Future space missions will require increasingly large quantities of propellants to transfer materials and people from low earth orbit (LEO) to other orbits. This paper discusses cost-effective methods to deliver, store, and transfer propellants on orbit. Orbital depot sizing was found to be a function of the following factors: (1) vehicle launch-on-time capability and reliability; (2) the ratio of delivery capabiility of heavy lift launch vehicles (HLLV) to the propellant capacity of orbit transfer vehicles (OTV); (3) the number of OTV flights per year; and (4) the desired contingency. Rapid multilayer insulation (MLI) venting and outgassing and reliquefaction of cryogenic propellants during storage reduce total propellant losses to the one-percent range. Propellant acquisition using capillary channels is preferable to acceleration or rotation techniques. Study results indicate that orbital propellant depots are cost effective over a wide range of usage. (Kursetz)
Orbital propellant handling and storage systems
Treibstoff-Transport und Lagerhaltungssysteme fuer den Raumfahrzeugverkehr
AIAA-Papers ; 1-7
1978
7 Seiten, 7 Bilder, 2 Tabellen
Conference paper
English
Orbital propellant handling and storage systems
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