Photo credit: Boeing DARPA has awarded prime contracts for the Phase 1 of XS-1 unmanned reusable spaceplane development program to thr...
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| Photo credit: Boeing |
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1. Boeing (working with Blue Origin, LLC)
2. Masten Space Systems (working with XCOR Aerospace)
3. Northrop Grumman Corporation (working with Virgin Galactic).
Under the $4 million preliminary design contract awarded to each, the companies have to work on a reusable first stage launch vehicle capable of carrying and deploying an upper stage to launch small satellite payloads of 3,000 to 5,000 pounds (1,361 kg to 2,268 kg) into low-Earth orbit.
The program aims to develop an space launch system which is capable of responsive, routine and affordable space operations with cost, operation and reliability similar to modern aircraft. The program was prompted following the current expendable rocket satellite launch system's long scheduling period requirement, that too for a handful of available slots, often costing hundreds of millions of dollars for a single launch.
In Phase 1 of XS-1, DARPA intends to evaluate the technical feasibility and methods for achieving the program’s goals. Tasks currently include:
- Develop the XS-1 demonstration vehicle
- Identify and conduct critical risk reduction of core component technologies and processes
- Develop a technology maturation plan for fabrication and flight test of XS-1 system capabilities.
XS-1 envisions that a reusable first stage would fly to hypersonic speeds at a suborbital altitude. At that point, one or more expendable upper stages would separate and deploy a satellite into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The reusable first stage would then return to earth, land and be prepared for the next flight.
Modular components, durable thermal protection systems and automatic launch, flight and recovery systems should significantly reduce logistical needs, enabling rapid turnaround between flights.
Key XS-1 technical goals include flying 10 times in 10 days, flying to Mach 10+ at least once and launching a representative small payload to orbit.
The program also seeks to reduce launch cost to less than $5 million per flight.
