NASA Orbital Space Plane OSP Architecture Tech Summary

X-37
NASA's X-37 vehicle will test and validate technologies in the environment of space as well as test system performance of the vehicle during orbital flight, reentry and landing.

DART
Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology: Developed by Orbital Sciences, DART will flight demonstrate in-orbit autonomous rendezvous and close proximity operations as part of NASA's 2nd Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Risk Reduction Initiative.

PAD
Pad Abort Demonstrator: Developed by Lockheed-Martin, the launch pad abort demonstrator will be used as a test-bed to demonstrate crew escape technologies and to validate analytical models necessary for future crew escape systems.

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OSP TECH SUMMARY:
Architecture System Design

The Orbital Space Plane program supports NASA's mission to transport International Space Station crews safely, reliably and affordably. The Orbital Space Plane will augment NASA's current capability to provide crew rescue, crew transfer and contingency cargo such as supplies, food and other needed equipment to and from the Space Station while also enabling a larger permanent crew to occupy the orbiting research facility, increasing science and research capabilities in space.

Initially, NASA intends for the development of the Orbital Space Plane to result in a crew rescue vehicle for the Space Station that can depart safely and quickly in the event of an emergency or an injured or ill crewmember. The new system will be able to quickly separate from the Space Station under emergency conditions and return to Earth to provide definitive medical care to a disabled crewmember within 24 hours. The initial operation of the vehicle is planned for no later than 2010 and will be launched aboard an expendable launch vehicle (ELV).

By 2012, the Orbital Space Plane system will have the capability to ferry crew and light cargo to and from the Space Station. In time, the system could become the foundation for a crew transfer vehicle routinely flown to space on a new launch vehicle.

NASA envisions that the new system may use the same vehicle or a different version of the same vehicle to provide both the crew rescue and crew transfer capabilities.

Designed to be safer than current space transportation systems, the Orbital Space Plane will offer on-orbit maneuverability, quicker preparations and turnaround time between missions. In addition, the plane will be designed to meet all applicable Space Station requirements for visiting and attached vehicles.

Based largely on existing technologies, the Orbital Space Plane would provide safe, affordable access to the International Space Station. The Orbital Space Plane will be able to support a Space Station crew rotation of four to six months. It will be operable through at least 2020, although it will be designed for longer life.

Four groups of concepts are being considered for the physical design of the space plane itself - or the vehicle architecture: a capsule, a lifting body, a sharp body with wings and a blunt body with wings. Boeing Phantom Works of Huntington Beach, Calif., Lockheed Martin Corp. of Denver; and a team including Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Va., and Northrop Grumman of El Segundo, Calif. - are the prime contractor teams designing potential candidates for the vehicle and its associated systems, including ground operations and all supporting technologies needed to conduct a mission to and from the International Space Station. Initial concepts of the space plane will be delivered to NASA in October 2003 during the Systems Requirements Review. A decision to develop a full-scale vehicle is expected by late 2004.

The Orbital Space Plane Program is managed by the Office of Aerospace Technology at NASA Headquarters and supported by NASA Centers across the country.