A return vehicle is disclosed for use in returning a crew to Earth from low earth orbit in a safe and relatively cost effective manner. The return vehicle comprises a cylindrically-shaped crew compartment attached to the large diameter of a conical heat shield having a spherically rounded nose. On-board inertial navigation and cold gas control systems are used together with a de-orbit propulsion system to effect a landing near a preferred site on the surface of the Earth. State vectors and attitude data are loaded from the attached orbiting craft just prior to separation of the return vehicle.


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    Title :

    Assured crew return vehicle



    Publication date :

    1991-11-12


    Type of media :

    Miscellaneous


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    Assured Crew Return Vehicle

    C. J. Cerimele / R. C. Ried / W. L. Peterson et al. | NTIS | 1989


    Assured Crew Return Vehicle

    Stone, D. A. / Craig, J. W. / Drone, B. et al. | NTRS | 1991