A study of a near-term, low risk two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO) vehicle was undertaken. The goal of the study was to assess a fully reusable TSTO vehicle with horizontal takeoff and landing capability that could deliver 10,000 pounds to a 120 nm polar orbit. The configuration analysis was based on the Beta vehicle design. A cooperative study was performed to redesign and refine the Beta concept to meet the mission requirements. The vehicle resulting from this study was named Beta II. It has an all-airbreathing first stage and a staging Mach number of 6.5. The second stage is a conventional wing-body configuration with a single SSME.
Overview of the beta II Two-Stage-to-Orbit Vehicle Design
1991
12 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Manned Spacecraft , Aerospace planes , Air breathing engines , Launch vehicle configurations , Multiengine vehicles , Multistage rocket vehicles , Space shuttle main engine , Polar orbits , Aircraft design , Body-wing configurations , Design analysis , Hypersonic aircraft , Mission planning , Reusable launch vehicles
VentureStar[TM] Single Stage to Orbit Reusable Launch Vehicle Program Overview
British Library Conference Proceedings | 1997
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