COST OPTIMIZED BOOSTER SYSTEM STUDIES
Abstract
A two-stage vehicle, with a segmented solid motor in the lower step and liquid-oxygen/liquid-hydrogen propellant in the upper step, was compared on the basis of dollars per pound of delivered payload. The study was divided into two phases-a cost-optimized staging ratio determination, and a comparison of system costs. The staging-ratio study considered a vehicle with a clusterable lower step. Launch thrust-to-weight ratios, and therefore, second-step size, were varied for selected solid-motor sizes. The vehicles with unique combinations of thrust-to-weight ratio and motor weight capable of delivering 37,150 pounds of payload were determined. The costs of these unique vehicles were obtained. The dollars per pound of delivered payload, as a function of solid-propellant motor size, were determined. The minima was not determined. For the comparison, both liquid- and solid-propellant lower steps were clustered for higher payloads. Unique upper steps were designed for each cluster. The comparison was made for 100, 1000, and 2000 launches in ten years. Payload sizes were varied. The all-liquid vehicle was more economical. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0325694
Entities
Organizations
- Boeing