As we have previously reported [1,2], it may be possible to launch payloads into low-Earth orbit (LEO) at a per-kilogram cost that is one to two orders of magnitude lower than current launch systems, using only a relatively small capital investment (comparable to a single large present-day launch). An attractive payload would be large quantities of high-performance chemical rocket propellant (e.g. LO2/LH2) that would greatly facilitate, if not enable, extensive exploration of the moon, Mars, and beyond. The concept is to use small, mass-produced, two-stage, LO2/LH2, pressure-fed rockets (e.g. without turbo-pumps, which increase performance but are costly). These small rockets can reach orbit with modest atmospheric drag losses because they are launched from very high altitude (e.g. 22 km). They reach this altitude by being winched up a tether to a balloon that is permanently stationed there. The drag losses on a rocket are strongly related to the ratio of the rocket launch mass to the mass of the atmospheric column that is displaced as the vehicle ascends from launch to orbit. By reducing the mass of this atmospheric column to a few percent of what it would be if launched from sea level, the mass of the rocket can be proportionately reduced while maintaining drag loss at an acceptably small level.


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    Title :

    Low-Cost propellant launch to LEO from a tethered balloon: Recent progress


    Contributors:


    Publication date :

    2009-03-01


    Size :

    479936 byte





    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English