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| timelines:eyes_turned_skyward_spacecraft_and_launch_vehicle_technical_data [2019/03/29 15:13] – external edit 127.0.0.1 | timelines:eyes_turned_skyward_spacecraft_and_launch_vehicle_technical_data [2020/02/03 23:28] (current) – Updating to new link format eofpi |
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| === Delta 4000 === | === Delta 4000 === |
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| Winner of the ELVRP I competition for a new small-medium class launch vehicle to replace Atlas, (existing) Delta, Titan IIIB, and other ICBM or IRBM-derived launch vehicles in the 1980s ([[http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=5365658&postcount=170|Post 16]]). Derived from older Delta designs, it however differs significantly in two key respects. First, it has a larger diameter kerolox core, allowing it to carry more engines and more boosters than previous versions of the Delta. This allows a useful booster-less launch mode. Second, instead of the hypergolic or solid upper stages previously used, it uses a Centaur-D, significantly improving upper stage ISP and performance. Optionally, for high energy missions it can use a Star 48B solid third stage. Altogether, this greatly increases the maximum payload compared to previous Deltas. Built by McDonnell Douglas. | Winner of the ELVRP I competition for a new small-medium class launch vehicle to replace Atlas, (existing) Delta, Titan IIIB, and other ICBM or IRBM-derived launch vehicles in the 1980s ([[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/eyes-turned-skywards.208954/post-5365658|Post 16]]). Derived from older Delta designs, it however differs significantly in two key respects. First, it has a larger diameter kerolox core, allowing it to carry more engines and more boosters than previous versions of the Delta. This allows a useful booster-less launch mode. Second, instead of the hypergolic or solid upper stages previously used, it uses a Centaur-D, significantly improving upper stage ISP and performance. Optionally, for high energy missions it can use a Star 48B solid third stage. Altogether, this greatly increases the maximum payload compared to previous Deltas. Built by McDonnell Douglas. |
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| ==== Delta 4000 Family Elements==== | ==== Delta 4000 Family Elements==== |
| ==== Saturn Multibody ==== | ==== Saturn Multibody ==== |
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| In addition to the small-medium vehicle covered by the ELVRP I competition, the Air Force needed a larger vehicle to fill the medium-large payload role that had previously been provided by the Titan IIIC, especially with the beginning of SDI and the large payloads expected from it. This requirement led to the ELVRP II competition, as in [[http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=5557907&postcount=286|Post 21]], a competition which was won by the Boeing/McDonnell Douglas Saturn Multibody, as described by [[http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=5617801&postcount=339|Post 22]]. A derivative of the Saturn IC, Saturn Multibody features a number of improvements over that vehicle, most prominently the ability to add Titan-derived solid rocket boosters to increase the maximum payload, a stretched S-IVB (the S-IVC) on some variants to further improve performance, and last but not least the ability to gang up three Saturn Multibody core stages to launch a nearly Saturn V-sized payload into orbit. | In addition to the small-medium vehicle covered by the ELVRP I competition, the Air Force needed a larger vehicle to fill the medium-large payload role that had previously been provided by the Titan IIIC, especially with the beginning of SDI and the large payloads expected from it. This requirement led to the ELVRP II competition, as in [[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/eyes-turned-skywards.208954/post-5557907|Post 21]], a competition which was won by the Boeing/McDonnell Douglas Saturn Multibody, as described by [[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/eyes-turned-skywards.208954/post-5617801|Post 22]]. A derivative of the Saturn IC, Saturn Multibody features a number of improvements over that vehicle, most prominently the ability to add Titan-derived solid rocket boosters to increase the maximum payload, a stretched S-IVB (the S-IVC) on some variants to further improve performance, and last but not least the ability to gang up three Saturn Multibody core stages to launch a nearly Saturn V-sized payload into orbit. |
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| The Saturn Multibody designation system is composed of a letter followed by two numbers. The letter says whether the vehicle is Medium or Heavy, that is whether it has one or three Saturn Multibody cores. The first number can have the values 0, 2, or 4, and describes the number of solid rocket boosters attached. The second number can have the values 2 or 3 and indicates whether the upper stage is the S-IVB (2) or the S-IVC (3). The S-IVC is only used on the M43 or H03 versions of the vehicle, since it is too heavy to offer much of a performance benefit to the smaller variants. | The Saturn Multibody designation system is composed of a letter followed by two numbers. The letter says whether the vehicle is Medium or Heavy, that is whether it has one or three Saturn Multibody cores. The first number can have the values 0, 2, or 4, and describes the number of solid rocket boosters attached. The second number can have the values 2 or 3 and indicates whether the upper stage is the S-IVB (2) or the S-IVC (3). The S-IVC is only used on the M43 or H03 versions of the vehicle, since it is too heavy to offer much of a performance benefit to the smaller variants. |
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| ==Launch Costs For Evolved Saturn/Apollo== | ==Launch Costs For Evolved Saturn/Apollo== |
| See [[http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=7141325&postcount=1116| Post 1116]] for discussion of unit costs for Apollo Block IV, AARDV, and Saturn Multibody launches. | See [[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/eyes-turned-skywards.208954/post-7141325| Post 1116]] for discussion of unit costs for Apollo Block IV, AARDV, and Saturn Multibody launches. |
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| ==== Saturn Multibody IIP==== | ==== Saturn Multibody IIP==== |
| =====European Launch Vehicles===== | =====European Launch Vehicles===== |
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| The history of ESA and their Europa launch vehicles is discussed primarily in the three posts [[http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=5172084&postcount=87|Post 9]], [[http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=5260377&postcount=119|Post 12]], and [[http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=5390517&postcount=181|Post 17]] | The history of ESA and their Europa launch vehicles is discussed primarily in the three posts [[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/eyes-turned-skywards.208954/post-5172084|Post 9]], [[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/eyes-turned-skywards.208954/post-5260377|Post 12]], and [[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/eyes-turned-skywards.208954/post-5390517|Post 17]] |
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| ==== Europa 1 ==== | ==== Europa 1 ==== |
| ==== Skylab ==== | ==== Skylab ==== |
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| Test station launched as much to gain experience with space station operations as anything else. Nearly unsuccessful due to failure of the sun/micrometeroid shield at launch, but saved by quick thinking at NASA (as described in [[http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=5086432&postcount=55|Post 6]] and [[http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=5113113&postcount=61|Post 7]]. Played host to four astronaut crews in the Skylab 2, 3, 4, and 5 missions over a period of more than two years, before its controlled deorbiting by an AARDVark bus after Skylab 5. | Test station launched as much to gain experience with space station operations as anything else. Nearly unsuccessful due to failure of the sun/micrometeroid shield at launch, but saved by quick thinking at NASA (as described in [[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/eyes-turned-skywards.208954/post-5086432|Post 6]] and [[https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/eyes-turned-skywards.208954/post-5113113|Post 7]]. Played host to four astronaut crews in the Skylab 2, 3, 4, and 5 missions over a period of more than two years, before its controlled deorbiting by an AARDVark bus after Skylab 5. |
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| ==== Spacelab ==== | ==== Spacelab ==== |
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| **[[Eyes Turned Skyward]]** | **[[Eyes Turned Skyward]]** |
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