A private company has just announced its capability to operate NASA flights into orbit using a spacecraft similar to the Space Shuttle.
SpaceDev, a California-based company, has unveiled plans to create a spacecraft that will carry both tourists and astronauts into orbit.
This small spacecraft, designed to resemble an airplane, is named HL-20.
The HL-20 was designed by NASA in the 1980s as a potential replacement for the Space Shuttle. NASA invested $2 billion into the design of the HL-20 but never proceeded with its construction.
SpaceDev has closely collaborated with NASA to explore various experimental spacecraft concepts based on the detailed HL-20 design that NASA originally published.
The company has also stated that it plans to commence four-passenger flights in low orbit by 2008, contingent upon securing $20 million in funding. They may launch six-passenger flights to the International Space Station (ISS) around 2010, with an additional cost of $100 million.
According to Jim Benson, the founder and CEO of SpaceDev, they believe they will succeed because this is a NASA design.
Similar to the Space Shuttle, the Dream Chaser will take off vertically and land horizontally. However, it will not carry heavy cargo and is only a fraction of the Space Shuttle’s size. It stands 9 meters tall and weighs 10 tons.
Unlike the rockets used to launch the Space Shuttle, the Dream Chaser’s launch pad will not utilize cryogenic fuel that needs to be insulated with foam panels. This design choice helps avoid the issues caused by foam debris falling off during launch, which ultimately led to the destruction of the Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003. Similar problems were encountered during most of the Discovery missions, although they did not cause damage.
Instead of using cryogenic fuels consisting of liquid hydrogen and oxygen, this spacecraft will utilize a hybrid rocket that burns a liquid propellant made of nitrous oxide, a special gas, and solid rubber.
The Dream Chaser will be mounted on one of three large rockets on the launch pad. Two external boosters will ignite and separate first, after which the spacecraft will detach from the third rocket. The spacecraft will then be propelled into orbit by smaller rockets.
The large boosters will provide approximately 450 tons of thrust. Although still in the design phase, the company has experience with hybrid rockets, having developed hybrid engines for the SpaceShipOne spacecraft, which achieved 7 tons of thrust. The private spacecraft SpaceShipOne won the Ansari X Prize for private spacecraft, receiving a $10 million award in 2004.
According to NewScientist
