Excerpt: RLV Operations Technology Plan
Standard Payload Interfaces - Technologies
Tasks Objective and Description
- Develop and demonstrate a near transparent payload
interface architecture between a generic RLV and a
minimized ground infrastructure at the launch site.
- Perform sensitivity analysis of payload user needs and
wants in relation to RLV operations costs for these
options.
- Define and develop technologies required to support the
most affordable concept.
Benefits
- Eliminate the impact of having an interface; reduces
costly, labor intensive payload to RLV integration and
interface verification.
- Allow manifesting flexibility by enabling any available
RLV in the fleet to launch any payload.
- Eliminates need to reconfigure RLV for each mission.
- Minimize time between payload to RLV integration and
launch.
- Minimize ground infrastructure for payload integration.
Development and Demonstration Approach
1. Refer to market projection studies of user missions and
identify needs. (e.g. CSTS Study)
2. Group payload needs to define an optimized minimum number
of payload canister options and define technology requirements to
accomodate each option without impacting the overall RLV
operations.
3. Develop and demonstrate (to TRL 6) new technology as
prototypes in ground test bed.
4. Develop flight test plan (TBD)
Cost and Schedule
In Work.
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Gen Site
Edgar Zapata, NASA Kennedy Space Center
Shuttle Process Engineering Directorate, Fluid Systems Division