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Europe in space (18) - enters HOTOL
INTEGRATION OF HOTOL INTO ESA PRESENT SPACE ARCHITECTURE.
By: Alan Bond and Bob Parkinson
1 - HOTOL, the Agena space tug, and beyond.
HOTOL can't reach past low Earth orbit, so there is no question of the usefulness of a space tug. It happens that HOTOL payload into orbit – 7 metric tons – exactly match Agena fuelled mass. Thus a HOTOL could carry a fully-fueled tug into low Earth orbit.
An alternative would be on-orbit refueling; HOTOL could easily lift 12 000 pounds tanks of storable propellants.
Another interesting possibility is satellite launch to higher orbit; HOTOL would rendezvous with an Agena and transfer a satellite from its payload bay to the space tug via a robotic arm.
Beyond the Agena, HOTOL could bring LOX and LH2 to a high-energy transfer stage. By launching HOTOL without a payload, 7 metric of propellant would remain in the tanks once in orbit;that residual propellant could be pumped into a space tug.
2 – HOTOL and SOLARIS
It should be noted that HOTOL 7 metric ton payload to low Earth orbit matches that of Ariane 4. As such both launch vehicles can ferry a Solaris capsule to low Earth orbit for use as a space station lifeboat or microgravity carrier. Beyond these two missions there is no question that HOTOL would make Ariane – Solaris obsolete as far as crewed transportation is concerned; which doesn't mean both systems are mutually exclusive. Missions beyond Earth orbit will need all three Ariane 5 (heavy lift) HOTOL (cheap crew acess to space) and Solaris capsule (reentry from interplanetary speeds).
3 – HOTOL and pressurized modules (MPLM)
There HOTOL payload is too small and Ariane 5 is needed; although inflatable modules might change things in the future.
By: Alan Bond and Bob Parkinson
1 - HOTOL, the Agena space tug, and beyond.
HOTOL can't reach past low Earth orbit, so there is no question of the usefulness of a space tug. It happens that HOTOL payload into orbit – 7 metric tons – exactly match Agena fuelled mass. Thus a HOTOL could carry a fully-fueled tug into low Earth orbit.
An alternative would be on-orbit refueling; HOTOL could easily lift 12 000 pounds tanks of storable propellants.
Another interesting possibility is satellite launch to higher orbit; HOTOL would rendezvous with an Agena and transfer a satellite from its payload bay to the space tug via a robotic arm.
Beyond the Agena, HOTOL could bring LOX and LH2 to a high-energy transfer stage. By launching HOTOL without a payload, 7 metric of propellant would remain in the tanks once in orbit;that residual propellant could be pumped into a space tug.
2 – HOTOL and SOLARIS
It should be noted that HOTOL 7 metric ton payload to low Earth orbit matches that of Ariane 4. As such both launch vehicles can ferry a Solaris capsule to low Earth orbit for use as a space station lifeboat or microgravity carrier. Beyond these two missions there is no question that HOTOL would make Ariane – Solaris obsolete as far as crewed transportation is concerned; which doesn't mean both systems are mutually exclusive. Missions beyond Earth orbit will need all three Ariane 5 (heavy lift) HOTOL (cheap crew acess to space) and Solaris capsule (reentry from interplanetary speeds).
3 – HOTOL and pressurized modules (MPLM)
There HOTOL payload is too small and Ariane 5 is needed; although inflatable modules might change things in the future.
- Archibald
- Word Count: 290