The new space race: The vehicles that will take you to space – Washington Post
The vehicles that will take you to space
Byand
June 1, 2016
[ Related: How the next astronauts (and tourists) will get to space ]
Commercial companies like SpaceX are starting to gain traction in the space industry. There are currently more than a dozen private rockets capsules and spaceplanes under development, with more on the way soon. Most will carry cargo (), while others will primarily be for crew and space tourism ().
Falcon Heavy and Dragon
The Falcon Heavy is a powerful 27-engine rocket used for flying large commercial satellites and cargo to deep space. It is expected to launch for the first time in late 2016 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The company plans to fly an unmanned Dragon space craft to Mars as soon as 2018. SpaceX’s Dragon capsule became the first commercial space craft to deliver cargo to the International Space Station in 2012. Now the company is working to develop a version that would be able to fly humans by 2017 and land using its engine thrust.
[ Related: Elon Musk’s SpaceX does it again. Nails fourth landing ]
PayloadCrew and CargoCost per launch$90 millionHeight230 feetWidth40 feetWeight3,125,735 poundsThrust5,130,000 lbfPayload to LEO119,930 poundsPayload to Mars29,980 poundsPayload to Pluto6,390 poundsStages2
DRAGON
FALCON HEAVY
Falcon Heavy features three nine-core merlin engines. The thrust it produces is equivalent to 15 Boeing 747s at full power
Landing legs
deploy as the rocket’s first stage returns to earth. The engines fire, slowing the descent before touching down vertically atop a landing pad.
Flight profile
Second stage: to orbit
Separation
The first-stage engine cuts off.
Flip maneuver
Entry burn
Earth’s stratosphere
Aerodynamic guidance
Ascent
Legs deployed
Launch
First stage lands on a floating platform
solar arrays
Unpressurized
cargo trunk
FALCON HEAVY
DRAGON
Pressurized
cargo or
crew capsule
Falcon9
SpaceX already uses the Falcon 9 to launch commercial satellites to orbit and cargo to the International Space Station. It has one engine core as opposed to Falcon Heavy’s three, and would also be used to fly astronauts to the station by late 2017 or 2018.
Hypersonic grid fins
manipulate the direction of the
stage’s lift during reentry.
Landing legs
deploy as the rocket’s first stage returns to earth. The engines fire, slowing the descent before touching down vertically atop a landing pad.
Propulsive landing using thrusters
Falcon Heavy features three nine-core merlin engines. The thrust it produces is equivalent to 15 Boeing 747s at full power
Second stage
Flight profile
The payload continues to orbit.
Separation
Flip maneuver
Using nitrogen boosters, the first stage flips on its axis.
At an altitude of 50 miles, the second stage ignites and leaves the atmosphere.
The first-stage engine cuts off.
Entry burn
The engines light again to slow the first stage from hypersonic speeds.
Earth’s stratosphere
Ascent
Aerodynamic guidance
Grid fins steer the first stage toward the landing site.
The landing legs are deployed.
Launch
First stage lands
Floating platform: 300 by 170 feet.
The first stage sets down on the drone barge at a maximum vertical speed of 20 feet per second.
solar arrays
FALCON HEAVY
DRAGON
Pressurized cargo or crew capsule
Unpressurized cargo trunk
Propulsive landing using thrusters
Falcon9
SpaceX already uses the Falcon 9 to launch commercial satellites to orbit and cargo to the International Space Station. It has one engine core as opposed to Falcon Heavy’s three, and would also be used to fly astronauts to the station by late 2017 or 2018.
Hypersonic grid fins
manipulate the direction of the
stage’s lift during reentry.
Falcon Heavy features three nine-core merlin engines. The thrust it produces is equivalent to 15 Boeing 747s at full power
Landing legs
deploy as the rocket’s first stage returns to earth. The engines fire, slowing the descent before touching down vertically atop a landing pad.
Second stage
The payload continues to orbit.
Flight profile
Flip maneuver
Using nitrogen boosters, the first stage flips on its axis.
Separation
At an altitude of 50 miles, the second stage ignites and leaves the atmosphere.
The first-stage engine cuts off.
Entry burn
The engines light again to slow the first stage from hypersonic speeds.
Earth’s stratosphere
Ascent
Aerodynamic guidance
Grid fins steer the first stage toward the landing site.
The landing legs are deployed.
Launch
First stage lands
Floating platform: 300 by 170 feet.
The first stage sets down on the drone barge at a maximum vertical speed of 20 feet per second.
Antares and Cygnus
Orbital ATK’s Antares rocket and its capsule, Cygnus, can ferry payloads up to 7,000 kg to low-Earth orbit. The rocket, which uses the Russian-made RD-181 engine, was redesigned after it exploded in 2014, while on a mission to fly supplies for NASA to the International Space Station. The upgraded Antares rocket is expected to launch for the first time in the summer of 2016.
[ Related: Cygnus spacecraft reaches space station in ‘textbook rendezvous’ ]
PayloadCargoCost per launch$80M-$85MHeight140 feetDiameter13 feetWeight633,000 lbsPayload to LEO7,716-15,432 lbsStages2 to 3
3.9 meter fairing accommodates large payloads
CYGNUS CAPSULE
Selected by NASA to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.
Cygnus has no heatshields, so after it has rendezvoused with the International Space Station, it is loaded with garbage and released. It eventually burns up in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Payload
separation
Flight profile
Second stage
ignition
Fairing
separation
First stage
separation
Launch
3.9 meter fairing accommodates large payloads
Flight profile
Second stage
ignition
Payload
separation
Fairing
separation
First stage
separation
CYGNUS CAPSULE
Selected by NASA to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.
Launch
Cygnus has no heatshields, so after it has rendezvoused with the International Space Station, it is loaded with garbage and released. It eventually burns up in the Earth’s atmosphere.
3.9 meter fairing accommodates large payloads
Flight profile
Second stage
ignition
Payload
separation
Fairing
separation
First stage
separation
CYGNUS CAPSULE
Selected by NASA to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.
Launch
Cygnus has no heatshields, so after it has rendezvoused with the International Space Station, it is loaded with garbage and released. It eventually burns up in the Earth’s atmosphere.
SpaceShipTwo
Virgin Galactic calls SpaceShipTwo an “air-launched glider” that is designed to carry tourists just past the edge of space. It is tethered to the belly of a massive plane known as WhiteKnightTwo. Then once it is high in the air, the vehicle drops, fires its engine and shoots up to space. In 2014, an earlier version of the vehicle came apart mid-flight, killing one of the pilots. Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Galactic, unveiled the new SpaceShipTwo at an event earlier this year in Mojave, Calif. The spacecraft is currently undergoing testing and is expected to fly passengers soon — though the company has not given a date.
PayloadCrewCost per ticket$250,000Length60 feetCabin diameter90 inchesSpeed2,500 mphCrew capacity2 pilots, 6 passengersMaximum g-force6GMission altitude62 miles (edge of space)
SpaceShipTwo
WhiteKnightTwo
Flight profile
Release: At 50,000 feet, the WhiteKnightTwo releases SpaceShipTwo.
Boost: After release, SpaceShipTwo activates its rocket and climbs at three times the speed of sound to an altitude of 62 miles, outside the Earth’s atmosphere.
Reentry: SpaceShipTwo’s
wings are “feathered” to slow the craft’s descent.
Glide: The wings return to their original position to allow SpaceShipTwo to glide to a landing.
Land: SpaceShipTwo lands at the spaceport
SpaceShipTwo
WhiteKnightTwo
Flight profile
Wings are “feathered” to slow the craft’s descent.
After release, SpaceShipTwo activates its rocket and climbs at three times the speed of sound to an altitude of 62 miles, outside the Earth’s atmosphere.
The wings return to their original position to allow SpaceShipTwo to glide to a landing.
At 50,000 feet,
the WhiteKnightTwo releases SpaceShipTwo.
SpaceShipTwo lands at the spaceport
SpaceShipTwo
WhiteKnightTwo
Flight profile
Thermosphere
(53 miles)
Wings are “feathered” to slow the craft’s descent.
After release, SpaceShipTwo activates its rocket and climbs at three times the speed of sound to an altitude of 62 miles, outside the Earth’s atmosphere.
The wings return to their original position to allow SpaceShipTwo to glide to a landing.
At 50,000 feet,
the WhiteKnightTwo releases SpaceShipTwo.
SpaceShipTwo lands at the spaceport
New Shepard
Blue Origin’s New Shepard suborbital vehicle is designed to fly crew and cargo just past the edge of space. It is outfitted with large windows so that tourists would have a good view of Earth from space. The rocket was designed to be reusable and completed its first successful vertical landing in late 2015. Jeff Bezos’s space company has launched and landed its New Shepard vehicle several times in 2016. (Bezos also owns The Washington Post.) Manned test flights are expected to begin in 2017, with passenger flights as soon as 2018.
[ Related: Jeff Bezos just live-tweeted his space company’s latest rocket launch ]
PayloadCrew and CargoCost per launchNot availableHeight~65 feetDiameter12.5 feetWeightLess than 110,000 lbsThrust110,000 lbfCrew capacity6 passengersMission altitude62 miles (edge of space)
Windows
Legs deploy during booster’s vertical landing
New Shepard’s windows are about five times larger than a 747’s
42.7
in.
Boeing
747
28.6 in.
What’s the deal with the feather?
The feather on the side of the booster is a symbol of flight with grace and power in its functionality and design.
Flight profile
(1) It takes Blue Origin’s New Shepard about 150 seconds to reach the outer bounds of Earth’s atmosphere. At this point, 100 km above ground, (2) the capsule separates and (3) enters four minutes of free flight. (4) The main booster stabilizes and reignites its engine before (5) landing vertically on four landing legs. (6) The capsule returns to the ground with three large parachutes.
Windows
What’s the deal with the feather?
The feather on the side of the booster is a symbol of flight with grace and power in its functionality and design.
New Shepard’s windows are about five times larger than a 747’s
42.7
in.
Boeing
747
28.6 in.
Legs deploy during booster’s vertical landing
Capsule free flight
Flight profile
Brakes
deploy
and engine
reignites
Separation
Capsule landing
Launch
Booster
landing
It takes Blue Origin’s New Shepard about 150 seconds to reach the outer bounds of Earth’s atmosphere. At this point, 100 km above ground, the capsule separates and enters four minutes of free flight. The main booster stabilizes and reignites its engine before landing vertically on four landing legs. The capsule returns to the ground with three large parachutes.
What’s the deal with the feather?
The feather on the side of the booster is a symbol of flight with grace and power in its functionality and design.
Parachutes
New Shepard’s windows are about five times larger than a 747’s
42.7
in.
Boeing
747
28.6 in.
Windows
Flight profile
Capsule free flight
Brakes
deploy
and engine
reignites
Separation
Capsule landing
Launch
Booster
landing
Legs deploy during booster’s vertical landing
It takes Blue Origin’s New Shepard about 150 seconds to reach the outer bounds of Earth’s atmosphere. At this point, 100 km above ground, the capsule separates and enters four minutes of free flight. The main booster stabilizes and reignites its engine before landing vertically on four landing legs. The capsule returns to the ground with three large parachutes.
Dream Chaser
Originally designed to fly astronauts, Sierra Nevada Corp’s Dream Chaser was chosen by NASA in 2016 to deliver cargo to the International Space Station. It is launched to orbit perched a top a rocket, but flies back to Earth on its own, landing on a runway. Missions to the station could begin in 2019.
PayloadCrew and CargoLength30 feetPayload capacity12,000 poundsMaximum g-force1.5GMission altitude249 miles (international space station)
Wings fold for launching
inside rocket fairing
Dream Chaser comes in an un-manned cargo variant, which trades windows for extra heat shields.
Windows for
crew visibility
Heat shields
To launch, Dream Chaser is placed atop a rocket. It can be packed inside a fairing.
Flight profile
Dock with
International
Space Station
Dream Chaser
and upper stage
separate
Reentry at
1.5 g
Launch atop a
ULA Atlas V rocket
or other human-rated
launch vehicle
Runway landing
on any compatible
commercial runway
Dream Chaser is about
1/4 the size of the Shuttle
Wings fold for
launching inside
rocket fairing
Heat shields
Dream Chaser also comes in an un-manned cargo variant, which trades windows for extra heat shields.
To launch, Dream Chaser is placed atop a rocket. It can be packed inside a fairing.
Flight profile
Dream Chaser docks
with International Space Station
Dream Chaser
and upper stage
separate
Reentry at
1.5 g
Runway landing
on any
compatible
commercial
runway
Launch atop a
ULA Atlas V rocket
or other human-rated
launch vehicle
Wings fold for
launching inside
rocket fairing
Dream Chaser is about
1/4 the size of the Shuttle
Flight profile
Dream Chaser docks
with International Space Station
Heat shields
Dream Chaser
and upper stage
separate
Reentry at
1.5 g
Dream Chaser also comes in an un-manned cargo variant, which trades windows for extra heat shields.
Runway landing
on any
compatible
commercial
runway
Launch atop a
ULA Atlas V rocket
or other human-rated
launch vehicle
To launch, Dream Chaser is placed atop a rocket. It can be packed inside a fairing.
Lynx Mark II
The Lynx Mark II is a spaceplane that takes off and lands like a standard plane. It can carry a pilot and single passenger or payload to an altitude more than 100 km. The Lynx Mark II is designed to be able to fly several times a day with highly reusable engines. The company recently laid off a significant portion of its workforce and is focusing its efforts on its engine development, leaving the future of the Lynx Mark II uncertain.
PayloadCrew and CargoCost per ticket$150,000 per seatLength27.5 feetThrust12,500 lbfSpeedMach 4Maximum g-force4GMission altitude64 miles (just past the edge of space)Payload to LEOOne pilot and one passenger
Heat protection
system
4 XR-5K18
engines,
good for
5,000 flights
Lynx is about
1/4 the size of the shuttle
XCOR XR-5K18
The XCOR XR-5K18 is fueled by high-grade jet fuel and liquid oxygen. The engine is able to stop and restart using a proprietary spark torch ignition system. Its cooling system allows it to run for indefinite periods without maintenance or disassembly. Each engine produces about 2,900 lbf thrust.
Flight profile
Each flight lasts 30-45 minutes, and each plane can fly up to four times each day.
Horizontal takeoff from a runway
Rocket assisted ascent for three
minutes
Four-to-six minutes of microgravity,
100 km above Earth
Reentry at 4G, followed by large
circular glide-paths
Horizontal landing
Heat protection system
A highly modified
version of Lynx
can also carry a payload
atop the fuselage
Composite body
4 XR-5K18 engines,
good for 5,000 flights
Lynx is about
1/4 the size of the shuttle
XCOR XR-5K18
The XCOR XR-5K18 is fueled by high-grade jet fuel and liquid oxygen. The engine is able to stop and restart using a proprietary spark torch ignition system. Its cooling system allows it to run for indefinite periods without maintenance or disassembly. Each engine produces about 2,900 lbf thrust.
Flight profile
Each flight lasts 30-45 minutes, and each plane can fly up to four times each day.
Reentry at 4G,
followed by
large circular
glide-paths
Four-to-six minutes
of microgravity, 100 km
above Earth
Rocket assisted ascent
for three minutes
Horizontal
takeoff from
a runway
Horizontal landing
Payload capacity
One pilot and
one passenger
()
Heat protection system
A highly modified
version of Lynx
can also carry a payload
atop the fuselage
Composite body
Lynx is about
1/4 the size of the shuttle
4 XR-5K18 engines,
good for 5,000 flights
Flight profile
Each flight lasts 30-45 minutes, and each plane can fly up to four times each day.
Reentry at 4G,
followed by
large circular
glide-paths
Four-to-six minutes
of microgravity, 100 km
above Earth
Rocket assisted ascent
for three minutes
XCOR XR-5K18
The XCOR XR-5K18 is fueled by high-grade jet fuel and liquid oxygen. The engine is able to stop and restart using a proprietary spark torch ignition system. Its cooling system allows it to run for indefinite periods without maintenance or disassembly. Each engine produces about 2,900 lbf thrust.
Horizontal
takeoff from
a runway
Horizontal landing
Starliner
Boeing’s Starliner is designed to carry a crew of up to seven to the International Space Station for NASA. First flights are scheduled for 2017. Boeing is also working to fly private passengers to space aboard the capsule. The Starliner spacecraft is under development, and is expected to fly astronauts to the International Space Station by 2018.
PayloadCrew and CargoHeight16 feetDiameter15 feetMission lengthAt least seven monthsLifespanReusable up to 10 timesMission altitude272 milesCrew capacityCrew of sevenCargo capacityMore than 220.5 lbs.
Heat shield
Parachutes
The Starliner features
a completely
autonomous
docking system
Flight profile
Launch in a ULA Atlas V rocket
or other human-rated launch vehicle
Starliner and upper stage separate
from first stage
Dock with International Space Station
Reentry
Parachutes deploy
Airbags deploy for landing
Heat shield
Parachutes
Service module
The Starliner features
a completely
autonomous
docking system
Weldless design
eliminates structural
risks of traditional welds
and reduces mass
and production time.
Flight profile
Docks with International
Space Station
Starliner and
upper stage
separate from
first stage
Reentry
Parachutes
deploy
Launch in a
ULA Atlas V rocket
or other human-rated
launch vehicle
Airbags
deploy for
landing
Heat shield
Parachutes
Flight profile
Docks with International
Space Station
Starliner and
upper stage
separate from
first stage
Reentry
Service module
The Starliner features
a completely
autonomous
docking system
Parachutes
deploy
Launch in a
ULA Atlas V rocket
or other human-rated
launch vehicle
Weldless design eliminates
structural risks of traditional
welds and reduces mass
and production time.
Airbags
deploy for
landing
Space Launch System (Boeing) and Orion (Lockheed Martin)
NASA has teamed up with Boeing, Orbital ATK and Aerojet Rocketdyne to develop the Space Launch System (SLS), with hopes of exploring deep space and, NASA says, eventually going to Mars. The first test flight of SLS is scheduled in 2018, when it would embark on a three-week mission to orbit the moon. A mission with astronauts is not scheduled until 2021 at the earliest. In 2014, Lockheed’s Orion capsule flew further than any other spacecraft designed for humans since 1972 when it hit an altitude of 3,600 miles. It is scheduled to fly around the moon in 2018 in an unmanned mission that would last three weeks. When complete, the SLS, under development by lead contractor Boeing, will be the most powerful rocket ever built
PayloadCrew and CargoHeight322-365 feetDiameter28 feetThrust8.8-9.2 million lbfPayload to LEO154,000 to 286,000 lbLiftoff weight5.75-6.5 million lbs.Stages2
Launch abort system jettisons the crew to safety in the event of a launchpad failure.
SPACE
LAUNCH
SYSTEM
Two boosters, derived from those of the shuttle, each provide an additional 3.6 million pounds of thrust.
The core stage features four RS-25 engines, each capable of 418,000 lbs of thrust.
ORION CAPSULE
In 2014, Lockheed’s Orion capsule flew further than any other spacecraft designed for humans since 1972 when it hit an altitude of 3,600 miles. It is scheduled to fly around the moon in 2018 in an unmanned mission that would last three weeks.
Launch configurations
A. An initial mission will take an unmanned crew vehicle around the moon and back to demonstrate the capabilities of the vehicle and ground support crew.
B. A second mission will also travel around the moon, but this time with a crew of four.
C. More ambitious missions to Mars and beyond will require a vehicle capable of carrying a crew along with other systems like a deep-space habitat and or science spacecraft.
D. A cargo configuration will also be necessary for missions to Mars.
Planned missions
1. By 2018, an unmanned mission around the moon
2. 2021–2023, manned mission around the moon
3. 2021–2025, send an unmanned probe and lander to Jupiter
4. 2026, manned mission to an asteroid that has been robotically captured and placed in lunar orbit.
The core stage features four RS-25 engines, each capable of 418,000 lbs of thrust.
Launch abort system jettisons the crew to safety in the event of a launchpad failure.
The core stage of the rocket is orange because that is the natural color of the insulation that will cover it.
SPACE
LAUNCH
SYSTEM
Two boosters, derived from those of the shuttle, each provide an additional 3.6 million pounds of thrust.
ORION CAPSULE
In 2014, Lockheed’s Orion capsule flew further than any other spacecraft designed for humans since 1972 when it hit an altitude of 3,600 miles. It is scheduled to fly around the moon in 2018 in an unmanned mission that would last three weeks.
Launch configurations
Launch abort system
Orion crew vehicle
Cargo fairing
Exploration upper stage
Core stage
Solid rocket boosters
Advanced boosters
RS-25 engines
A. An initial mission will take an unmanned crew vehicle around the moon and back to demonstrate the capabilities of the vehicle and ground support crew.
B. A second mission will also travel around the moon, but this time with a crew of four.
C. More ambitious missions to Mars and beyond will require a vehicle capable of carrying a crew along with other systems like a deep-space habitat and or science spacecraft.
D. A cargo configuration will also be necessary for missions to Mars.
Planned missions
1. By 2018, an unmanned mission around the moon
2. 2021–2023, manned mission around the moon
3. 2021–2025, send an unmanned probe and lander to Jupiter
4. 2026, manned mission to an asteroid that has been robotically captured and placed in lunar orbit.
Launch configurations
Launch abort system jettisons the crew to safety in the event of a launchpad failure.
Launch abort system
Orion crew vehicle
Cargo fairing
Exploration upper stage
The core stage of the rocket is orange because that is the natural color of the insulation that will cover it.
Core stage
Solid rocket boosters
Advanced boosters
RS-25 engines
A. An initial mission will take an unmanned crew vehicle around the moon and back to demonstrate the capabilities of the vehicle and ground support crew.
B. A second mission will also travel around the moon, but this time with a crew of four.
C. More ambitious missions to Mars and beyond will require a vehicle capable of carrying a crew along with other systems like a deep-space habitat and or science spacecraft.
D. A cargo configuration will also be necessary for missions to Mars.
SPACE
LAUNCH
SYSTEM
Main engines
The core stage features four RS-25 engines, each capable of 418,000 lbs of thrust.
Two boosters, derived from those of the shuttle, each provide an additional 3.6 million pounds of thrust.
ORION CAPSULE
In 2014, Lockheed’s Orion capsule flew further than any other spacecraft designed for humans since 1972 when it hit an altitude of 3,600 miles. It is scheduled to fly around the moon in 2018 in an unmanned mission that would last three weeks.
Planned missions
1. By 2018, an unmanned mission around the moon
2. 2021–2023, manned mission around the moon
3. 2021–2025, send an unmanned probe and lander to Jupiter
4. 2026, manned mission to an asteroid that has been robotically captured and placed in lunar orbit.
Vulcan
Scheduled to launch in 2019, United Launch Alliance (ULA) is betting on Vulcan to be the successor to their prolific Atlas V and Delta rocket families. For years, ULA, the joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing, had a monopoly on national security launches. But the company decided to develop a new vehicle that would use an American-made engine, which would pop out of the first stage and be recovered by helicopter so that it could be reused.
PayloadCargoHeight191–218 feetDiameter12.5 feetPayload to LEO21,000-52,000 lbs.Cost per launchStarting at $99 million
Depending on the mission, Vulcan can be modified. Different sized nose cones or extra boosters can accomodate a wide range of payloads
Vulcan will likely use two Blue Origin BE-4 liquefied natural gas main engines
Flight profile
Launch
Payload releases and engine
separates from booster
Engine shield inflates for reentry
Engine parafoil deploys and is
retrieved in midair by helicopter
Engine is checked and certified for
future use
Engine reattached to a new booster
Depending on the mission, Vulcan can be modified. Different sized nose cones or extra boosters can accomodate a wide range of payloads
Vulcan will likely use two Blue Origin BE-4 liquefied natural gas main engines
Flight profile
Payload releases and
engine separates
from booster
Engine
shield
inflates
for reentry
Launch
Engine parafoil
deploys and is
retrieved
in midair by
helicopter
Engine reattached
to a new booster
Engine is checked
and certified for future use
Depending on the mission, Vulcan can be modified. Different sized nose cones or extra boosters can accomodate a wide range of payloads
Flight profile
Payload releases and
engine separates
from booster
Engine
shield
inflates
for reentry
Launch
Engine parafoil
deploys and is
retrieved
in midair by
helicopter
Engine reattached
to a new booster
Engine is checked
and certified for future use
Vulcan will likely use two Blue Origin BE-4 liquefied natural gas main engines
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