A high performance upper stage for a terminal propulsion system

Abstract

As the trend towards smaller and smaller payloads increases, there becomes a need for high performing upper stages to place these payloads in their proper orbit and to provide deorbit capability of the upper stage system. These high performing upper stages will be required on launch vehicles such as the TAURUS, PEGASUS, Lockheed’s LLV, and the Consetoga. In addition to the challenge of high performance, these stages must be designed and built in short periods of time (less than 16 months) and at a reduced cost (∼$1M to 2M per stage) over current storable upper stages. To meet these requirements, existing, flight proven and high performing hardware should be used. In addition, the use of carbon composite structures that combine the propulsion system structure and upper stage structure greatly reduce overall system mass and cost. A good example of these elements is the propulsion system design for the NEAR spacecraft. While the propulsion system is not, in the exact sense an upper stage, it combines the elements necessary to produce a low cost, high performing system.