Overview of the Space Propulsion Synergy Group (SPSG) strategic planning support efforts for earth to orbit transportation

Abstract

Although the current national space transportation infrasmcture. including the Space Shuttle and expendable launch vehicles may meet most of the requirements For total mass to orbit For the remainder of this decade, and possibly somewhat bey&, it IDI Emddr: the safe, affordable, routine access to space that is absolutely essential to a successful space program. Also, the current transpoxtation infrasrmcture Falls Far short of the heavy lift capability that will be required in any fuatre (next two to three decades) national space exploration mission and possibly other national mission requirements. Therefore. it is imperative that a high national priority be assigned for planning a strategy for the evolutionary, and if need be. the revolutionary development of a space transportation infmmcture to satisfy a l l of these capabilities and attributes. A nationally accepted strategic plan For space transportation and propulsion would also enable a Focused research and development program to meet the international challenge. and to remain competitive with limited national resources. In view of this National need situation, the focus of a unique national organization known as the Space Propulsion Synergy Group (SPSG) has been directed For the past two years toward supporting strategic planning for earth to orbit space transportation and propulsion systems. Thc SPSG involves personnel from NASA Centers as well as other government agencies @OD and DOE), indusay and academia. From the beginning, it was recognized that a nationally represented organization was required because most of the space propulsion needs and challenges existed on a national level. This paper presents a general description and highlights h e approach the SPSG followed in their space transportation and propulsion systems strategic planning support activities. The process used in this study and analysis was a classic top down approach which attempted to be fully responsive to the stated national space traasportation policies and space missions. It also attempted to make maximum use of the results of past soldies and analyses. ment (QFD) was needed to e n s m that the cnstomer/user real requirements and needs were properly addressed, and that the transpottation system conapts advocated, including vehicles and propulsion systems, had the greatest probabiity of satisfying the customer's requirements and desired atuibutes. This was a Fortunate decision as an innovative application of the QFD pmcess has proven to be v a y effective in meeting the objectives of these SPSG activities. However, it is beyond the scope of this p a p to describe how the QFD process was successfully applied and the resu~ts achieved with the process . I Need and Cballenne For several years there has existed within the aerospace community a widely recognized need for vastly improved national space launch (earth to orbit) transportation system@). Tbe ability of this nation to Fulfii its stated roles and initiatives in space is directly coupled to the availability OF an operational transportation infrastructure that pvides safe, affordable, and routine access to and from space. Underlying this need is an even more basic need, although probably not as well recognized, For a n a t i d strategy and plan for defining, and developing a space launch system which will provide the required capabilities and athiiutes. Although the current national space transportation infrastructure, including the Space Shuttle and expendable launch vehicles may meet most of the requirements for total mass to orbit For the remainder OF this decade, and possibly somewhat beyond; it does not provide the safe, affordable, routine aocess to space that is absolutely essential to a successful space program. Also, the current m s portation infmtruaure falls far short of the heavy lift capability that will be required in any f u m e (next two to three decades) national space exploration mission and possibly for ocher national mission requirements. Therefore. it is imperative that a high ~ t i o n a l priority be assigned For planning a strategy for the evolutionary, and if need be, the revolutionary development of a space transportation inhshucture to satisfy all OF these capabilities and atA critical new element inaoduced into the process utilized was an emphasis on the identification of the mspofiation systems usedcustomen and k characteristics or attributes m a t valued by them in earth to LEO payl& hansportation services. After some false stans, the SPSG team &cided that a process known as Quality Function Deploy* 'Ibe reader is referred to AIAA-93-1852, =hyoffs of A p Plying QFD Techniques to the sPSG strategic Planning SUP* Effort for ET0 Transportation and Propulsiin Systems by Jhn Bray of Martin Marietta Corporation -