AIAA 2000-1042 Overview of Conceptual Design of Early VentureStarTM Configurations

One of NASA’s goals is to enable commercial access to space at a cost of $1000/lb (an order of magnitude less than today’s cost) by approximately 2010. Based on results from the 1994 Congressionally mandated, NASA led, Access-to-Space Study, an all rocket-powered single-stage-to-orbit reusable launch vehicle was selected as the best option for meeting the goal. To address the technology development issues and the followon development of an operational vehicle, NASA initiated the X-33 program. The focus of this paper is on the contributions made by the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC), from 1997-1998, to the conceptual design of the Lockheed Martin Skunk Work’s (LMSW) operational reusable single-stage-to-orbit VentureStar vehicle. The LaRC effort has been in direct support of LMSW and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The primary objectives have been to reduce vehicle dry weight and improve flyability of the VentureStar concepts. This paper will briefly describe the analysis methods used and will present several of the concepts analyzed and design trades completed.