While space system launch and operational costs continue to rise, funding levels for research and procurement are declining drastically. Placing a satellite in geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO) can cost as much as $77,OOO/kg of payload. Military systems such as MlLSTAR, a jam-resistant secure communications satellite, are being examined for redesign in order to place them on smaller, less expensive launch vehicles. Such a stepdown (e.g. from a Titan IV to an Atlas booster) decreases payload capability but lowers launch costs. The decrease in cost can be significant: MlLSTAR'S baseline launcher, Titan IV/Centaur, is estimate to cost as much as $400M. Moving the payload onto a Titan III or Atlas IIAS could save $250M or more.
Bimodal Satellite Mission Study
1993
76 pages
Report
No indication
English
Unmanned Spacecraft , Space Launch Vehicles & Support Equipment , Communication satellites , Spacecraft trajectories , Booster rocket engines , Launch vehicles , Payload , Earth orbits , Space systems , Costs , Dual mode , Antijamming , Secure communications , Synchronous satellites , Space propulsion , Geosynchronous satellites , Milstar satellite , Titan iv launch vehicles , Atlas launch vehicles , Centaur launch vehicles
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