OMV (Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle) Payload Support Concept for Pegasus Boosted Payloads

Abstract

This thesis examines a new concept of orbiting and maintaining payloads in low earth orbit. Two existing technologies, namely the Pegasus Air-Launched Space Booster and the Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV), are merged to create an operational space system. The boosted payload need be an autonomous satellite, as the OMV will provide all required support to the payload. This allows new satellite design, as the weight and volume of non-productive satellite subsystems can be replaced with more payload. A superior system could then be orbited while maintaining a fixed weight and volume budget. The first four chapters provide background on the proposed concept and the OMV and Pegasus vehicles. Chapter five describes the docking and activation of the Pegasus payload to the OMV. A comparison of a current NOAA satellite system to the OMV/ Pegasus concept is offered in Chapter six to determine the merits of this strategy. Conclusions and recommendations are then offered concerning the economic and operational advantages over current space systems with the implementation of this new concept.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1989
Accession Number
ADA218371

Entities

People

  • Ronald C. Repper

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Launched
  • Aircrafts
  • Apogees
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Control Systems
  • Earth Orbits
  • Low Earth Orbits
  • Materials Processing
  • Meteorological Satellites
  • Navigation
  • Payload
  • Solar Cells
  • Solar Panels
  • Space Objects
  • Space Systems
  • Spacecraft
  • Spacecraft Orbits

Readers

  • Missile Defense Systems.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites