CADRE Quick-Look: Low-Cost Access to Space -- Is It Possible?
Abstract
The high cost of launching payloads into space has limited the United States military's ability to exploit the potential of space in support of national objectives. Today, the average cost to put a payload in low earth orbit ranges from $4,400 to $10,000 per pound. Based upon the commercial market elasticity for new and emerging systems, the launch cost needs to decrease by 50 to 75 percent to create significantly increased launch vehicle demand. However, is it even possible to dramatically lower the cost? Currently, the cost of conducting a prototype launch vehicle test program from a government launch range can be equal to or greater than the cost of the test vehicle itself. The following specific recommendations are made: (1) the U.S. Government should absorb and fund the sustainment and operations costs for national launch ranges and charge users only for the direct costs associated with the test; (2) government ranges must stop dictating how a vehicle is designed and what analysis and testing is performed. Instead the government's focus should be on protecting public safety and range assets. Therefore, the government should fund the development of a modern, simple, low-cost range safety destruct package to destruct the vehicle at any flight path deviation. Using this approach, the government cannot become reliant upon or invested into any particular launch vehicle service provider. If a company has a technical, quality, management, or any other type of problem, the government cannot step in to help; it must allow the free market system to work. Otherwise, the changes and improvements implemented to satisfy the government that the service is reliable will cause the costs to increase.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA477432
Entities
People
- Kendall Brown
Organizations
- Air University