The Space Congress Proceedings 1997 (34th) Our Space Future - Uniting For Success Apr 30th, 1:00 PM Paper Session II-A - Delta III Reaches Out to the Commercial Market William S. Files Jr. McDonnell Douglas Aerospace Michael C. Laker McDonnell Douglas Aerospace Follow this and additional works at: http://commons.erau.edu/space-congress-proceedings Scholarly Commons Citation William S. Files Jr. and Michael C. Laker, "Paper Session II-A - Delta III Reaches Out to the Commercial Market" (April 30, 1997). The Space Congress Proceedings. Paper 2. http://commons.erau.edu/space-congress-proceedings/proceedings-1997-34th/april-30-1997/2 This Event is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences at ERAU Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Space Congress Proceedings by an authorized administrator of ERAU Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact commons@erau.edu.
Delta III Reaches Out to the Commercial Market William S. Files, Jr. and Michael C. Laker McDonnell Douglas Aerospace 5301 Bolsa Avenue, Huntington Beach, CA 92647-2099 (714) 896-5208 / 896-5118 The dramatic growth in demand for world-wide communication has driven the requirement for lower cost, higher reliability launch services to drastically increase over the past decade. This need has developed due to the advent of commercial communication satellites and cellular communications. This loss created a void in launch services that has been filled since 1987 by the introduction of commercial launches on Atlas, Delta, Long March, H-1 and H-2, Titan, Proton, and Zenit. The introduction of numerous launch vehicles has created an extremely competitive marketplace, and the explosion of the commercial market places ever increasing demand on the launch vehicle manufacturers to continually increase vehicle capability while maintaining or decreasing the cost of payloads to orbit. To satisfy this requirement, McDonnell Douglas has built on the reliability and cost effectiveness started in the 1950 s on Thor and the enhanced and improved performance of Delta and Delta II to develop the new Delta III system. Delta III offers increased performance and affordability, more efficient operations, and a true responsiveness to the requirements expressed by commercial launch customers. The McDonnell Douglas Aerospace (MDA) commitment to providing improved capability launch services is demonstrated by the history of the Delta vehicle family. (Figure 1) The Delta II has led the way and with 104 successes in our last 107 launches our performance stands at better than a 97% success rate. The Delta III will build on this heritage and its capabilities and benefits are as follows: 8,500 lbs (3,863 kgs) to GTO (This capability is greater than the Atlas IIAS and double the capability of the Delta II) Operational efficiency equal to or better than the Delta II Reliability equal to or greater than the Delta II Competitive commercial prices The current National Space Policy states that it is in the best interest of the United States security, civil and commercial sectors to stimulate and sustain growth of space activity at the earliest possible time. In pursuit of this strategy, MDA launched the Delta III and with it provides the world a highly reliable internationally competitive launch system. In conjunction with the Delta II, MDA provides affordable access to space for over 80% of the world s payloads projected through 2010. (Figure 2) MDA s approach to the Delta III is the result of a developing strategy created with the help of our commercial customer base and our existing government users. The capabilities and requirements being built into the new system have been developed by continually meeting with our customers and understanding their requirements and expectations. Internal trade studies are performed to evaluate the affordability of all changes and the ones that support both our customers requirements and our affordability expectations are being implemented in the Delta III launch system. Utilizing an evolutionary approach from our Delta II to our Delta III provides reduced cost and assured reliability in the new system. This evolution dates back to the 1960 s and will continue well into the 21st century. Our heritage has been as MDA has developed new launch systems,
3863 (8500) Delta III Payload to GTO in Kilograms (lb) 2359 (5200) 2177 (4800) 1995 (4400) 1814 (4000) 1633 (3600) 1451 (3200) 1270 (2800) 1088 (2400) 807 (2000) 726 (1600) Delta 544 (1200) 364 (800) 181 (400) D E J M M6 Avionics Upgrades, 10-ft-dia Fairing, Ordnance Thrusters, Extended Air-Lit GEMs Nozzles 904 RS-27A Main Engine, Graphite/Epoxy SRMs 9.5-ft-dia Payload Fairing, 12-ft Stretch for Propellant Tank, Castor IVA SRMs Payload Assist Module 3rd Stage Delta Redundant Inertial Measuring System Engine Servo-System Electronics Package RS-27 Main Engine, 8-ft Payload Fairing, Isogrid Main System 9 Castor SRMs, Delta Inertial Guidance System 6 Castor SRMs Stretched Propellant Tank Upgraded 3rd Stage 3 Castor II SRMs 5-ft-dia Payload Fairing Revised MB-3 Main Engine 3 Castor I SRMs Revised MB-3 Main Engine and 3rd Stage 1960 1963 1964 1965 1968 1969 1970 1971 1973 1975 1980 1982 1989 1990 1995 Figure 1. Delta Modification and Growth 40 Annual Payload Mass Distribution COMSTAC Stable and Continued Mass Growth Model 35 30 25 20 15 10 ILV HLV > 9,000 lbs ILV or HLV 4,000-9,000 lbs 5 0 MLV 2,000-4,000 lbs 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 C 2914 Castor IV SRMs 3914 3910/ PAM-D New 2nd Stage 3920/ PAM-D Delta II 6925 Delta II 7925 Delta II 7925 0 1998 Number of Payloads Launch Year Figure 2. COMSTAC Mission Model 1996 Update (June 24, 1996) our reliability has been maintained or improved and our systems have continued to become more affordable. The side-by-side comparison of the Delta II and Delta III vehicle shown in Figure 3 demonstrate how we maximize the use of existing flight-proven hardware to reduce development risk.
DELTA III EVOLVED TO MINIMIZE RISK Delta II 7925 Delta III 2.9-m/9.5-ft Payload Fairing Common Elements Avionics Composite 4-m/13.1-ft Payload Fairing 2.44-m/8-ft Isogrid Fuel Tank Graphite Epoxy Strap-On Motors Isogrid First-Stage Liquid Oxygen Tank Rocketdyne RS-27 Main Engine Single Cryogenic Engine 4-m/13.1-ft Isogrid First-Stage Fuel Tank Stretched Graphite Epoxy Strap-On Motors (TVC on 3 GEMs) GTO Payload (kg/lb) LEO Payload (kg/lb) 1870/4120 5140/11,330 GTO Payload (kg/lb) LEO Payload (kg/lb) 3810/8400 8290/18,280 Figure 3 The second step in assuring the success of the Delta III program is the approach to development and qualification testing as risk mitigation actions. The success of all tests to date provides even more confidence that MDA is going to successfully complete this development cycle and begin launching Delta III s in 1998. Each critical hardware and software element of the Delta III system was analyzed to determine whether the Delta III should be qualified for flight by similarity, demonstration, analysis or test. Significant development testing was conducted for aerodynamics, environmental level validation, manufacturing process improvements and thermal insulation characterization. A full structural qualification test, payload fairing separation, tank cycle and burst tests, liquid rocket engine and solid rocket motor qualification tests, stage demonstration, and launch base pathfinder operations are planned to demonstrate our readiness for first flight. Examples of the successful test program include the vehicle wind tunnel test, the burst test of the solid rocket motor, RL-10 engine chill down, SRM static firing, and acoustic tests on the first stage equipment shelf and the payload fairing.
PLF and Interstage Interstage Fairing & Fwd Second Stage Structural Fairing Sep Fairing Second Stage Outboard Structural Loads Eq Shelf Struct LOX tank Cycle & Burst Stage 2 Stage 2 Modal Survey Stage 2 Sep Shock Stage Fire (X Stage) First Stage Engine Section Engine Section Sep Shock Centerbody Structural 4M Tank Cycle & Burst Engine Section Structural Figure 4. Comprehensive test plan in place In addition to these development tests, we have demonstrated through program performance that we have the capability to meet both schedule and cost goals in development programs. An example of this point is the Delta III upper stage development and the SSRT program which have many similar characteristics as demonstrated in Table 1. Both programs attempted to utilize existing hardware, modify existing RL-10 engines, and develop several new components. One of the differences between the two programs is the production requirement of the Delta III. At the end of the program, Delta III must be capable of being repetitively built within required quality levels and cost targets. Table 1. Previous Stage Development Programs Support Delta III Objectives Task / Approach Delta III Upper Stage SSRT Use of Existing Available Hardware Yes Yes Development of Cryogenic Tankage Yes Yes Modification of RL-10 Engines Yes Yes Development of a new Boattail 1 Engine 4 engines Development of a composite aeroshell Fairing Yes Production processes and qualification testing Yes No Development period 30 months 18 months
Another example of a development program that has similar objectives to the Delta III is the Air Force Medium Launch Vehicle I (MLV I) program. These objectives, Table 2, are to develop a launch vehicle that is more operable and has greater performance than the existing systems. The modifications necessary include improved engine performance and reliability, increase in firststage tankage size, and the development of a new fairing. The similarity in the requirements for these equivalent activities provides MDA with a high degree of confidence in its development of the Delta III system on schedule. Table 2. System Evolution supported by previous programs Task / Approach Delta III Upper Stage MLV I Delta 6925 & 7925 Engine Modification RL-10B-2 New Nozzle RS-27A New Nozzle Increase in 1st stage tankageyes Yes Add new SRMs Yes Yes New Fairing Yes Yes Development period 30 Months 24 Months The over 35 years of launch vehicle experience that MDA has provides the confidence for meeting the government and commercial customer requirements into the 21st century. Having increased the capability of the Delta from a 400 lb to LEO capability with an on-pad time in excess of 40 days to the existing Delta II system with a 11,000 lb to LEO capability and 24 days on-pad time, MDA continues to demonstrate a commitment to our customers needs and the execution of our program plans. Finally, involvement of our commercial customers in our process and keeping them informed on program progress through the mission integration program for their satellite has yielded customer satisfaction time and again. Figure 5 shows our process which provides, via a MDA mission manager, a single point of contact for the customer on all spacecraft integration activity. Authority to Proceed Requirements Definition Integration Process Release Initial Mission Specification Production Planning Review/Study Spacecraft Requirements Engineering Compatibility Analysis Loads/Thermal/Mission/Controls Joint Agreements Production and Launch Process Fabrication L-24 months L-12 months Assembly and Checkout Environment Plans Range Safety Documentation Launch Processing Range Network Documentation Flight Readiness Reviews Launch Operations Flight Software Figure 5. Proven mission integration process
As is evidenced above, the Delta III launch system is well into production. The 4 meter hardware has been demonstrated on production tooling. The remainder of 1997 provides the test bed for mitigating risk and by year end, all the major component tests will be completed. Additionally, the pad modifications necessary for Delta III are proceeding and are on schedule to support a second quarter 1998 first launch. The Delta III is on plan to be a highly competitive launch system that will maintain the Delta heritage of mission success.