s RD-180

or RD-120, or a multiple engine configuration.

Its large fuselage cross-section allows the KST

launch vehicle to select a propulsion unit from a

wide range of available systems. Once the final

concept for the aircraft is adopted, the engine

that fits best the mission, design, size, power

and safety parameters will be selected.

Following separation from the tow aircraft, the Astroliner ignites its rocket engine(s) and climbs

to an altitude of 125 km and a speed of Mach 6.5. The nose of the vehicle then opens to release

the upper stages and payload. The Astroliner then reenters the atmosphere and returns to land at a

conventional airfield under the guidance of its two-pilot crew.4 The Astroliner design also

features wing-mounted jet engines for powered descent and landing.

The Astroliner will use expendable upper stages, solid or liquid depending upon mission

requirements, to carry payloads into orbit. Other, more powerful upper stages, such as the Star

75, Pratt and Whitney’s Orbus 21, will be used for launching LEO payloads of up to 4,550 kg.5

The Astroliner has a suborbital payload capacity of 31,600 kg.

KST has received a United States patent for its tow-launch concept. KST claims that the towlaunch method allows vehicles to lift off with heavier payloads than an air-dropped vehicle and

allows the elimination of some of the infrastructure required for vertical launch vehicles. KST

Vehicle: Astroliner (shown above)

Developer: Kelly Space and Technology

First launch: 2002

Number of stages: 3-4 (including towing aircraft)

Possible launch sites: Vandenberg AFB, CA; White

Sands Missile Range, NM.

Markets served: Launch of LEO constellation

satellites.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

UNITED STATES COMMERCIAL PROGRAMS PAGE 7

also claims that it will offer launch prices of about $15 to $25 million and reduced launch

insurance rates for Astroliner payloads.6

From December 1997 to February 1998, KST successfully conducted the Eclipse Experimental

Demonstration (EXD) tests in cooperation with NASA and the USAF. These tests demonstrated

the Eclipse tow-launch technique using a modified QF-106 and a C-141A tow aircraft. KST also

received a matching grant from the state of California to conduct research associated with the

EXD program. In all, six flight demonstrations were conducted.7 Current plans call for the first

launch of the Astroliner in 2002; however, the schedule is contingent upon successfully raising

additional capital.8

K-1 – Kistler Aerospace Corporation

Kistler Aerospace Corporation is developing the

K-1 reusable launch vehicle for commercial

launches of LEO payloads. The K-1 design was

developed in 1995 and 1996 as a two-stage-toorbit (TSTO) vehicle that will have a payload

capacity of 10,000 pounds to a standard LEO and

will offer launch prices of about $17 million per

launch.9

The K-1 will launch vertically like conventional

ELVs but will use a unique combination of

parachutes and air bags to recover its two stages.

The vehicle is designed to operate with a small

complement of ground personnel and will be

transported to the launch site and erected with a

mobile transporter. The K-1 vehicle will measure

about 36.9 meters high, with a launch mass of

382,300 kg.10

Kistler’s K-1 vehicle employs off-the-shelf

technology and components in its design. The

first stage, known as the “Launch Assist

Platform,” is powered by three liquid oxygen

(LOX)/kerosene GenCorp Aerojet AJ26 series

engines. These engines include the core of the

NK-33 engines originally built in the 1960s for

the Russian moon mission program. After launch, the Launch Assist Platform separates from the

second stage and restarts its center engine to fly a return trajectory to a landing area near the

launch site. The Launch Assist Platform deploys parachutes and descends to the landing area

where air bags are deployed to cushion its landing.

Vehicle: K-1

Developer: Kistler Aerospace Corp.

First launch: TBD

Number of stages: 2

Possible launch sites: Woomera, Australia;

Nevada Test Site, NM.

Markets served: Deployment of LEO satellites.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

UNITED STATES COMMERCIAL PROGRAMS PAGE 8

The second stage, or Orbital Vehicle, continues into LEO where it releases its payload. The

Orbital Vehicle is powered by a single Aerojet AJ26-60 engine (derived from the Russian NK-43

engine). The Orbital Vehicle also carries LOX/ethanol thrusters for orbital maneuvering and

attitude control. Following payload separation, the Orbital Vehicle continues on orbit for about

24 hours, after which the LOX/ethanol orbital maneuvering system performs a de-orbit burn.

After atmospheric re-entry, the Orbital Vehicle flies a guided re-entry path to a landing area near

the launch site and deploys parachutes and air bags for touchdown.

Kistler’s subcontractors are producing the major components of the vehicle, and several major

milestones have been achieved. The K-1 vehicle is 75% complete, as measured by weight.

Northrop Grumman Corporation has been contracted to provide the vehicle structure and has

completed 21 of the 23 major structural panels for the K-1,11 while Aerojet has undertaken test

firings of the modified AJ26 engines.12 Lockheed Martin Michoud has completed the liquid

oxygen tanks. The parachute and airbag systems for the first stage have undergone a series of

drop tests, and final vehicle assembly commenced in May 1998.

Kistler is planning to operate the K-1 vehicle from two launch sites, one in Woomera, Australia

and one at the Nevada Test Site. Kistler received authorization from the Australian government

to begin construction of launch facilities at Spaceport Woomera in April 1998 and held a

groundbreaking ceremony at the site in June 1998. The launch pad designs are complete, and

Kistler will conduct its initial flight tests and commercial operations from Woomera. In October

1998, Kistler finalized a deal with the Nevada Test Site Development Corporation (NTSDC) to

permit Kistler to occupy a segment of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) for its launch operations.13

Kistler is in pre-application processing with the FAA for permission to conduct launches from

the NTS, with both stages returning to Earth at the NTS as well.

Pathfinder – Pioneer Rocketplane

The Pathfinder (not to be confused with the Future X

pathfinder program discussed in the U.S. Government

Programs section) tracks its heritage to a military

spaceplane concept.14 The “Black Horse” spaceplane

was promoted within the United States Air Force in

the early 1990s. Pioneer Rocketplane renamed the

vehicle “Pathfinder” and proposed it as a potential

design for NASA’s X-34 program.

Although the Pathfinder was not selected for the X34, the company elected to continue Pathfinder

development. In June 1997, Pioneer Rocketplane

was awarded one of four $2 million NASA Low Cost

Boost Technology Program contracts to develop

detailed preliminary designs and conduct wind-tunnel tests for concepts to launch small satellites.

The Low Cost Boost Technology program was later canceled.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

UNITED STATES COMMERCIAL PROGRAMS PAGE 9

Pathfinder is a spaceplane operated by a crew of

two and is powered by both air-breathing jet

engines and LOX/kerosene rocket engines. The

23-meter long vehicle takes off horizontally

using turbofan jet engines. When it reaches an

altitude of 6 km, the Pathfinder meets a tanker

aircraft that transfers about 59,000 kg of liquid

oxygen to the Pathfinder’s LOX tanks in a

method identical to air-to-air refueling. After

disconnecting from the tanker, the spaceplane ignites its RD-120 rocket engine and climbs to an

altitude of 112 km at a speed of Mach 15. Once out of the atmosphere, the Pathfinder can open

its cargo bay doors and release its payload with a conventional liquid rocket upper stage. The

payload is then carried into orbit as the spaceplane re-enters the atmosphere. After deceleration

to subsonic speeds, the Pathfinder re-starts its jet engines and lands horizontally.15 The

Pathfinder’s maximum payload capacity to a space station orbit is 2,300 kg.

The Pathfinder vehicle uses primarily existing technology and components. The propulsion

system uses proven jet and rocket engines (two GE F404 turbofan engines and one

kerosene/oxygen-burning RD-120 rocket engine), and the avionics systems are derived from

existing military aircraft. In September 1998, Pioneer Rocketplane announced that it had

completed a system design review and concluded that all components and systems fit together

properly. In May 1999, Pioneer was also awarded a $40,000 grant by the State of California to

conduct a study on the possibility for Pathfinder to launch from the California coast.

Roton C-9 – Rotary Rocket Company

The Roton C-9 is under development by Rotary

Rocket Company to provide launches of satellites

to low Earth orbit. The SSTO Roton C-9 vehicle

is designed for vertical takeoff and landing. The

19.5-meter high Roton C-9 is powered by a

cluster of several engines derived from the

Fastrac engine developed by NASA.16 The cargo

compartment is positioned in the middle of the

vehicle between the LOX tank (in the nose) and

the kerosene tank (above the engine). Following

ascension to LEO, the Roton C-9 deploys a

payload and performs a de-orbit burn. The

vehicle can remain on-orbit for up to 72 hours.

The Roton C-9 is cone-shaped with the rotor

blades folded flat against the exterior. The

vehicle uses the rotor blades to control the

vehicle descent after atmospheric re-entry. Each

blade is powered by small hydrogen

Vehicle: Pathfinder

Developer: Pioneer Rocketplane

First launch: TBD

Number of stages: 2

Possible launch sites: Vandenberg AFB, CA.

Markets served: Launch of small and medium-class

LEO payloads.

Vehicle: Roton C-9

Developer: Rotary Rocket Company

First launch: 2000

Number of stages: 1

Possible launch sites: TBA

Markets served: Deployment of LEO constellations

and replacement satellites.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

UNITED STATES COMMERCIAL PROGRAMS PAGE 10

peroxide/methanol rocket motors on the blade tips that power the rotor.

The Roton touches down vertically under the control of its two-person crew. The vehicle is

designed to be serviced by a small team of ground personnel, and Rotary Rocket is targeting

turnaround times between flights of 24 hours or less.17 The Roton also has been designed to be

able to return to Earth with the cargo bay fully loaded.

Rotary Rocket Company developed and tested many of its systems throughout 1998, including

the rotor blade-tip engines and the rotor assembly. In addition, the company began construction

of its manufacturing and flight operations facility in June 1998 at the Mojave Civilian Test Flight

Center, and completed the construction in January 1999.18

During 1998, Rotary Rocket Company tested some of the systems for the proprietary RocketJet

engine. The RocketJet engine was originally intended as the powerplant for the Roton C-9

vehicle. But, in June 1999, Rotary Rocket elected to proceed with development using the Fastrac

engine variant in order to “permit the Roton development program to be concluded more rapidly

19 Development of the RocketJet engine was deferred.

In 1999, construction of the Roton Atmospheric Test Vehicle (ATV) was completed and flight

testing began. The ATV is a full-scale prototype vehicle without the main propulsion system,

designed to perform approach and landing tests. During July through October 1999, the ATV

completed four test flights demonstrating the vehicle control characteristics needed for the Roton

landing profile, including hovering and low altitude forward movement.

SA-1 – Space Access LLC

The SA-1 has been proposed to conduct satellite

launches by Space Access LLC. The concept

consists of an unpiloted spaceplane that uses a

hybrid propulsion system and one or two rocketpowered upper stages to deliver a full range of

payloads to LEO or GTO.

The spaceplane vehicle, or “aerospacecraft,” is

approximately the size of a Boeing 747 aircraft.

Its propulsion system is based on a ramjet engine

design that was developed in the 1960s by the

USAF. Space Access has developed a proprietary

modification to the engines that will allow the

ramjet to operate at both subsonic and supersonic

speeds (ramjets normally only operate above

Mach 2).20 One of the company’s subcontractors,

Kaiser Marquardt, has reportedly tested elements

of the propulsion system,21 and Space Access has

worked with the Air Force Research Laboratory

Vehicle: SA-1

Developer: Space Access LLC

First launch: 2001

Number of stages: 2-3 (depending on payload

requirements)

Possible launch sites: Homestead AFB, FL;

Orlando Airport, FL; Tampa Airport, FL.

Markets served: Launch of LEO and GTO payloads.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

UNITED STATES COMMERCIAL PROGRAMS PAGE 11

(AFRL) since September 1995 to study the “ejector” ramjet propulsion system and the design of

the aerospacecraft. As of March 1998, Space Access had wind-tunnel tested the ejector ramjet

engine at all of the altitude and speed points of the SA-1’s planned flight profile.22

The SA-1 vehicle will take off horizontally, using a mixture of air and liquid hydrogen to power

its ejector ramjet engines. The aerospacecraft then climbs to 45 km, at a speed of Mach 8. When

it reaches the limits of the atmosphere and its ramjets loose power, the SA-1 switches power

sources and uses a liquid rocket to reach its final altitude of 90 km at Mach 9. The vehicle then

releases an upper stage carrying the payload from its nose area. For LEO missions, the SA-1

carries a single upper stage that features a lifting-body design and autonomously de-orbits and

lands horizontally. For missions to GTO, the SA-1 carries two such upper stages.23

The SA-1 vehicle will be able to launch payloads up to 5,200 kg to GTO. Space Access intends

to pursue GEO launches as its primary market, but the SA-1 will have significant LEO capability

as well. Space Access also plans to introduce capability that would allow it to undertake

resupply missions to the International Space Station. 24

In 1999, after working with NASA on the Space Transportation Architecture Study, Space

Access decided to study development of a crewed version of the second stage, which would give

the SA-1 the capability to provide human access to space. Space Access hopes that the SA-1

could become an alternative or replacement to the Space Shuttle.25

Space Access plans to test a one-third-scale demonstrator vehicle with the ejector ramjet and

other key systems. Development plans call for testing of a full-size vehicle in 2001 with launch

operations commencing in 2005.26

Space Cruiser System – Vela Technology

Development

The Space Cruiser System (SCS) vehicle is

currently being marketed for space tourism flights

beginning in December 2001 by Space

Adventures of Arlington, Virginia which acquired

the Seattle-based Zegrahm Space Voyage in

November 1999. The SCS vehicle is being

designed and developed by Virginia-based Vela

Technology Development, Inc. to carry six

passengers on a sub-orbital flight reaching an

altitude of just over 100 km.27

SCS is a two-stage horizontal-takeoff-and-landing

design that employs both airbreathing and rocket

engines. The first stage booster, or “Sky Lifter,”

will be piloted by a two-member crew and will be

powered by two JT8D/F100-class jet engines.

Vehicle: Space Cruiser System

Developer: Vela Technology Development,

AeroAstro LLC

First launch: 2001

Number of stages: 2

Possible launch sites: Commercial airports.

Markets served: Sub-orbital space tourism flights.
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The Sky Lifter is designed as a conventional jet aircraft with a 30-meter delta wing and will a dry

mass of approximately 10,000 kg. The Space Cruiser second stage spaceplane will be carried

underneath the Sky Lifter. The Space Cruiser will measure 18.3 meters from nose to tail and

will weight about 11,800 kg with fuel and passengers. The two stages will climb together to

about 15 km where the Space Cruiser, carrying two crewmembers and six passengers, separates

and will climb to 100 km using its three nitrous oxide/propane-fueled rocket engines. During reentry into the atmosphere, the Space Cruiser will fire retro-rockets to slow the vehicle’s descent

and then will activate two JT15D-class turbo-jet engines to return to a landing site.28

All preliminary testing has been successfully completed and Vela Technology is awaiting

funding to proceed to the next phase of the development and construction. A first test flight is

anticipated to take place in late 2001. Vela Technology Development and Space Adventures

have received over 60 requests for reservations ($5,000 deposit and $1,000 a month) since they

started marketing operations in October 1997 and are planning a first voyage for 2003.

Vela Technology Development intends to build two sets of operational vehicles and plans to

initially operate two launches per week. In November 1997, Vela named AeroAstro LLC as the

prime contractor for the SCS system.29

VentureStarTM – Lockheed Martin Corporation

VentureStarTM is Lockheed Martin's potential

commercial follow-on to the X-33 vehicle being

developed for NASA's RLV program (an overview of the X-33 is provided in the next section).

The VentureStar vehicle will be similar in design

to the X-33 but twice the size and about eight

times the launch mass. VentureStar will be

powered by seven linear aerospike engines.

Although original plans for the VentureStar

called for an internal payload bay similar to the

X-33, the design was modified during 1999 to

shift to an external payload bay.30

Lockheed Martin plans to target the commercial

satellite launch market with VentureStar. The

company hopes to operate the vehicle at a flight

rate of at least 40 launches per year, leading to

launch costs of approximately $1,000 per pound.

NASA and Lockheed Martin are also studying

the accommodation of crew missions on

VentureStar. One option is to launch

VentureStar as a cargo-only craft initially, with

Vehicle: VentureStarTM

Developer: VentureStar LLC, Lockheed Martin Skunk

Works

First launch: 2004

Number of stages: 1

Possible launch sites: 15 states are bidding to have

a VentureStar launch site.

Markets served: Launch of heavy-class LEO

payloads.
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crew-capable modules phased-in later.31

Development of VentureStar is underway in parallel with the X-33. Although fielding the

VentureStar vehicle is contingent on the results of the X-33 program and on raising an expected

$5 billion in funding, Lockheed Martin established VentureStar LLC to manage the ongoing

development of the vehicle concept.32

Lockheed Martin plans to contract for the use of two spaceport facilities for VentureStar

operations. In July 1998, Lockheed Martin provided its spaceport requirements for the

VentureStar to interested parties, with fifteen states responding to the qualifications.
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United States Government Programs

In the 1990s, NASA and the Department of Defense have been committed to progress in RLV

development. The DC-X (later the DC-XA and Clipper Graham) was funded by the military in

the early 1990s and later by NASA. This vehicle demonstrated RLV materials and operations

and paved the way for the current NASA X-vehicle prototype development programs. The U.S.

military is continuing its RLV study involving military spaceplane concepts.

Recognizing the commercial value in the development of RLV technologies, NASA successfully

negotiated two government-industry partnerships in 1994 to finance and administer current Xvehicle projects. The X-33 is a vehicle being developed by a Lockheed Martin-NASA

partnership, and the X-34 is being developed by Orbital Sciences and NASA. Five years later, in

1999, NASA negotiated a third major government-industry partnership with Boeing to develop

the X-37.

In 1998, NASA devised a budgetary platform referred to as Future-X to award further contracts

to industry for RLV technology development. The Future X initiative defined two development

programs: trailblazer and pathfinder. In general, a trailblazer program is devoted to a single

demonstrator vehicle that tests integrated vehicle systems. A trailblazer class vehicle is funded in

excess of $300 million. A pathfinder program includes development of several specific RLV

technologies and smaller X-vehicle projects to demonstrate pathfinder technologies.

In keeping with the spirit of this initiative, NASA created the Pathfinder program office in May

1999 to manage the X-34 and the newly awarded X-37 projects. These two vehicles are small

testbed demonstrators designed to validate RLV technologies. The only trailblazer-class vehicle

under development, the X-33, is managed by a separate NASA program office.

In addition to the trailblazer and pathfinder vehicles, NASA is also leading the development of a

crew return/transfer vehicle called the X-38. The European Space Agency is NASA's partner for

the X-38 program. The fifth vehicle, the X-40A, is being loaned to NASA for its X-37 project by

the Air Force. In return, the Air Force has become a partner in the project and will be testing

military RLV technologies.
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Space Shuttle

NASA’s Space Shuttle is the world’s first reusable

launch vehicle and has been used for all U.S. human

spaceflight programs since 1981. Although the

Space Shuttles have launched several commercial

and military satellite payloads during their initial

years of service, commercial payloads have been

effectively banned from the shuttles since the

explosion of the Challenger orbiter in 1986.

The Space Shuttle consists of a reusable delta-wing

spaceplane called an orbiter; two solid-propellant

rocket boosters, which are recovered and reused; and

an expendable external tank containing liquid

propellants for the orbiter’s three main engines. The

Space Shuttle carries astronauts to orbit to perform a

wide variety of missions such as spacecraft

deployment and recovery, research in

pressurized modules in the cargo bay, repair, and

International Space Station support.33

In October 1996, United Space Alliance (USA),

a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing,

took over day-to-day operations of the Space

Shuttle fleet under a six-year contract with

NASA. In October 1999, USA acquired USBI

Co., gaining responsibility for the assembly, test, and refurbishment of the Space Shuttle’s solid

rocket boosters.34 The move to a private contractor may allow for a reduction in program costs

through elimination of program redundancies and the potential enhancement of Space Shuttle

safety, reliability, and capability.35

Current plans call for the Space Shuttle fleet to remain in service until at least 2012.36 In order to

continue operations, a two-phased program to develop upgrades for the fleet is in place. Phase

one upgrades are designed to enhance safety or vehicle performance for International Space

Station missions; examples include improved main engine turbopumps/main combustion

chambers, and a lightweight aluminum-lithium external tank. As of the end of 1999, all Phase

one upgrades are complete or very near completion. Phase two upgrades are low-cost, highvalue incremental enhancements; examples include a micro-meteoroid and orbital debris

(MMOD) protection system, and the replacement of launch control room systems.37 Additional

long range performance and safety upgrades are also under consideration, including the use of

liquid-fueled fly-back booster rockets, five-segment solid rocket boosters, and the addition of a

crew escape module.

Vehicle: Space Shuttle

Developer: Rockwell International, Lockheed Martin,

Thiokol. Operated by United Space Alliance (USA).

First launch: 1981

Number of stages: 2

Possible launch sites: Kennedy Space Center, FL.

Markets served: Heavy LEO payloads and human

spaceflight.
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X-33

The X-33 program was initiated to develop a

testbed for integrated RLV technologies, paving

the way for full-scale development of a SSTO

RLV that would be contracted for government

and private sector use.38 The X-33 is targeted to

reach high hypersonic speeds and demonstrate

SSTO and autonomous operations capabilities.

NASA has set goals of a routine seven-hour

turnaround time and a 3.5-hour emergency flight

turnaround time. NASA hopes the program will

lead to the development of RLVs that will

reduce the cost of space launches by an order of

magnitude within ten years.

In April 1995, NASA signed cooperative

agreements with Lockheed Martin, McDonnell

Douglas, and Rockwell International to develop

concept designs for the X-33 program. On July

2, 1996, NASA selected Lockheed Martin’s

aeroballistic rocket design. Government

funding has been appropriated through the end

of 2000 and a funding cap has been set at $941 million.39

Lockheed Martin’s design is a SSTO vehicle that relies on a lifting body rather than wings. The

X-33 will measure about 21 meters in length, with a dry mass of about 34,000 kg.40 The X-33

will be powered by two linear aerospike engines under development by Boeing’s Rocketdyne

division. These engines do not use conventional cone-shaped exhaust nozzles but allow the

exhaust flow to adjust to changes in atmospheric pressure.

Major progress has been achieved on two of three critical technologies for the vehicle. The

thermal protection system was declared "ready for flight" after extensive testing at the end of

1998. The first aerospike engine, the centerpiece for the vehicle propulsion system, completed

assembly and began testing in the fall of 1999. In addition, the X-33's avionics bay was installed

by September 1999, and the launch umbilicals have been installed.41 Kennedy Space Center also

validated a new laser-guided vehicle positioning system for the X-33.42

The flight test facility at Edwards Air Force Base in California was completed in November

1998. The X-33 rotating launch platform at Edwards Air Force Base was validated with a 70,000

pound simulator in February 1999. In addition, the translating shelter, ground electrical supplies,

and storage systems were activated.43 The 15 test flights of the X-33 will be conducted from the

launch site on the eastern portion of Edwards Air Force Base to landing sites at Michael Army

Air Field in Utah and Malmstrom Air Force Base near Great Falls, Montana.

Vehicle: X-33

Developer: Lockheed Martin

First launch: 2000

Number of stages: 1

Possible launch sites: Edwards Air Force Base, CA.

Markets served: Testbed for RLV technologies and

operations.
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Testing on the third of the critical technologies, lightweight fuel tanks, has focused on the

composite hydrogen fuel tanks. On November 3, 1999, after the conclusion of a pressurization

test at Marshall Space Flight Center, damage was discovered on the tank's right wall. NASA and

Lockheed Martin formed a failure investigation board to evaluate the damage. Until the board

makes its conclusions, it is unclear whether the fuel tank will need to be repaired, remanufactured

or redesigned. The flight date of the vehicle has been delayed once already due to damages to the

fuel tank during its manufacturing process.44

X-34

In 1994 NASA began the X-34 program to

develop an RLV for payloads of about 1,100 kg.

After first awarding a contract to a team of

Orbital Sciences and Rockwell International in

1995, NASA canceled the contract and

redesigned the X-34 program to use a smaller

vehicle to demonstrate key technologies.

Following a competition that included nine

entries, NASA awarded Orbital Sciences a $60

million contract in June 1996 to design, develop,

and test the X-34. The contract value was

increased to $85 million in December 1998 when

NASA decided to exercise its option for a

second phase of 25 additional X-34 flights.45 In

May 1999, management of the X-34 project

shifted to the Pathfinder program office.

The X-34 is designed to be a sub-orbital

technology testbed. The goals of the X-34 are to

achieve a maximum speed of Mach 8 and to

reach altitudes of up to 80 km. The program also

aims to reduce launch costs and nominal

turnaround times by using a ground and support team of twelve to launch twice within a twoweek timeframe.46

 Flight testing will focus on RLV operations such as a surge capability of 24-

hour turnaround, landing in adverse weather conditions, and safe abort procedures. New

technology demonstrations will include composite primary and secondary airframe structures;

cryogenic insulation and propulsion system elements; advanced thermal protection systems and

materials; and low cost avionics, including differential global positioning and inertial navigation

systems. Operations technologies such as integrated vehicle health-monitoring and automated

checkout systems also will be validated.47

The X-34 design features a cylindrical body with delta wings. The vehicle will measure 17.7

meters in length and will have a dry mass of 19,500 kg. The vehicle will be launched from an

Vehicle: X-34

Developer: Orbital Sciences Corporation

First launch: 2000

Number of stages: 1

Possible launch sites: Edwards Air Force Base, CA;

Kennedy Space Center, FL.

Markets served: Testbed for RLV technologies and

operations.
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L-1011 carrier aircraft. The primary engine is a new LOX/kerosene rocket engine known as

Fastrac, that is being designed, developed, and provided by NASA under a separate program. In

August 1999, NASA, having concluded the development of the engine, awarded a contract to

Summa Technology Inc. to manufacture three Fastrac engines for the X-34 program. The

contract also calls for Summa to develop possible commercial uses of the Fastrac engine.48

NASA’s contract with Orbital Sciences includes the development of three vehicles. The first

vehicle, designated A-1A, is an unpowered flight vehicle and it is expected to perform test flights

in Spring 2000. The next two vehicles, the A2 and A3, are both powered vehicles. The A2 will

be flown at speeds of up Mach 4.5 and demonstrate crosswind landings and flight through rain.

The A3 will be flown at Mach 8 at an altitude of 250,000 with additional carry-on experiments.49

During 1999, the program was setback an estimated six months with the unexpected

announcement by the Air Force to prohibit launches from Holloman Air Force Base. NASA and

Orbital are now planning on moving to Edwards Air Force Base for the first series of test

launches of the A-1A.50 The second series will be conducted from Kennedy Space Center and

will use the A2 and A3 vehicles.

X-38/Crew Return Vehicle

The X-38 is a technology demonstration vehicle project of the

Johnson Space Center and Dryden Flight Research Center.

The X-38 is a prototype for a crew return vehicle (CRV) that

will be attached to the International Space Station. The CRV

will provide a means of returning to Earth if an emergency

requiring immediate evacuation of the Space Station arises, if

an astronaut has a medical emergency requiring immediate

treatment on Earth, or if the Space Shuttle fleet is grounded

and the astronauts must return to Earth.

Plans for a CRV have been under consideration since the

Space Station was first proposed. Proposals for CRVs have

taken on many different forms. NASA and ESA are currently

working together on a concept to satisfy their Space Station

crew transport needs. Rather than focusing solely on an

emergency return vehicle, ESA wants to develop a vehicle

capable of both launching and returning crew

members to and from the station.

CRV development is expected to cost almost $1

billion.51 Multinational participation remained

strong in 1998 as the French company Dassault

provided critical design support, and Dutch,

German, and Spanish companies produced key

Vehicle: X-38/CRV

Developer: JSC, Dryden Flight Research Center,

Scaled Composites

First launch: 2000

Number of stages: 1 (at least 2 for launch)

Possible launch sites: KSC, Kourou.

Markets served: Prototype for ISS crew return.
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components.52 In 1999, however, ESA declined to allocate funding directly for the CRV

program, and instead offered ESA governments the chance to contribute individually.53

The X-38 employs a lifting body design based on a 1970s-vintage X-aircraft. Rather than

landing in an unassisted glide like the Space Shuttle, the X-38 will deploy a steerable parafoil

that will allow the vehicle to maneuver to a landing site. The parafoil is as large as the wing area

of a Boeing 747 aircraft.

Four X-38 vehicles are planned, including three atmospheric prototypes and one orbital test

vehicle. Two X-38 atmospheric prototypes (Vehicle 131 and Vehicle 132) have been constructed

by Scaled Composites, with parafoils supplied by Pioneer Aerospace. Avionics and control

systems were incorporated into the test vehicles, and the orbital test vehicle (Vehicle 201) is

currently being constructed at the Johnson Space Center.

ESA and NASA have agreed to develop a design that is compatible for launch atop an ELV such

as Ariane 5.54 This decision required that the designs of the third prototype and the orbital test

vehicle be modified to be able to withstand the structural pressures of launch. While the CRV

design has no space maneuvering propulsion system, an orbital transfer vehicle could be used to

move it into position at the Space Station, allowing it to carry crews both to and from the Station.

Vehicle 131 conducted free-flight tests on March 12, 1998 and February 6, 1999, during which

the vehicle was dropped from the wing of a B-52 and returned to the ground using its parafoil.

Following the completion of its testing, the vehicle was returned to Scaled Composites to be

retrofitted to the redesigned aerodynamic shape. Vehicle 132 conducted free-flight tests in March

and July 1999. The third prototype is intended to become the primary atmospheric test vehicle

after the turn of the century. The orbital test vehicle is scheduled for launch on the Space

Shuttle in 2001.55

X-40A/Military Spaceplane

In August 1996, the USAF Space Command

(AFSPC) approved a “concept of operations” for

a spaceplane demonstrator to satisfy USAF space

operations needs in the future. An Integrated

Concept Team (ICT) was established to develop

designs for a multimission vehicle that could

perform a variety of orbital and sub-orbital

military missions, such as placing small satellites

in low-Earth orbit, conducting surveillance,

disabling adversaries’ space vehicles, releasing

weapons (within the atmosphere) against

terrestrial targets, serving as a time-critical

communications relay platform, or delivering cargo.56
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Following a year of study, the AFSPC followed

the ICT’s recommendation to establish a central

spaceplane program office to coordinate the

program. Spaceplane research efforts have been

funded through “add-on” funds originally

appropriated in 1996.57 Through this program,

the Air Force is developing a two-stage

spaceplane concept. The concept consists of a

reusable “mini-spaceplane,” or Space Maneuver

Vehicle (SMV) that is carried to hypersonic speeds by a sub-orbital reusable first stage. The

SMV is released and accelerates to orbit, where it will be designed to maneuver in space and

remain on-orbit for perhaps as long as one year.

The SMV is under development by Boeing Phantom Works, and a 90-percent scale unpowered

testbed, also known as the X-40A, was rolled out in September 1997 under a $5.2 million

contract awarded in October 1996 by the USAF’s Wright Laboratory.58 The first flight of the X40A took place on August 11, 1998, when it was carried aloft by helicopter and released, making

a landing controlled by the vehicle’s on-board systems.

The current focus of this program has shifted as the USAF has teamed with NASA to begin the

X-37 program (see next section). The USAF has loaned the X-40A test article to NASA and has

provided some funding for continued testing. To move the X-37 program forward while the X37 test article is under construction, the X-40A will be used to test the avionics for the similarlydesigned X-37.

X-37

On July 14, 1999, NASA and Boeing signed a

cooperative agreement to develop a Future X

Pathfinder vehicle designated X-37. The X-37

is the first NASA X vehicle that is designed to

operate in both orbital and reentry phases of

flight, and it will be the fastest of the vehicles

designed to reach speeds of up to Mach 25. The

$173 million program will be funded over three

years in a cost-sharing arrangement that is

approximately 50/50 between industry and

government. In addition, the USAF agreed to

contribute $16.1 million towards the

government share in order to test additional

technologies for military spacecraft. The Air

Force also agreed to loan the X-40A test vehicle to the X-37 program to test X-37 avionics.59

Currently in the design phase at Boeing's Phantom Works, the X-37 is scheduled to enter

development in January 2000. Designed to be a 120 percent-scale derivative of the X-40A, the

Vehicle: Military Spaceplane

Developers: Boeing, Lockheed Martin

First launch: TBA (SMV tests conducted in 1997)

Number of stages: 2

Possible launch sites: TBA

Markets served: Military payload delivery to LEO;

Special missions such as satellite orbital transfer.
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X-37 will be 27.5 feet long and will have a

wingspan of 15 feet. The X-37 will have a 7-

foot long and 4-foot wide experiment bay, an

advanced thermal protection system, a rocket

engine, and several other spacecraft systems.

Hydrogen peroxide and JP-8 will fuel an AR-2/3

rocket engine that can produce 7,000 pounds of

thrust.60

Assembly and integration will be conducted at Boeing's production facilities in Palmdale and

Seal Beach, CA. Meanwhile, the X-37 program will oversee a series of atmospheric flight tests

of the X-40A vehicle to test the avionics of the X-37. The program is planning to use helicopters

for the series of X-40A captive-carry tests. Roll-out of the X-37 vehicle is planned for fall of

2001, at which time the X-37 will be moved to Edwards Air Force Base for ground and test

flights. The X-37 will be carried under a B-52 aircraft to a suborbital altitude where it will be

dropped for atmospheric test flights. The first orbital launch is scheduled for September 2002 on

a Space Shuttle from Kennedy Space Center.61

Once deployed, the X-37 will remain on-orbit for up to 2 days on the first mission and up to 21

days on the second mission. Once on-orbit, the X-37 will test space vehicle technologies,

including a solar array system developed by the Air Force. The vehicle will reenter the Earth's

atmosphere and land autonomously on a conventional runway.62 The project is only currently

funded for two flights. However, the X-37 will be capable of 20 flights and a cumulative onorbit duration of 420 days.63

Vehicle: X-37

Developers: Boeing

First launch: September 2002

Number of stages: 1 stage deployed by Shuttle

Possible launch sites: KSC

Markets served: Testbed for RLV technologies and

operations.
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International Concepts

International public and private organizations are designing RLVs to satisfy government and

commercial launch needs. As with the U.S. commercial vehicles in the previous section, these

vehicles are in various stages of development.

AVATAR – Defense Research Development Organization (India)

In May of 1998, India’s Defense Research

Development Organization (DRDO)

announced the initial funding of the design of a

small reusable spaceplane.64 The Aerobic

Vehicle for Advanced Trans-Atmospheric

Research (AVATAR) is planned to be the size

of a jet fighter/bomber and would be capable of

delivering 500 kg to 1,000 kg to orbit.

The initial development budget is only $5 million, but project supporters claim that the vehicle

can be built in ten years with total funding of under $2 billion. Designers admit, however, that

international assistance would most likely be required for the project to reach its goal. In

addition to the DRDO team working on the conceptual design, development of technology

components is being undertaken by academic institutions in India as well.65

The AVATAR would take off horizontally using ramjet engines that burn air and hydrogen.

Once at a cruising altitude, the vehicle would use scramjet propulsion to accelerate to Mach 7.

During these cruising phases, an on-board system will collect air from which liquid oxygen will

be separated. The liquid oxygen collected then would be used in the final flight phase, when the

rocket engine burns the collected liquid oxygen and the carried hydrogen to attain orbit. Both the

scramjet engine concept and the liquid oxygen collection process have already undergone

successful tests at DRDO and at the Indian Institute of Science. DRDO has approved further

testing of the liquid oxygen process and assigned a team to conduct a detailed review of the

vehicle’s design.

Vehicle: AVATAR

Developer: Defense Research Development

Organization (India)

First launch: TBA

Number of stages: 1

Possible launch sites: TBA

Markets served: Satellite deployment.
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 National Space Development Agency of Japan

The National Space Development Agency of

Japan (NASDA) began studying the

development of a small crewless space shuttle

in 1987. The original parameters called for a

20,000 kg vehicle that would be lifted by the

H-2 booster and would land by remote control

in Japan or Australia.

To this end, NASDA and the National

Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) have been

developing the H-II Orbiting Plane

Experimental (Hope-X). Hope-X will be the

end result of a series of experiments: the

Orbital Re-entry Experiment (OREX)

completed in 1994, the Hypersonic Flight

Experiment (HYFLEX) and the Automatic

Landing Experiment (ALFLEX) both

completed in 1996, and finally the High Speed

Flight Demonstration (HSFD) which is

planned for early 2002.66

The current design for the Hope-X shows a 49-square meter delta wing and two vertical tails on

its 13.4 meter-long fuselage. The main structure will be made of a conventional aluminum alloy

strengthened with ceramic tiles and flexible thermal insulation.67 The Hope-X will be launched

by the H-2A rocket and will enter low earth orbit and climb to an altitude of 200 km powered by

its own Orbital Maneuvering System after separation. After one revolution, it will de-orbit and

re-enter into the atmosphere where the reaction control system will control the flight path and

attitude until the vehicle lands as a traditional airplane on an island in the Pacific Ocean. The

mission should be completed in approximately two hours.68

Budget constraints have forced NASDA to postpone Hope-X’s first launch originally planned for

2001. The current estimate for a first launch is 2004 but the final date has yet to be determined.

The primary mission of the Hope-X program is to establish the technologies for an advanced

reentry vehicle system.69

Vehicle: HOPE-X

Developer: NASDA

First launch: TBA

Number of stages: 2 (when the Hope-X is

considered the second stage)

Possible launch sites: Tanegashima, Japan.

Markets served: Technology demonstration.
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Single-Stage-To-Orbit Spaceplane – National Aerospace Laboratory (Japan)

Japan’s long-term reusable launch vehicle goal

is the construction of a single-stage-to-orbit

(SSTO) spaceplane. The Japanese government

modified the HOPE program (see HOPE-X

entry) in order to reduce the number of

intermediate steps to reach the goal of a fully

reusable SSTO vehicle in the long run.

Following the recommendation of the

Committee on Future Fully Reusable Space

Transportation Systems, the design for a SSTO

RLV is being explored and refined by the

National Aerospace Laboratory.

The National Aerospace Laboratory concept

calls for the development of a SSTO prototype

rocket by 2010 and the final SSTO Spaceplane

by 2020.70 The companies of the Space Plane

Committee of the Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies (Mitsubishi, Ishikawa-jima-Harima,

Kawasaki, Fuji, and Sumitomo) have all been studying advanced propulsion systems in support

of the program. Development of the spaceplane is expected to cost $20 billion.71 These concepts

are still in the early development stages, but they represent the official direction for Japan’s RLV

development.

The SSTO Spaceplane would take off and land horizontally and carry a crew of four. The

vehicle would measure about 50 meters in length, with a mass of about 52 metric tons.

The SSTO Spaceplane would use either air-breathing propulsion for atmospheric flight and

multiple rocket engines to achieve orbit or may employ new hybrid engines. Propulsion concepts

favored for the spaceplane include liquefied air cycle engines (LACE) and scramjets. LACE

engines liquefy air at low altitudes and accumulate oxygen to be used later at higher altitudes. In

one design concept, LACE would be used to power the craft to Mach 5 at an altitude of 20 km,

where scramjets would be activated to accelerate the vehicle to Mach 20. The LACE engines

would then switch to rocket mode to achieve orbit. Engines that combine the aspects of both

LACE and scramjets (known as combined cycle engines) may be developed to provide an

optimal combination of weight and power. 72

Development could begin before 2010 if funding becomes available after 2003 and if several

flights of the HOPE-X are undertaken. However, “propulsion technology breakthroughs and

international cooperation would be necessary if Japan is ever to seriously consider spaceplane

development.”73

Vehicle: SSTO Spaceplane

Developer: National Aerospace Laboratory (Japan)

First launch: 2010

Number of stages: 1

Possible launch sites: TBA

Markets served: Launch and recovery of heavy-class

LEO payloads.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS PAGE 25

Spacecab/Spacebus – Bristol Spaceplanes Ltd. (England)

Spacecab and Spacebus are similar concepts

promoted by Bristol Spaceplanes Limited (BSL)

of Bristol, England. BSL is headed by David

Ashford, an advocate of space tourism for many

years and has entered its Ascender vehicle in the

X PRIZE competition.

The Spacecab would be a prototype two-stage

spaceplane. The first stage would consist of a

supersonic aircraft similar to the

Aerospatiale/British Aerospace-built Concorde

but equipped with four air-breathing and two

rocket engines, allowing acceleration to Mach 4.

Upon reaching Mach 4, the second stage

reusable orbiter would separate from the top of

the first stage and use rocket power to reach

orbit. The orbiter would be similar in size and

design to the Ascender vehicle but would be

capable of carrying a crew of two with either six

passengers or 750 kg of cargo. Both the booster

and the orbiter would land horizontally.74

Spacebus is an enlarged version of the Spacecab. The Spacebus booster would have a length of

approximately 88 meters and a mass of 130,000 kg, while the orbiter would be 34 meters long

with a mass of 19,900 kg. The Spacebus booster would have greater power and accelerate to

Mach 6 for orbiter separation. The orbiter would be capable of carrying 50 passengers.75

According to BSL, Spacecab can be built using existing technology, and the development cost

and timetable of the prototype of each stage should be comparable with that of the prototype of

an advanced aircraft. The prototype could be used for early operational flights to and from orbit

and could launch small satellites and ferry crews and passengers to and from space. BSL

completed a feasibility study of the Spacecab and Spacecab demonstrator vehicles for ESA in

1994, but ESA has not acted to develop the concept any further.76

Vehicle: Spacecab (top)/Spacebus (bottom)

Developer: Bristol Spaceplanes Ltd.

First launch: 2010

Number of stages: 2

Possible launch sites: TBA

Markets served: Orbital space tourism. Launch of

small-class LEO payloads. ISS crew transfer. Repair

of LEO satellites.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

X PRIZE COMPETITORS PAGE 26

X PRIZE®Competitors

The X PRIZE

In the spirit of the early 20th century aviation

prizes, such as the Orteig prize that Charles

Lindbergh won for crossing the Atlantic in

1927, the X PRIZE Foundation was

established in 1994 as an educational, nonprofit corporation dedicated to inspiring

private, entrepreneurial advancements in

space travel. The St. Louis-based X PRIZE

Foundation is offering a $10 million prize to

the first team able to launch a vehicle

capable of carrying three people to a 100-

km sub-orbital altitude and repeating the

flight within two weeks (only one person

and ballast for two others are required to

actually make the flights). The X PRIZE is

offered to help speed along development of

space vehicle concepts that will reduce the

cost of access to space and to allow human

spaceflight to become routine.

The X PRIZE competition currently has 17

entrants from five countries offering a

variety of different RLV concepts. The

commercial vehicles under development for

the X PRIZE competition are uniquely

designed for sub-orbital space tourism

operations carrying about three to six

passengers. These designs use many

different takeoff, landing, and design

concepts, but all plan to use existing

technology to accomplish their goals.

In May 1998, the Foundation unveiled the X PRIZE trophy, which was put on display at the

National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. During the course of 1999, the X-Prize

trophy was on loan to the Seattle Museum of Flight. It is expected that the trophy will next be

displayed in San Diego, continuing its tour around the nation.

During 1999, the X PRIZE Foundation made progress in attracting sponsors and new entrants.77

The foundation worked with several non-US groups to encourage greater international

Figure 1: Typical X PRIZESM Trajectory
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

X PRIZE COMPETITORS PAGE 27

participation in the competition. One of these non-US groups, Cosmopolis XXI of Moscow,

Russia, became the latest X-PRIZE entrant. This year’s other X-PRIZE entrant was TGV

Rockets of Bethesda, Maryland.

Table 2: Summary of X PRIZE Vehicles

Program Developer Vehicle Type

Ascender David Ashford, Bristol

Spaceplanes Limited

Spaceplane powered by two conventional jet engines

and a liquid-fueled rocket engine. The vehicle will take

off and land horizontally.

Astroliner Kelly Space and Technology See the Astroliner entry for information.

Cosmos Mariner Dynamica Research Spaceplane powered by two air-breathing engines and

one rocket engine. The vehicle will launch and land

horizontally.

Gauchito Pablo De Leon and Associates Two-stage vehicle that will launch vertically. The first

stage booster and the second stage passenger capsule

return to Earth using parachutes.

Green Arrow Graham Dorrington Cylinder-shaped rocket using liquid-fueled rocket

engines. The vehicle will launch vertically and land

vertically using parachutes and air bags.

Lucky Seven Mickey Badgero Cone-shaped vehicle powered by rocket engines. The

vehicle will launch vertically and land using a parafoil.

Mayflower (CAC-1) Advent Launch Services Cylinder-shaped glider powered by liquid-fueled rocket

engines. The vehicle will launch vertically from water

and land horizontally in water.

MICHELLE-B TGV Rockets The vehicle will launch vertically and land vertically

using ascent engines in a deep throttle mode.

PA-X2 Rick Fleeter, AeroAstro Inc. Cylinder-shaped vehicle using a liquid-fueled engine.

The vehicle will launch vertically and land horizontally

using a steerable parafoil.

Pathfinder Pioneer Rocketplane See the Pathfinder entry for information.

Proteus Burt Rutan, Scaled Composites Two-stage vehicle consisting of the conventional turbofan powered Proteus aircraft and a rocket-powered

second stage.

The Space Tourist John Bloomer, Discraft

Corporation

Disc-shaped vehicle powered by air-breathing

“blastwave-pulsejets.” The vehicle will take off and

land horizontally.

Thunderbird Steven M. Bennett, Starchaser

Foundation

Cylinder-shaped rocket using air-breathing engines and

liquid fueled rocket engines. The vehicle will launch

and land vertically.

X Van Pan Aero, Inc., Third Millennium

Aerospace

Pan Aero has publicized two designs for the X Van.

The entry may be a two-stage-to orbit system

comprised of a booster stage and orbiter stage, or a

single-stage system flying a sub-orbital trajectory.

unnamed William Good, Earth Space

Transport System Corporation

No information on this entry has been released.

unnamed Cosmopolis XXI Cylinder-shaped rocket which is launched off of carrier

aircraft “Geophisika”. The vehicle will take off vertically

and land horizontally.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

X PRIZE COMPETITORS PAGE 28

Several of the X PRIZE entrants also took steps forward in developing their vehicles during

1999. In June, Burt Rutan flew the first stage of Proteus at the Paris Air Show. The flight, which

initiated in Mojave, California, took the aircraft across the country to Bangor, Maine. From

Bangor, Rutan took Proteus on a 12-hour journey nonstop to Le Bourget, France. Also in June,

Steven Bennett, founder of the Starchaser Foundation, unveiled a full size mock-up of his

Thunderbird craft to a crowd at Blackburn Rovers Field in England. During July, a 1/3 scale

model of Bristol Spaceplanes’ “Ascender” passenger spaceplane was displayed at the

“Tomorrow’s World Live” exhibition held in London.

Several of the competitors have commercial plans for their vehicles after the X PRIZE. In

addition to the already discussed plans of Pioneer Rocketplane and Kelly Space and Technology,

Scaled Composites’ Proteus aircraft is planned for use for missions such as atmospheric research,

reconnaissance, microsatellite launch, and as a telecommunications platform over metropolitan

areas.78 The Mayflower and the Ascender are planned for continued use as commercial space

tourism platforms. The X Van and the Cosmos Mariner are proposed for both satellite launch

and space tourism missions.
Reusable Launch Vehicle Programs and Concepts Table 1: RLV Summary Information JANUARY 2000

Vehicle

First launch

Manufacturer/ 

Developer

(website)

Number of 

stages

Powerplants Performance Launch 

method

Recovery 

method

Launch 

Contracts

Government 

funding

Potential Markets Served Subcontractors Commercial Investors Possible launch sites

Commercial Programs

Astroliner 2002 Kelly Space and Technology 

(www.kellyspace.com)

3 Engines under consideration include: GenCorp 

Aerojet's NK-33, Rockwell Rocketdyne Division's 

Aerospike and RS-27, or NPO’s RD-180; Upper 

stages under consideration include Thiokol's Star 71, 

and Pratt & Whitney Orbus 21

4,700 kg to 300 km 28.5 deg. LEO

3,950 kg to 300 km 86 deg. LEO

3,400 kg to 1700 km 28.5 deg. LEO

2,700 kg to 1700 km 86 deg. LEO

2,072 kg to GTO 

air-launched horizontal 

landing

yes no Launch of LEO constellation satellites and GTO 

payloads

ACTA, Aircraft Technical Services, GenCorp Aerojet, 

AeroLaunch Systems Corporation, Altair, Frontier 

Engineering, Menasco, Modern Technologies Corp., 

Oceaneering Space Systems, Pioneer Aerospace, 

Thiokol, Tracor, TRW, Universal Space Lines

Motorola has signed $89 million 

contract with KST for ten launches of 

twenty Iridium satellites

Vandenberg AFB, CA; White 

Sands Missile Range, NM

K-1 TBD Kistler Aerospace Corporation 

(www.kistleraerospace. com)

2 First stage: 3 GenCorp Aerojet AJ-26 kerosene/ LOX 

engines

Second stage: 1 GenCorp Aeroject AJ-60 kerosene/ 

LOX engine

Standard Payload Module: 

4,000 kg to 400 km 45 deg. LEO

2,100 kg to 1,000 km 45 deg. LEO

2,250 kg to 400 km 98 deg. LEO

Extended Payload Module:

3,700 kg to 400 km 45 deg. LEO

1,900 kg to 1000 km 45 deg. LEO

2,000 kg to 400 km 98 deg. LEO

vertical 

launch

parachutes 

and air bags 

(both stages)

yes no Launch of LEO satellites GenCorp Aerojet, Northrop Grumman Corporation, 

Lockheed Martin Michoud Space Systems, Draper 

Laboratories, Honeywell (formerly AlliedSignal 

Aerospace), Irvin Aerospace, Inc., Oceaneering 

Thermal Systems

Kistler Aerospace has raised more 

than $500 million in private capital, and 

continues to seek commercial 

financing to complete the K-1. 

Northrop Grumman has invested $30 

million, with options for additional 

investment. Space Systems/Loral has 

signed a contract worth in excess of 

$100 million with Kistler Aerospace for 

ten launches.

Woomera, Australia; Nevada 

Test Site, NV 

Pathfinder 2001 Pioneer Rocketplane 

(www.rocketplane.com)

2 2 Pratt and Whitney F100 air-breathing engines, 1 

RD-120 LOX/kerosene engine

2,100 kg to 200 km Equatorial 

1,600 kg to 200 km Polar

1,900 kg to 1,000 km Equatorial

1,450 kg to 1,000 km Polar

horizontal 

takeoff

horizontal 

landing

no yes Launch of LEO constellation satellites Scaled Composites, ARB Rockets Incorporated Vandenberg AFB, CA

Roton C-9 2000 Rotary Rocket Company 

(www.rotaryrocket.com)

1 Cluster of several engines derived from the Fastrac 

design

3,600 kg to 275 km 35 deg. LEO

2,700 kg to 370 km 90 deg. LEO

3,150 kg to 550 km 35 deg. LEO

2,250 kg to 550 km 90 deg. LEO

vertical 

launch

vertical 

landing

no no Launch of LEO constellation satellites Scaled Composites, Advanced Rotorcraft 

Technologies, Deskin Research Corp., Hypersonics 

Inc., Aerotherm Corp., Altus Associates, Luna Corp., 

Guidance Dynamics Corporation, Howard & Houston 

Engineering, Inc., LAPCAD, National Technical 

Systems

Mojave Civilian Test Flight 

Center, CA

SA-1 2005 Space Access LLC 2 (LEO)

3 (GTO)

Ejector LOX/hydrogen ramjets for each stage 5,200 kg to GTO horizontal 

takeoff

horizontal 

landing

no no Launch of medium-class LEO and GTO payloads. 

Launch of ISS resupply missions or human spaceflight

Kaiser Marquardt, undisclosed "major aerospace 

firms"

Homestead AFB, FL; 

Orlando Airport, FL; Tampa 

Airport, FL

Space Cruiser System 

(SCS)

2001 Vela Technology Development, 

Inc.

Space Adventures 

(www.spaceadventures. com)

2 Lower stage: 2 JT8D/F100-class turbo-jet engines

Upper stage: 3 Nitrous Oxide/Propane, pressure fed, 

rocket engines, two JT15D-class turbo-jet engines 

6 passengers and 2 crew to 100 km sub-orbital horizontal 

takeoff

horizontal 

landing

yes no Sub-orbital space tourism; Sub-orbital microgravity 

and other experiments; Aerospace training

AeroAstro Commercial airports capable 

of servicing business jets

VentureStar 2004 Lockheed Martin 

(www.lmco.com) 

1 7 RS-2200 linear aerospike engines 22,700 kg to LEO vertical 

launch

horizontal 

landing

no yes VentureStar launch of heavy-class LEO payloads 15 states are bidding to have 

a VentureStar site

United States Government Programs

Space Shuttle 1981 Rockwell, Rocketdyne, 

Lockheed Martin

(www.boeing.com) 

(www.lmco.com)

2 3 Rocketdyne LOX/hydrogen Space Shuttle Main 

Engines

24,950 kg to 204 km 28 deg. LEO

18,600 kg to 204 km 57 deg. LEO

vertical 

launch

horizontal 

landing

yes yes Sience missions, experimental payloads, human 

spaceflight, launch and in-orbit rtreival and repair of 

spacecraft

Kennedy Space Center, FL

X-33 2000 Lockheed Martin 

(www.lmco.com) 

1 2 J-2S linear aerospike engines Mach 13.8 at 91 km vertical 

launch

horizontal 

landing

no yes Testbed for RLV technologies and operations LM Space Operations, LM Manned Space Systems, 

LM Astronautics, LM Engineering and Sciences, 

Sanders, Rocketdyne, Rohr, AlliedSignal, Alliant 

Techsystems, Sverdrup, Boeing Rocketdyne

Edwards AFB, CA

X-34 2000 Orbital Sciences Corporation 

(www.orbital.com)

1 One kerosene/LOX Fastrac engine or

One Russian-built NK-39 engine (possible if funding 

becomes available)

Mach 8 at 76 km (vehicle A3)

181kg payload allocation

air-launched horizontal 

landing

no yes Sub-orbital demonstration of RLV technology AlliedSignal, Oceaneering Incorporated, Draper 

Laboratories, Summa Technology Inc.

Edwards AFB, CA; Kennedy 

Space Center, FL

X-38/Crew Return Vehicle 2001 Scaled Composites TBA X-38: none

CRV: Expendable Deorbit Propulsion Stage (DPS)

CRV: Emergency International Space Station crew 

return capability

on-board 

Space 

Shuttle

horizontal 

landing

no yes Prototype for International Space Station crew return 

operations 

Pioneer Aerospcace, SSE Inc. Kennedy Space Center, FL; 

Kourou, French Guyana

X-40A/Military Spaceplane TBA Boeing Phantom Works 

(www.boeing.com)

2 Hypersonic first stage: similar design to X-33 or 

Clipper Graham

Space Maneuver Vehicle (SMV) second stage: TBA

450 kg to LEO vertical 

launch

horizontal or 

vertical 

landing

no yes Military payload delivery or special missions such as 

satellite orbital transfer or satellite neutralization

TBA

X-37 2001 Boeing Phantom Works 

(www.boeing.com)

2 TBA vertical 

launch

horizontal 

landing

no yes Demonstration of launch, orbit, reentry, and landing 

phases of RLV flight

Kennedy Space Center, FL

International Concepts

AVATAR (India) TBA Defense Research 

Development Organization

1 Powered by turbofan ramjet engines, airbreathing 

propulsion engines for atmospheric flight

1/2 metric ton to one metric ton to LEO vertical 

launch

horizontal 

landing

no yes Launch of LEO payloads; Security services: 

intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance

TBA

HOPE-X (Japan) 2004 National Space Development 

Agency of Japan 

(www.nasda.go.jp)

3 Thrusters utilizing nitrogen tetroxide and either 

monomethelhydrazine or hydrazine

3,000 kg to space station orbit 

1,000 kg to 200 km orbit

vertical 

launch with H2A booster

horizontal 

landing

no yes Technology demonstration Fuji Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, 

Mitsubishi Corp.

Tanegashima, Japan

Single-Stage-To-Orbit 

Spaceplane (Japan)

2010 National Aerospace Laboratory 

(www.nasda.go.jp)

1 Multiple liquid propellant engines

Airbreathing engines for atmospheric flight

10,000 kg to 500 km 28.5 deg. LEO horizontal 

takeoff

horizontal 

landing

no yes Launch and recovery of LEO payloads TBA

Spacecab/ Spacebus 

(England)

2010 Bristol Spaceplanes Limited 2 Lower stage: combination of air-breathing and rocket 

engines

Upper stage: six RL-10 or HM7 class engines

Spacecab: 6 passengers/space station crew 

750 kg to LEO

horizontal 

takeoff

horizontal 

landing

no no Orbital space tourism; Launch of small-class LEO 

payloads; ISS crew transfer; Repair of satellites in 

LEO

TBA

PAGE 29
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

RLV SPACEPORTS PAGE 30

Spaceports

The United States government has, since the 1950s, built, operated, and maintained a space

launch infrastructure for launching satellites into space. Much of the demand for and use of these

launch sites has traditionally come from U.S. military and civil government agencies. Beginning

in the early 1980s, a number of the government-operated launch sites began providing support

for commercial launch activities as well, with NASA acting as the primary intermediary for

providing launch services to satellite operators. Following the Challenger accident, a White

House decision in August 1986 allowed launch customers to solicit bids directly from the launch

vehicle builders who would, in turn, lease launch facilities from NASA or the USAF. This

decision, coupled with the 1984 U.S. Commercial Space Launch Act and its 1988 amendments,

did much to foster commercial launch business, which continues to grow to this day.

Today, commercialization of the U.S. launch infrastructure is evident, with commerciallyoperated launch facilities making significant progress toward realization. In January 1998, the

very first launch from a U.S. commercial launch site took place at Spaceport Florida. Also, many

states are encouraging the development of Spaceports through a variety of monetary grants and

legislative activity.

This section describes existing and emerging launch sites, otherwise known as Spaceports, and it

is divided into three parts: Commercially-Licensed Spaceports, U.S. Federal Spaceports, and

Proposed Spaceports. A map showing the location of these Spaceports is provided below, and a

table is included at the end, which summarizes the major characteristics of each Spaceport.

Figure 2. Location of U.S. Spaceports

Key:

• Commercially-Licensed Spaceport

♦ U.S. Federal Spaceport

∗ Proposed Spaceport

 California Spaceport/

•♦Vandenberg AFB

• Kodiak Launch Complex

•♦Spaceport Florida/

 Kennedy Space Ctr/

 Cape Canaveral

 Air Station

 •♦Virginia

 Space Flight

 Center/

 Wallops

 Flight Facility

♦∗Edwards AFB/

 Mojave Civilian Test Flight Center

♦∗White Sands Missile Range/

 Southwest Regional Spaceport

∗Montana Spaceport

Texas Spaceport

(3 proposed sites)

∗Nevada Test Site

∗Utah Spaceport
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

RLV SPACEPORTS PAGE 31

Commercially-Licensed Spaceports

In order to conduct a commercial space launch or operate a commercial launch site in the U.S., it

is necessary to obtain a license from the United States government. The Federal Aviation

Administration’s Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST) performs

this function. While the vast majority of licensed launch activities occur from U.S. Federal

Ranges (described in the next section), many future launch activities are expected to occur from

private or State-operated launch sites. Since September, 1996, AST has licensed the operation of

four non-Federal launch sites including the California Spaceport at Vandenberg Air Force Base,

Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska, Spaceport Florida at Cape Canaveral Air Station, and the

Virginia Space Flight Center at Wallops Island (see Table 3). The first launch from a nonFederal range licensed by AST was that of NASA's Lunar Prospector aboard a Lockheed Martin

Athena-2 rocket on January 6, 1998, from Spaceport Florida.

 Table 3. Launch Site Operator Licenses Issued

License Operator / Launch

Site

Location Original

Effective Date

Expiration

Date

LSO 96-001 Spaceport Systems

International /

California Spaceport

VAFB 19 Sep 1996 19 Sep 2001

LSO 97-002 Spaceport Florida

Flight Authority /

Spaceport Florida

CCAS 22 May 1997 22 May 2002

LSO 97-003 VA Commercial

Space Flight

Authority / Virginia

Space Flight Center

WFF 19 Dec 1997 19 Dec 2002

LSO 97-004 Alaska Aerospace

Development

Corporation / Kodiak

Island

KLC 24 Sep 1998 24 Sep 2003

California Spaceport, Lompoc, California

The California Spaceport is a commercially

operated launch services company. It is

operated and managed by Spaceport Systems

International, L.P. (SSI), a limited partnership

between ITT Federal Services Corporation and

California Commercial Spaceport, Inc.

The California Spaceport was the first

commercial launch site to be licensed by the

Associate Administrator for Commercial Space

Transportation (September 19, 1996). From its

position on Vandenberg Air Force Base (SSI

has signed a 25 year lease with VAFB), the launch can support a variety of mission profiles to

low polar orbit inclinations, with possible launch azimuths ranging from 220° to 150°.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

RLV SPACEPORTS PAGE 32

Construction at California Spaceport’s launch complex began in 1995. Today, the concrete

flame ducts, communication, electrical, and water infrastructure are in place. When complete,

California Spaceport’s new launch complex will be equipped to accommodate several

configurations of small launch vehicles, based on either the Castor 120 or the Minuteman solid

motor first stages. SSI also has plans to provide facilities to service launch vehicles using a

variety of liquid and cryogenic fuels. Additionally, the completed launch complex will provide

two Stack & Checkout Facilities for preparing launch vehicles. Rail-mounted mobile launch

platforms will transport the stacked vehicle and payload to the launch site.

The focus of the California Spaceport’s payload processing services was originally on the

refurbishment of the Payload Preparation Room, which was a cleanroom facility designed to

process three Space Shuttle payloads simultaneously. The Payload Preparation Room, located

near Space Launch Complex 6 (SLC-6), is now leased by SSI as their Integrated Processing

Facility. SSI will be a provider of payload processing services and orbital launch support

services for both commercial and government users. California Spaceport provided payload

processing services for the NASA Lewis satellite and has contracts to provide payload processing

for two Earth Observation System (EOS) satellites.

California Spaceport is planning to support the launch of an orbital payload under the Air Force’s

Orbital/Sub-orbital Program intended to use surplus ballistic missile assets to deploy government

payloads. The Minotaur launch vehicle, a modified Minuteman II first and second stage with an

Orbital Sciences Corporation Pegasus upper stage, will deploy JAWSAT, a joint project by the

Air Force Academy and Weber State University. This launch originally planned for late 1999,

was delayed until January 2000.

Kodiak Launch Complex, Kodiak Island, Alaska

In January 1998, after obtaining a commercial

launch site license from the FAA, the Alaska

Aerospace Development Corporation began

building a commercial spaceport at Narrow

Cape on Kodiak Island, about 250-miles south

of Anchorage and 25 miles southwest of the

City of Kodiak. The Kodiak Launch Complex

(KLC) is located on a 3,100 acre site, divided

among four areas: 1) the Launch Control and

Management Center, 2) the Payload Processing

Facility which will include a class-100,000

cleanroom and a 40-foot by 60-foot airlock and

a 40-foot by 60-foot processing bay, 3) the

Integration and Processing Facility/Spacecraft Assemblies Transfer Facility, and 4) the Launch

Pad and Service Structure .

The AADC is also supporting the development of ground station facilities near Fairbanks, Alaska

in cooperation with several commercial remote sensing companies. The high latitude location
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

RLV SPACEPORTS PAGE 33

makes the Fairbanks site favorable for polar orbiting satellites, which typically pass above

Fairbanks several times daily. Also under consideration is the use of Wallops Flight Facility's

mobile tracking stations.

Kodiak Island provides a wide launch azimuth and unobstructed downrange flight path. KLC's

planned markets are telecommunications, remote sensing, and space science payloads of up to

8,000 pounds into low Earth polar and Molniya orbits as well as RLVs. The first launch from

Kodiak was a suborbital vehicle (Ait-1) built by Orbital Sciences for the Air Force in 1998. A

second suborbital vehicle (Ait-2) was launched in September 1999.

Upon completion, the Kodiak Launch Complex will be the only commercial launch range in the

United States not co-located with a federal facility. No firm orbital launch customers have yet

been found for the Kodiak site.

Spaceport Florida, Cocoa Beach, Florida

The Spaceport Florida Authority (SFA) was established in 1989

by the state of Florida to facilitate the development of the

state’s space related industry. A commercial license from the

FAA Associate Administrator for Commercial Space

Transportation was awarded to the Spaceport Florida Authority

on May 22, 1997. The SFA facility consists of about 70 acres

of land owned by the U.S. Air Force and operated by the U.S.

Navy's Strategic Systems Program Office.

The cornerstone of SFA’s efforts was refurbishing Launch

Complex 46, an old Trident missile launch site at Cape

Canaveral Air Station, to accommodate small commercial

launch vehicles. The philosophy behind developing Launch

Complex 46 was not to tailor a facility for a single launch

system, but rather to build a public transportation infrastructure

for several competing launch systems. SFA’s Launch Complex

46 can accommodate a variety of launch vehicle configurations, and payload lift capabilities up

to 4,000 pounds to LEO are possible. In the future, the complex could even accommodate lift

capabilities in excess of 4,900 pounds to LEO. Launches to LEO, GEO, and interplanetary

trajectories can be conducted from this site.

As Spaceport Florida is located on the Cape Canaveral Air Station, this commercial launch site

can offer extensive support services by relying on existing range infrastructure. Payload

processing facilities, including cleanroom environments are available from off-site commercial

providers, in addition to range tracking and telemetry equipment required to conduct launch

operations.

Currently, the launch complex is configured to launch vehicles that use the Castor 120 or similar

solid motors as a first stage; examples include Lockheed Martin’s Athena launch vehicle and
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

RLV SPACEPORTS PAGE 34

Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Taurus vehicle. Infrastructure can support launch vehicles with a

maximum height of 120 feet and diameters ranging from 50 to 120 inches. The first launch from

Launch Complex 46 was of the Lockheed Martin Athena 2 launch vehicle, which deployed the

Lunar Prospector mission for NASA in January 1998.

The next major effort by the SFA is to convert former Titan 1, Titan 2, and suborbital pads to

service a variety of small launch vehicles for both orbital and suborbital launches. SFA has also

recently upgraded Launch Complex 20, which includes three launch pads, a launch control

blockhouse, and an on-site facility for small payload preparation and storage. The SFA hopes to

take advantage of these facilities to provide a rapid response capability for the LEO

communications satellite replacement market or for scientific payloads. By refurbishing the

blockhouse, the SFA hopes to offer a multi-user launch control and data monitoring system that

will serve several types of vehicle and payload systems.

Virginia Space Flight Center, Wallops Island, Virginia

The Virginia Space Flight Center (VSFC) is

operated by the Virginia Commercial Space

Flight Authority in cooperation with NASA at the

Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island,

Virginia.

The origins of this commercial launch site began

at Virginia's Old Dominion University in 1992

when the Center for Commercial Space

Infrastructure was created to establish commercial

space research and operations facilities in the

state of Virginia. The Center worked in

cooperation with Wallops Flight Facility to develop a commercial launch infrastructure there.

Three years later, the Governor of Virginia signed a bill into law creating the Virginia

Commercial Space Flight Authority (VCSFA) as a public organization specifically to develop a

Virginia commercial launch capability. The Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority was

awarded a commercial launch site operator license by the FAA on December 19, 1997.

The VCSFA is located on Virginia’s southeastern Atlantic coast, and it can accommodate a range

of orbital inclinations and launch azimuths. Facilities exist to service a variety of solid-fueled

vehicles.

Development of the commercial facilities include completion of launch pad LP 0-B, which will

consist of a 19,000-square foot pad and a 182-foot service tower, equipped with a 75-ton crane

for vehicle and payload handing. Phase I construction of the pad began in early 1998 and was

completed by December of that year.79 Phase I includes the pad, launch mount, and some

additional supporting infrastructure. The service tower will be included in subsequent phases.

The new pad is designed as a “Universal Launch Pad,” capable of supporting a variety of small
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

RLV SPACEPORTS PAGE 35

and medium launch vehicles. The most likely vehicles for the facility are the Lockheed Martin

Athena or the Orbital Sciences Corporation Taurus.

In 1997, the VCSFA signed an agreement with NASA to use NASA facilities at Wallops in

support of commercial launches under what is known as the NASA/Virginia Commercial Space

Flight Authority Reimbursement Space Act Agreement. The 30-year agreement allows the

Authority access to the NASA facilities on a cost reimbursement basis.

The Virginia Space Flight Center is not the first commercial venture at Wallops Flight Facility.

In 1994, EER Systems of Seabrook, Maryland, built and operated pad LP 0-A, to be used by

EER's Conestoga launch vehicle. The Conestoga's first and only attempted launch from this

location took place in fall 1995. The launch pad is still owned by EER Systems.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

RLV SPACEPORTS PAGE 36

U.S. Federal Spaceports

The U.S. federal ranges have supported commercial launch activity since the mid-1980s. The

Eastern range at Cape Canaveral and the Western range at Vandenberg Air Force Base are where

the bulk of the nation’s government and commercial launches are conducted today. The U.S.

government, primarily the Air Force, is preparing to accommodate the continuing increase in the

number of commercial launches from the federal launch sites. This will be accomplished through

range modernization programs that will upgrade much of the range's support and

communications systems. The U.S. Air Force began a complete range modernization program in

1987 and in July 1993. The Range Standardization and Automation program is currently

underway and it is a key effort to modernize and upgrade the Eastern range at Cape Canaveral

and portions of the Western range at Vandenberg. Launch pad modifications are also continuing

in order to accommodate the next generation of the Delta and Atlas launch systems, the Delta 3

and the Atlas 3. Work is also progressing to support the new EELV family of launch vehicles,

each being separately developed by Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

Cape Canaveral Air Station/Kennedy Space Center, Cocoa Beach, Florida

Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS) and NASA

Kennedy Space Center (KSC) are collocated on

the “Florida Space Coast.” The Cape Canaveral

Air Station, dates back to 1949, when the Banana

River Naval Air Station was transferred to the

Air Force to become a joint service missile range.

It became increasingly active and developed with

the space race in the 1950’s and is the only site

(along with the adjacent KSC) ever used for U.S.

manned space missions. Today the Air Station

encompasses active Delta, Atlas, and Titan

launch complexes as well as support and launch facilities for the military, NASA and commercial

companies. Because its launch complexes were conceived and built in the 1950’s, the Cape can

only support 25 to 30 launches a year. The 9 currently operational pads (a total of 40 were built)

require an average of 26 to 40 days processing between

each launch. In addition to the pads, CCAS provides

extensive support facilities, including a Range Operation

Control Center, 5 hangars for non-hazardous payload

processing, the Shuttle Payload Integration Facility, the

Satellite Assembly Building and an Explosive Safe Area.

The only launch complex located on the Kennedy Space

Center grounds is dedicated to the Space Shuttle. Pads

39 A&B and their support and processing facilities are all

located on Meritt Island, between the Florida mainland

and Cape Canaveral. KSC was originally built to support
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

RLV SPACEPORTS PAGE 37

the Apollo program. After the end of the lunar landing program in 1972, Launch Complex (LC)

39 served to launch SkyLab missions, the Apollo-Soyuz program and the Space Shuttle. Support

facilities for LC-39 include the Vehicle Assembly Building, the Launch Control Center, the

Mobile Launcher Platform, the Crawler Transporter, the Orbiter Processing Facilities, the

Payload Processing Facility and the Shuttle Landing Facility.

KSC (and Florida Spaceport) has been selected as the launch site of three RLVs: the X-34 (in its

second phase of powered testing), the X-37, and the X-38/CRV. Primarily to support X-34

operations, but also in the hope of attracting more RLV business, the state of Florida has

financed the construction of a climate-controlled hangar and processing facility at KSC.

Edwards Air Force Base, Mojave, California

Edwards Air Force Base in Mojave,

California is the home of the NASA

Dryden Flight Facility and of the Air

Force Flight Test Center.

Edwards AFB was chosen as the

initial Space Shuttle landing site. The

first two flights by the Shuttle ended

with the orbiters landing on Rogers

Dry Lake, a natural hardpack riverbed

about 44 square miles in size.

However, rainfall at Edwards AFB in

early 1982 flooded the normally dry

lakebed and NASA diverted the

landing site of the third mission to

White Sands, N.M. Later that year, a 4.5km concrete runway was built at Edwards.

The X-33 Program Office is planning on using 30 acres of land at Edwards AFB as its launch

site. The complex, completed in December 1998, consists of an X-33-specific launch pad, the

Operation Control Center (OCC) and a movable hangar where the vehicle is housed and serviced

in the horizontal position. The OCC, which will serve as a launch monitoring facility and mission

control, is situated about a mile away from the launch pad, and it is linked to the data and

communication systems at the launch site. Telemetry and tracking functions will be performed

using existing Air Force and NASA facilities on Edwards AFB. The X-33 spaceport is also

equipped with hydrogen and nitrogen gas tanks, and liquid hydrogen and oxygen tanks capable of

holding more than 300,000 gallons of cryogenic materials. A 250-feet-tall water tower will

supply 250,000 gallons of water dropped into the concrete flame trench at launch. The deluge

system is not only a cooling mechanism, it also serves as a sound suppression system and helps

minimize the intensity of the shock-wave rebounding from the trench to the engine.80

Edwards Air Force Base is also planned for X-34 high speed and long range testing.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

RLV SPACEPORTS PAGE 38

Vandenberg Air Force Base, Lompoc, California

Vandenberg Air Force Base has, until now,

been primarily used for the development

and testing of ICBMs. It is also used for

launching classified satellites and for

putting NASA and DOD payloads into

polar orbit. Vandenberg AFB has a 4.5 km

runway, vertical launch facilities, payload

processing facilities, tracking radar, optical

tracking and telemetry facilities, a control

center, engineering office space, and a

range extending from the San Francisco

area to the Mexican border and westwards

to the Hawaiian Islands.81

The 399 square kilometers base houses 53

host organizations and 49 contractor companies in 1,100 buildings. VAFB is actively trying to

attract commercial aerospace companies and is supporting the California Spaceport effort.

Vandenberg Air Force Base has been contacted by two RLV manufacturers: Pioneer Rocketplane

and Kelly Aerospace. Both have expressed interest in using Vandenberg facilities for testing

purposes and possibly as their spaceport once the testing sequence is completed. The existing

facilities on base may or may not require modifications depending on the final design of the

vehicle tested there. No upgrades or new facilities are currently being planned. Should there be

a need for construction, the RLV firms would be responsible for the cost as the government is

prohibited from subsidizing commercial space operation. Operations and maintenance costs

would also be the responsibility of the RLV operators.

Pioneer Rocketplane has signed an Initial Support Agreement with Vandenberg and obtained a

“right-of-entry” to Vandenberg facilities. This permit has, however, expired and Pioneer moved

their offices off base.

Kelly Aerospace and Vandenberg are still in the planning phase and have yet to sign an Initial

Support Agreement. Kelly Aerospace has expressed its intention to only use Vandenberg AFB

facilities for testing purposes and hope to move their operations to privately operated facilities

when the Astroliner is operational.82

Although there are no definite plans for other RLVs to use Vandenberg AFB, the base is

attempting to capture more RLV business and has presented a proposal to VentureStar. It is also

being considered as a potential site for the “Military Space Operation Vehicle” in the future.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

RLV SPACEPORTS PAGE 39

Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia

NASA has operated a sounding rocket range at

Wallops Island since 1945 and conducted its

first orbital launch in 1961, when a Scout

launch vehicle deployed the Explorer 9 balloon

that was used to study atmospheric density.

Since that time, several orbital and suborbital

missions have been conducted at Wallops for

NASA. In 1994, EER Systems completed

launch pad LP 0-A, which was built to support

its Conestoga launch vehicle. The first and

only flight of Conestoga failed to deploy the

METEOR recoverable satellite, designed for

microgravity experiments, in 1995.

Other orbital launches from Wallops have included flights of Orbital Sciences Corporation’s

Pegasus air-launched vehicle, the first of which deployed the MSTI 3 satellite in 1996 on a

commercially-licensed launch. In April 1996, the Air Force designated Wallops Flight Facility

as one of the sites to conduct launches of converted Minuteman II missiles under the Orbital/Suborbital Program, along with Kodiak Launch Complex and the California Spaceport.

Although Wallops has not supported any orbital flights since the Conestoga failure in 1995,

NASA is committed to maintain the existing infrastructure. Five launch areas, including one for

heavy lift sub-orbital rockets and one for classified payloads, two blockhouses, and preparation

facilities are operational. The Virginia Space Flight Center is co-located at Wallops.

White Sands Missile Range, Las Cruces, New Mexico

White Sands Missile Range, which includes the NASA

White Sands Flight Test Center situated 26 km

northeast of Las Cruces, New Mexico, is operated by

the U.S. Army and used mainly as a sounding rocket

firing base and supports BMDO flight testing. Its

8,100 square kilometers also include the site of the first

atomic explosion: Trinity Site.

Also used as a test center for rocket engines and

experimental spacecraft, White Sands counts seven

engine test stands and precision cleaning facilities

including a class 100 clean room for spacecraft parts.

White Sands also provides the third shuttle landing site in the U.S. after Edwards AFB and KSC.

The Northrup Strip consists of two 11 km-long gypsum-sand runways. More recently, White

Sands was chosen as the site for the first phase of unpowered tests for the X-34 vehicle.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

RLV SPACEPORTS PAGE 40

Proposed Spaceports

Montana Spaceport, Great Falls, Montana

The State of Montana is aggressively pursuing the development of its space industry. Under the

Department of Commerce, the Montana Space Development Authority has been established to

coordinate and lead the state's commercial space efforts. Montana's space strategy involves

creating the necessary organizational and educational infrastructure to support state space

activities and ultimately constructing and licensing a commercial spaceport.

Montana is proposing to fly reusable launch vehicles from a site near Great Falls, Montana and

Malmstrom Air Force Base. Malmstrom has already been selected as a landing site for the X-33

flight test program. Montana has been working with officials from both Lockheed Martin's

VentureStar and Rotary Rocket company to bring commercial space launch to the State.

Montana Space Development Authority personnel have flown to Washington to meet with FAA's

AST division and are in the process of obtaining a commercial spaceport license for the Great

Falls site.

Another manifestation of Montana's space effort includes the founding of a Commercial Space

Policy Institute at Montana State University's Billings campus. The Institute will examine policy

and political issues important to the commercial space industry.

Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada

The Nevada Test Site (NTS), 100 km northwest of Las Vegas, was selected by Kistler Aerospace

as a spaceport for the K-1 RLV in addition to their Woomera facility in order to increase

scheduling flexibility and widen the range of launch azimuths available for customers. Although

it did not have any launch infrastructure as of December 1999, the Nevada Test Site has existing

basic infrastructure that can be used as support facilities, such as a paved runway, water, roads,

and power.

The Nevada Test Site Development Corporation (NTSDC) obtained an Economic Development

Use permit in 1997 from the Department of Energy. Shortly after, the NSTDC issued a subpermit allowing Kistler to operate a launch and recovery operation at the NTS.

In 1999, a task force was formed to facilitate the growth of an aerospace industry in Nevada. The

development of Spaceport Nevada is actively supported by the state; NTSDC has participated in

discussions with VentureStar and is planning to respond to their request for proposal when it is

published.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

RLV SPACEPORTS PAGE 41

Southwest Regional Spaceport, White Sands, New Mexico

The State of New Mexico proposes to construct and operate the Southwest Regional Spaceport

(SRS) for use by private companies conducting commercial space activities and operations. The

SRS is proposed to be located in south central New Mexico. The SRS is expected to provide a

full range of support for satellite launches and recoveries, scientific research, and space station

support. Vehicles for the proposed spaceport are expected to have the capability to terminate

each flight without damage and include the ability to make a fully controlled soft landing under

emergency conditions. No spent stages or other components would be dropped during normal

flight.

Major components of the proposed SRS include a Spaceport Central Control Facility, an

Airfield, a Maintenance and Integration Facility, a launch/recovery complex, a Flight Operations

Control Center, and a cryogenic plant.

Texas Spaceport

The State of Texas has enabled the development of a commercial Spaceport(s) for reusable

launch vehicles. The most promising sites were determined based on a detailed engineering and

business evaluation of many potential sites using criteria which included 56 parameters - the

most heavily weighted criteria were public safety (consistent with the FAA Spaceport

Guidelines) and environmental compatibility. The three candidate sites are located on the Gulf

of Mexico (2) and in the desert area of west Texas (1). The Texas Spaceport site(s) will be

selected in cooperation with RLV operators. The Spaceport(s) will be owned and operated by a

public-private sector partnership. A state law was enacted in the early 1999 which provides for

the Spaceport Authority.

Utah Spaceport, Wah Wah Valley, Utah

The Wah Wah Valley Interlocal Cooperation Entity, proposes to construct and operate a

commercial launch site utilizing approximately 70,000 acres of Utah State Trust lands located 30

miles southwest of Milford, Utah. This proposed spaceport’s mission is to provide a cost

effective launch and recovery facility for single stage to orbit reusable launch vehicles.

This development of the proposed Wah Wah Valley Spaceport would occur over several years.

The proposed project would include the construction of a new 15,000 foot long space vehicle

recovery and aircraft runway at an elevation of 5,000 feet above sea level and two space vehicle

launch facilities located at 7,600 feet above sea level. Additionally, assembly, testing,

processing, and office facilities would be constructed.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

RLV SPACEPORTS PAGE 42

Woomera Spaceport (Australia)

Situated 430 km north of Adelaide

in South-Central Australia, the

Woomera Range was established

jointly by the United Kingdom

(UK) and Australia in 1946 to test

ballistic missiles and sounding

rockets. Unfortunately, the plan to

make Woomera an international

launch site never came to fruition

as France chose to build its own

site and the UK announced it would

no longer use the facilities after 1976.83

After twenty years of virtual inactivity and with the support of the South Australian government,

Woomera is envisioned to become the first operational commercial RLV spaceport. In 1996,

Kistler Aerospace signed an agreement and 25 years lease with the Australian government giving

it the right to build and operate an RLV launch complex on Woomera grounds. After a

groundbreaking ceremony in July 1998, Kistler had to halt construction because of lack of funds.

Kistler, who invested $45 million in its Woomera facility, recently announced that work would

start again in January 2000 and that Woomera Spaceport would be operational by 2001.84

At present, the Woomera range is little more than an outdated launch site and assembly building

and tracking facility. However, Kistler’s plans include completely new facilities. Also, the

Australian government is hoping that Kistler’s efforts will attract other RLV companies in the

future and has passed a series of legislative acts in support of space-related foreign investment in

the area of Woomera.

Mojave Civilian Test Flight Center, Mojave, California

The Mojave Airport was established in 1935

as a county facility with taxiways and basic

support facilities suitable for general aviation.

A few years later, the airport was taken over

by the Federal Government and turned into a

Marine Corps Auxiliary Air Station. In 1961,

Kern County re-acquired the facilities and

turned the Mojave airport into a civilian flight

test center.85

In 1998, Rotary Rocket Company moved parts

of its Roton manufacturing and testing

facilities to Mojave Airport where it had

acquired a 2.5-acre lot. In May of that year, Rotary Rocket announced the completion of its
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

RLV SPACEPORTS PAGE 43

Rotor Test Stand and that they would start assembling and testing hardware on site at Mojave.

This was only the first step of a $5.5 million project. The complex including a an engineering

“workshop and campus” and a high bay building which is used to house office space as well as to

assemble the Roton Atmospheric Test Vehicle (ATV) was completed in early 1999.86

On July 23, 1999, the first test flight of the ATV was successfully completed as the Roton flew

for 4 minutes and 40 seconds over runway 30 at Mojave Airport. Other stability tests have since

then taken place and the first operational flight is planned for 2001.87

This document has attempted to capture most, if not all, of the existing and proposed U.S.

Spaceports. However, it is possible that there are other proposed Spaceport concepts in

existence.
Table 3: RLV Spaceport Summary Information JANUARY 2000

Spaceport Location Spaceport

Owner/Operator

Launch Infrastructure at

Site

Current Development Status

Commercially Licensed Spaceports

California

Spaceport

Lompoc,

California

Spaceport Systems

International, L.P.

Existing launch pads, runways,

payload processing facilities,

telemetry and tracking equipment.

The site is still undergoing upgrades. Currently in

place are the concrete flame ducts, communication,

electrical, and water infrastructure.

Kodiak Launch

Complex

Kodiak Island,

Alaska

Alaska Aerospace

Development

Corporation

Limited infrastructure at this time. Construction for the launch control and management

center, the payload processing facility and the

integration and processing facility is in progress.

Spaceport

Florida

Cocoa Beach,

Florida

Spaceport Florida

Authority (SFA)

Two launch complexes including

pads and a control center, a small

payload preparation facility and an

RLV support facility.

SFA has invested over $200 million to upgrade LC

46 and 20, build an RLV support complex adjacent

to the Shuttle landing facilities, and develop a new

space operation support complex .

Virginia Flight

Test Center

Wallops Island,

Virginia

Virginia Commercial

Space Flight Authority

Launch pad and service tower,

payload processing facility,

downrange tracking facility.

Pad 0-B was completed in December 1998. VSFC

obtained a commercial license from the FAA in 1997.

Federal Spaceports

Cape Canaveral

Air Station/

Kennedy Space

Center

Cocoa Beach,

Florida

USAF, NASA,

Florida Spaceport

Authority

Telemetry and tracking facilities, jet

and shuttle capable runways, launch

pads, hangar, vertical processing

facilities and assembly building.

RLV spaceport and processing facilities to be

completed in early 2000.

Edwards AFB Mojave,

California

USAF Telemetry and tracking facilities, jet

and shuttle capable runways, X-33

launch pad, operations control

center, movable hangar, fuel tanks,

water tower.

Site is operational. 

Vandenberg AFB Lompoc,

California

USAF Launch pads, vehicle assembly and

processing buildings, payload

processing facilities, telemetry and

tracking facilities, control center,

engineering office space, shuttlecapable runway.

VAFB has started negotiations with several

commercial companies. Existing infrastructure is

operational. Upgrades may or may not be required

depending on vehicle requirements.

Wallops Flight

Facility

Wallops Island,

Virginia

NASA Launch pads, blockhouses and

processing facilities.

Wallops Flight Facility has not supported any orbital

flights since the failure of Conestoga in 1995. NASA

is committed to maintain the existing infrastructure.

White Sands

Missile Range

White Sands,

New Mexico

US Army Telemetry and tracking facilities, 4.5

km runway. Engine and propulsion

testing facilities.

NASA Flight test center is operational. RLV-specific

upgrades will probably be required.

Proposed Spaceports

Montana

Spaceport

Great Falls,

Montana

Montana Space

Development

Authority

No infrastructure at this time. Montana Spaceport is primarily seeking RLV

business. The Montana Space Development

Authority is in the process of obtaining a commercial

spaceport license for the Great Falls site.

Nevada Test Site Nye County,

Nevada

Department of

Energy/Nevada Test

Site Development

Corporation (NTSDC)

No launch infrastructure at this time.

Power and basic facilities available.

NTSDC has issued a sub-permit allowing Kistler to

operate a launch and recovery operation. NTSDC is

actively promoting the site as a spaceport for both

RLVs and conventional launchers.

Southwest

Regional

Spaceport

White Sands,

New Mexico

New Mexico Office of

Space

Commercialization

No infrastructure at this time. Plans for this site include a Spaceport central control

facility, an airfield, a maintenance and integration

facility, a launch and recovery complex, a flight

operation control center, and a cryogenic plant.

Texas Spaceport TBD State of Texas

Spaceport Authority

No infrastructure at this time. The final Texas Spaceport site(s) has not been

selected yet.

Utah Spaceport Wah Wah

Valley, Utah

Utah Spaceport

Corporation

No infrastructure at this time. Plans for the proposed Utah Spaceport include a

central administrative control facility, an airfield, a

maintenance and integration facility for both

payloads and craft, launch pads, a flight operation

control center, and a propellant storage facility.

Woomera Rocket

Range

Woomera,

Australia

Woomera Rocket

Range/Kistler

Woomera

Outdated launch site infrastructure,

assembly building, and tracking

facility.

Kistler is starting work on new facilities in January of

2000. The Australian government has passed

congressional acts to attract aerospace business to

the Woomera area.

Mojave Civilian

Test Flight

Center

Mojave,

California

Mojave Airport

Authority

Air control tower, runway, rotor test

stand, engineering facilities, high

bay building.

The infrastructure in place is part of a $5.5 million

project.

PAGE 44
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

ACRONYMS PAGE 45

Acronyms

AADC – Alaska Aerospace Development Corp.

ACRV – Assured Crew Return Vehicle

AFB – Air Force Base

AFRL – Air Force Research Laboratory

AFSPC – United States Air Force Space

Command

ALFLEX – Automatic Landing Flight

Experiment

AST – Associate Administrator for Commercial

Space Transportation (FAA)

ATV – Atmospheric Test Vehicle (Roton);

Advanced Technology Vehicle (NASA)

AVATAR –Aerobic Vehicle for Advanced

Trans–Atmospheric Research

BMDO – Ballistic Missile Defense Organization

BSL – Bristol Spaceplanes Limited

CATS – Cheap Access to Space

CCAS – Cape Canaveral Air Station

CRV – Crew Return Vehicle

CTV – Crew Transfer Vehicle

DLR – Deutschen Zentrum für Luft– und

Raumfahrt (German National Aerospace

Research Center/German Space Agency)

DOD – Department of Defense

DRDO – Defense Research Development

Organization (India)

EELV – Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle

ELV – Expendable Launch Vehicle

EOS – Earth Observing System

ESA – European Space Agency

EXD – Eclipse Experimental Demonstration

FAA – Federal Aviation Administration

GEO – Geosynchronous Orbit

GTO – Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit

HOPE-X – H-II Orbiting Plane Experimental

HYFLEX – Hypersonic Flight Experiment

ICBM – Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

ICT – Integrated Concept Team

ISS – International Space Station

JSC – Johnson Space Center

KLC – Kodiak Launch Complex

KSC – Kennedy Space Center

KST – Kelly Space and Technology

LACE – Liquefied Air Cycle Engines

LC – Launch Complex

LEO – Low Earth Orbit

LLC – Limited Liability Corporation

LOX – Liquid Oxygen

LP – Launch Pad

MEO – Medium Earth Orbit

MSFC – Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA – National Aeronautics and Space

Administration

NASDA – National Space Development Agency

of Japan

NTS – Nevada Test Site

NTSDC – Nevada Test Site Development Corp.

PTV – Propulsion Test Vehicle (Roton)

RFP – Request For Proposal

RLV – Reusable Launch Vehicle

SCS – Space Cruiser System

SFA – Spaceport Florida Authority

SLC – Space Launch Complex

SMV – Space Maneuver Vehicle

SRS – Southwest Regional Spaceport

SSI – Spaceport Systems International

SSPP – (RLV) System Safety Program Plan

SSTO – Single-Stage-to-Orbit

TBA –To Be Announced

TSTO – Two-Stage-to-Orbit

UK – United Kingdom

USAF – United States Air Force

VAFB – Vandenberg Air Force Base

VCSFA – Virginia Commercial Space Flight

Authority

VSFC – Virginia Space Flight Center

WFF – Wallops Flight Facility

X-vehicle – Experimental Vehicle
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

ENDNOTES PAGE 46

Endnotes

1

“Platforms Corporate Infrastructure Buildup,” Platforms International Corporation Press Release, July 24, 1999

(http://www.platforms-intl.com/July24).

2

“Russian Shuttle,” SpaceViews News, January 15, 1999 (http://www.spaceviews.com/1999/0115/othernews.com)

3

“Cash-Starved RLV Firms Remain Grounded,” Aviation Week and Space Technology,” December 13, 1999, p.

81.

4 Kelly Space and Technology interview, January 29, 1999.

5

Interview with Joe Holland and Dick Hora, Kelly Space and Technology, November 5, 1997.

6 Kelly Space and Technology interview, January 29, 1999.

7

“Kelly Space selects Davis as new president/CEO; Constantine to head Astroliner program,” Kelly Space and

Technology Press Release, July 6, 1998 (http://www.kellyspace.com/070698_p.html).

8

 Interview with Joe Holland, Kelly Space and Technology, December 7, 1999.

9

 Kistler Aerospace Corporation interview, January 29, 1999.

10 K-1 Payload User’s Guide, May 1999.

11

 Kistler Aerospace Corporation interview, January 29, 1999.

12

 “GenCorp Aerojet Successfully Test Fires K-1 Rocket Engine, Test is Key Milestone Toward Kistler’s First

Launch,” Kistler Aerospace Corp Press Release, March 12, 1998

(http://www.newspace.com/Industry/Kistler/news/pr/46.html).

13

 “Kistler inks final agreement in Nevada,” Kistler Aerospace Corp Press Release, October 26, 1998

(http://www.newspace.com/Industry/Kistler/news/pr/71.html).

14 “Pathfinder,” Forecast International Space Systems Forecast, October 1998.

15 Pioneer Rocketplane, Operations Concept (http://www.rocketplane.com/OpsConcept.html).

16 “Rotary Changes Engines, Lays Off Some Workers,” Space News, July 5, 1999, p. 10.

17 Rotary Rocket Company, Revolution to Orbit (http://www.rotaryrocket.com/index.htm).

18

 “Ground Breaking for High Bay/Office Complex at Mojave Site,” Rotary Rocket Company Press Release, June

19, 1998 (http://www.rotaryrocket.com/new/980619.html) and Rotary Rocket Corporation interview, January 29,

1999.

19 “Rotary Rocket Reorganizes to Meet Customer Commitments,” Rotary Rocket Company Press Release, June 22,

1999.

20

 “Space Access’ Launch System Based on Airbreathing Ejector Ramjet,” Aviation Week and Space Technology,

March 30, 1998, pp. 75-77.

21

 “Rocket Planes,” Popular Science, February 1999, pp. 44-45.

22

 “Space Access’ Launch System Based on Airbreathing Ejector Ramjet,” Aviation Week and Space Technology,

March 30, 1998, pp. 75-77.

23

 “Space Access’ Launch System Based on Airbreathing Ejector Ramjet,” Aviation Week and Space Technology,

March 30, 1998, pp. 75-77.

24 Interview with Mike Wade, Space Access LLC, December 10, 1999.

25 Interview with Mike Wade, Space Access LLC, December 10, 1999.

26 Interview with Mike Wade, Space Access LLC, December 10, 1999.

27 Zegrahm Space Voyages Brochure (http://www.spacevoyages.com/brochure.html).

28 Zegrahm Space Voyages, Space Cruiser System Fact Sheet (http://www.spacevoyages.com/factsheet.html).

29

 “AeroAstro LLC Selected as Space Cruiser® Prime Contractor,” Vela Technology Development press release,

November 25, 1997 (http://www.spacevoyages.com/press5.html).

30 “Despite Problems, X-33 Demonstrator Remains on Track, Officials Say,” Phillips Satellite Today, September

30, 1999 (www.phillips.com)

31

 “RLV Plan Would Split Human, Cargo Roles,” Space News, February 16, 1998, p. 3.

32 “Despite Problems, X-33 Demonstrator Remains on Track, Officials Say,” Phillips Satellite Today, September

30, 1999 (www.phillips.com)

33

 Isakowitz, Steven J., “International Reference Guide to Space Launch Systems,” Third Edition, AIAA, 1999, p.

394.

34 “USA Takes Over Another Portion of Space Shuttle Program,” Satellite Today, October 1, 1999.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

ENDNOTES PAGE 47

35 Testimony of Andrew Allen, United Space Alliance, before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on

Space and Aeronautics, October 21, 1999.

36 “”Industry, Government Leaders Outline Future Space Shuttle Upgrade Space Business News, October 27,

1999.

37 Testimony of William Readdy, Deputry Associate Administrator, Office of Space Flight, NASA, before the U.S.

House of Representatives Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, October 21, 1999.

38 “X-33,” Forecast International Space Systems Forecast, October, 1998.

39 “X-33 Could Face Lengthy Delays," Space News, November 15, 1999.

40 "X-33 Specifications," (http://x33.msfc.nasa.gov/x33specs.html).

41 “X-33 Program Status," Lockheed Martin Press Release, September 28, 1999

(http://www.venturestar.com/pages/missupd/pressrel/1999/09289901.html).

42 “KSC Delivers x-33 Propellant Loading Equipment to California," KSC Press Release, Aug. 24, 1999.

43 “X-33 Program Status," Lockheed Martin Press Release, May 26, 1999

(http://www.venturestar.com/pages/missupd/pressrel/1999/05269901.html).

44 “X-33 Could Face Lengthy Delays," Space News, November 15, 1999.

45 “Orbital Receives Order From NASA For 25 Additional Flights Of X-34 Reusable Launch Vehicle,” Orbital

Sciences Corp. Press Release, December 18, 1998 (http://www.orbital.com/Press_Releases/pr199.html).

46 “X-34: Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator," Orbital Sciences Brochure, 1999.

47 Orbital Sciences Corporation, Orbital's X-34 Launch Vehicle

(http://www.orbital.com/Prods_n_Servs/Products/LaunchSystems/X34/index.html).

48 “X-34 Gets Boost With Engine Contract," Space.com, August 9, 1999.

49 “Experimental X-34 Rocket Plane To Begin Extensive Testing,” NASA HQ Press Release, August 24, 1999.

50 "NASA Revamps X-34 Testing, Adds Third Test Flight Vehicle," Aviation Week and Space Technology, August

30, 1999.

51 “France Pulls Out of CRV,” Space News, Oct. 27-Nov. 2, 1997, p. 28.

52

 “Dassault Research Advances X-38 Design,” Aviation Week and Space Technology, August 31, 1998, p. 60.

53 “ESA Cajoles Members to Pay for X-38 Work,” Space News, June 6, 1999, p.4.

54 NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, X-38 Technology. (http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Projects/X38/intro.html)

and “Second X-38 Set for Flight,” Avaition Week and Space Technology, August 31, 1998, pp. 58-61.

55 “Second X-38 Set for Flight,” Avaition Week and Space Technology, August 31, 1998, pp. 58-61.

56 “U.S. Defines Missions for Military Sp Aviation Week and Space Technology, January 13, 1997, p.

362.

57 “USAF Set to Fly Mini-Spaceplane,” Aviation Week and Space Technology, August 4, 1997, p. 20-21.

58 “Spaceplane Low-Speed Testbed Rolled Out,” Aviation Week and Space Technology, September 8, 1997, p. 22.

59 "NASA, Boeing sign X-37 Vehicle Agreement," Boeing News Release, July 14, 1999

60 "X-37 Demonstrator to Test Future Launch Technologies in Orbit and Reentry Environments," Boeing Press

Package, July 14, 1999 and Lt. Col. Kris Johanessen, Deputy Project Manager for the X-37, Dec. 16, 1999.

61 "NASA, Boeing Enter Cooperative Agreement to Develop and Fly X-37 Technology Demonstrator," MSFC

News Release, July 14, 1999.

62 "X-37 Demonstrator to Test Future Launch Technologies in Orbit and Reentry Environments," Boeing Press

Package, July 14, 1999.

63

 Information in this paragraph was provided by Lt. Col. Kris Johanessen, Deputy Project Manager for the X-37,

Dec. 16, 1999.

64

 Information on the AVATAR vehicle is drawn from “India Sees Bright Skies for Space Plane,” Space News, May

18-24, 1998, p. 15.

65

 “’Avtar’ in conceptual stage of development,” Hindustan Times, July 10, 1998

(http://www.hindustantimes.com/ht/nonfram/100798/detnat07.htm).

66 Kobayashi, Teiu, et al., “Development Status of Hope-X and the Way to (IAF-99-V.4.08)

67 Akimoto, toshio, et al., “Japanese Orbit and reentry Experimental Vehicle: HOPE-X”

68 Kobayashi, Teiu, et al., “Development Status of Hope-X and the Way to (IAF-99-V.4.08)

69 http://www.nal.go.jp/

70 Masataka Maita, Hirotoshi Kubota, and Yasutaka Moriguchi, “Japanese Spaceplane/RLV Programme.” presented

at the 48th International Astronautical Congress, October 6-10, 1997.
2000 REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE PROGRAMS AND CONCEPTS JANUARY 2000

ENDNOTES PAGE 48

71 “Japanese Advanced Spaceplane,” Teal Group World Space Systems Briefing, July 1998.

72 “Japanese Advanced Spaceplane,” Teal Group World Space Systems Briefing, July 1998.

73

 “Japan’s Launch Systems Face Cost Hurdles,” Space News, May 18-24, 1998, p. 10.

74 Bristol Spaceplanes Ltd., Spacecab. (http://www.bristolspaceplanes.com/projects/spacecab.shtml)

75 Bristol Spaceplanes Ltd., Spacecab. (http://www.bristolspaceplanes.com/projects/spacebus.shtml)

76 Bristol Spaceplanes Ltd., Spacecab. (http://www.bristolspaceplanes.com/projects/spacecab.shtml)

77

 “X-Prize foundation offers sweepstakes for space ride,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch,” Thursday, May 21, 1998, p.

A7, and “X PRIZE at a glance,” X Prize Foundation, 1998.

78

 “Proteus Technical Sheet,” Scaled Composites, 1998.

79

 http://www.va-spaceflightcenter.org

80

 Launch Site Construction Complete (http:// www.venturestar.com/pages/missupd/pressrel/1999/01219901.html)

81 Major Cherry, VAFB Public Affairs

82 Dr. Joe Holland, Kelly Space Technology

83 Jane’s Space Directory, Fifteenth edition, 1999-2000

84 “Kistler Pursues Funds to Restart Program”, Aviation Week and Space Technology, December 13, 1999

85 http://fp2.hughes.net/ekadtim/history.htm

86 http://www.rotaryrocket.com/new/html

87 http://www.rotaryrocket.com/new/990920.html