Orbital transfer of cryogenic propellants could benefit spacecraft and Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) missions in the 1980s by supplying main propulsion, attitude control, or other fluid systems. The Space Shuttle can operate as a tanker when equipped with cryogenic propellant storage and orbital transfer systems. The key technologies are multilayer insulation, capillary propellant acquisition, zero-g gaging, orbital chilldown, and possibly large flight weight dewars. The technologies and operations could be realistically demonstrated using a Centaur that has been integrated with the Shuttle. Orbital refueling capability can enhance the usefulness of the whole Shuttle program
OTV orbital tanking systems
AIAA, SAE, and ASME, Joint Propulsion Conference ; 1979 ; Las Vegas, NV
1979-06-01
Conference paper
No indication
English
AIAA | 1979
|Online Contents | 2001
Propellant tanking computer system
Engineering Index Backfile | 1966
|NTIS | 1959
British Library Online Contents | 1999