Title: Space transportation for the twenty-first century
Abstract: The Congressional committees that authorize NASA funding requested that the National Research Council (NRC) assess future requirements for space transportation as well as the benefits, technological feasibility, and roles of various Earth-to-orbit transportation system options. The study, "From Earth to Orbit - An Assessment of Transportation Options," was completed by a blue ribbon panel March 1992.1 Launch requirements considered include assembly and operation of Space Station Freedom, Mission to Planet Earth, human exploration of space, and the launch requirements of space science missions and experiments. Launch vehicles for national security purposes were factored in as well. Launch vehicle systems studied include existing and proposed expendable launch vehicles, the National Launch System, other potential followons to the Shuttle system, single-stage-to-orbit vehicles, and systems designed for very heavy lift. Past, present, and potential propulsion systems, as well as international propulsion systems were also investigated. This paper: 1) summarizes the principal conclusions of the NRC study, "From Earth to Orbit - An Assessment of Transportation Options," 2) includes several comments by the authors referring to the NRC report in hindsight, and 3) discusses the determination of future requirements for larger launch vehicles for Space Exploration Initiative applications (SEI).
Publication Year: 1993
Publication Date: 1993-07-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 1
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