The United States Air Force Research Lab is currently examining options to launch small satellites (<200 kg e.g., 440 lb) more economically and efficiently. This class of satellite is quickly becoming a government and industry mainstay due to their ability to inexpensively demonstrate new technology, test prototype operational hardware, as well as perform space experimentation. Most of existing launch options include foreign sources, such as the Ariane launch vehicle, that are not available to Department of Defense (DoD) launches. Through the efforts of team members from the Air Force Research Lab$Space Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/VS), DoD Space Test Program (STP), TRW, and CSA Engineering, a secondary payload adapter has been developed to allow small satellites to be launched with the primary payload. This is to be accomplished by using an adapter on the upcoming Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles (EELV), DoD medium lift vehicles, more specifically, the Boeing Co. Delta IV and the Lockheed Martin Atlas V launch vehicles. This adapter, known as the EELV Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA) will take advantage of the primary payload's unused volume and mass margins.
EELV Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA) Static Qualification Tests
2004
26 pages
Report
No indication
English
Missile Warheads & Fuses , Unmanned Spacecraft , Common Carrier & Satellite , Military Sciences , Payload , Artificial satellites , Launch vehicles , Acceptance tests , Space systems , Static tests , Test equipment , Test methods , Department of defense , Eelv(Evolved expendable launch vehicles) , Espa(Eelv secondary payload adapter)
Development and Structural Qualification of the EELV Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA)
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2002
|Secondary payload adapter for EELV
AIAA | 1999
|