On Orbit Refueling: Supporting a Robust Cislunar Space Economy Courtesy of NASA 3 April 2017 Copyright 2014 United Launch Alliance, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Atlas V Launch History ULA s Vision: Unleashing Mankind s Potential in Space ULA is developing the enabling transportation system for a Self Sustaining Space Economy Delta IV 117 4 March 2017 1
Customers National Security Space Civil Space Human Launch Global Positioning System (GPS) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Robotic Exploration and Science Mars Science Laboratory Pluto New Horizons Commercial Space Increasing Our Knowledge of the Earth and Its Climate Earth Imagery Commercial Communication Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Cloudsat Cargo Crew 4 March 2017 2
4 March 2017 3 2016 ULA Launches
4 March 2017 4 Cislunar 1000 Vision
4 March 2017 5 Cislunar 1000 Vision
GEO Cislunar Econosphere NEO V=3.77 V=0.50-2.00 V in (km/s) LEO V=1.40 V=0.65 V=2.52 V=4.33 EML1 LLO V=1.90 ETO V=9.53 LEO ISS Remote Sensing Commercial Station Communication Space Control Debris mitigation Science R&D Tourism Manufacturing Propellant Transfer Data Servers 4 March 2017 6 GEO Observation Communication Space Control Debris Mitigation Space Solar Power Repair Station Satellite Life extension Harvesting High Earth Orbit Science / Astronomy Communication Link Way Station Propellant Depots Repair Station Lunar Solar Power Sat Manufacturing Planetary Defense Existing market / Emerging market \ Future market Lunar Surface Science/ Astronomy Lunar Observatory Human Outpost Tourism Mining Oxygen/Water Regolith Rare Earth Elements HE3 Manufacturing Fuel Depots Solar Power to Earth
Cislunar Transportation System ACES Fueled with LO2 and LH2 propellant provided from: Earth Moon Asteroids XEUS 4 March 2017 7 Reusable Transportation Avoids Earth s Deep Gravity Well
Lunar Water Water at Lunar poles Cold Traps in Craters ~10B mt per pole Fuel, Water, Oxygen Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Credit: LRO Camera Team Paul Spudis 4 March 2017 8 Credit: Chris Meaney / NASA 2008
Lunar Water Extraction Power Tower on Crater Rim Beam power to crater floor Sublimate ICE Collect and liquefy Electrolyze water Liquefy and store LH2 & LO2 Resource Prospector Griffin Lander Shackleton Crater 4 March 2017 9 Credit: NASA/Zuber, M.T. et al., Nature, 2012
Transportation Refueling Nodes L1 Provides logical propellant staging node Assessable from NEO s and lunar surface Can distribute propellant to any Earth orbit Good staging location for distant missions Lunar surface Make propellant for ascent transportation GEO V=3.77 V=0.50-2.00 NEO V in (km/s) LEO V=1.40 V=0.65 V=2.52 V=4.33 EML1 LLO V=1.90 ETO V=9.53 4 March 2017 10
Historic On-Orbit Refueling Paradigm On-orbit refueling is historically associated with: Large scale, permanent propellant depots Zero-G cryo fluid management Zero Boil off Storage Historic Refueling Architectures Present Insurmountable Barriers 4 March 2017 11
Simple On-Orbit Refueling Node Produce LO2 & LH2 Electrolyze water Liquefy GO2 and GH2 Store LO2 and LH2 Thermally Isolate & Sun Shields Settled propellant management LH2 >100 mt Propellant Distribute LO2 & LH2 Pressure fed transfer No-vent-fill LO2 4 March 2017 12 Single Launch Emplacement
Transportation Enabling Technologies Integrated Vehicle Fluids Integrated Vehicle Fluids & Cryogenics Power > No Main batteries Reaction control > No Hydrazine Pressurization > No Helium Enables Service Module Flexibility On Orbit Refueling Reusable ACES throughout cislunar space IVF Module Internal Combustion Engine Prototype IVF Module H2/O2 Thrusters 4 March 2017 13 On-Orbit Refueling Reduced to LO2 and LH2
Transportation Enabling Technologies: Cryo Fluid Management CRYOTE 3 at NASA MSFC Initiate CRYOTE CRYOTE Light 4 March 2017 14 CRYOTE 1 built CRYOTE 1 LN2 Test CRYOTE No Vent Fill CRYOTE 3 Tank Delivery CRYOTE 3 Cryo Test CRYOTE 3 IVF Test 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 CRYOTE Grande CRYOTE 3 Long Duration
Distributed Launch Vulcan Earth Escape GSO or Lunar Orbit Lunar Surface Delta HLV 11 mt 7.4 mt - Single Launch 14 mt 10 mt 3.8 mt Distributed Launch 30 mt 24 mt 12 mt 4 March 2017 15 Propellant Launch Initial Step to Upper Stage Reuse Payload Launch
XEUS ACES + Mission Kit Electric LH2 & LO2 pumps LH2/LO2 Thruster Landing GN&C Landing struts XEUS Cargo Ascender or Cargo Module 4 March 2017 16
Lunar Surface Cargo Mission 4) Lunar Orbit Insertion And Descent 1) Launch 2) Refuel ACES 5) XEUS Terminal Descent 3) Trans-Lunar Injection ACES & Propellant Tank ACES/XEUS & Payload Propellant Transfer Enables Large Scale Lunar Infrastructure Science Propellant production Manufacturing Habitation 4 March 2017 17
Cost of Resources ($/kg) GEO Costs of Resource in Cislunar Space LEO EML1 LLO $35k/kg $20k $15k $10k $5k $0k $0.001k/kg Earth Cost From Earth Cost From the Moon (or Asteroid) Cost From Earth Utilizing Beyond Earth Propellant LEO GTO GSO L1 Moon $0.5k/kg 4 March 2017 18
Standing on the Threshold of Robust Cislunar Economy Solar Power Station ALPHA Credit: John C. Mankins 4 March 2017 19
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