Doujin
26-12-2003, 22:04
Doujin launched it's space shuttle for the first time today. Their goal - deliver a communications satellite. After that, they will orbit the earth for 1 day and return home. This is the first of many launches to come.
More into our space program:
Doujin has designed several space stations and is going to start assembly of one within 5 years.
http://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/openscene.jpg
http://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/proposedstation03.jpg
Dozens of studies done by NASA and aerospace companies over the last (20) years have verified that building space stations from NASA's current ETs is feasible, but expensive. The studies pointed out that with a few critical ET design changes, assembling and operating these stations could be done far more efficiently. DA is aggressively pursuing those changes with our aerospace corporate partners.
Our initial plan was to redesign the space shuttles to create a safer, less expensive, passenger-carrying version. Most of this website describes this combination of ET-stations served by commercial space shuttles. After all, NASA's shuttle prototypes have flown over (100) flights during the last (20) years. They work, but like all prototypes, they're expensive and dangerous to operate. Doujin understands that both those conditions can be changed by engineering improvements.
We calculated that re-designing the ETs and building our first unmanned 'Dual-ET' vehicle would cost about $2 billion and take 3-4 years. It would have one fuel-filled ET with engines at its lower end, and space shuttle solid rocket boosters attached to its sides. Mounted on the side of this first ET, between the (2) boosters would be a second, empty ET that could carry cargo to orbit, or its interior could be outfitted in advance as living and working quarters for at least a dozen people.
http://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/duallaunchvehicle.jpg
This outfitted version could have hatchways built between the (2) ETs before launch. Once in orbit the crew, carried up later on a manned vehicle, could move into the prefabricated ET and activate its systems. Within a few days, after the excess fuel was removed from the first ET, they could enter it through the hatchways and outfit its interior for other commercial uses.
http://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/sig7stationgeode.jpg
As more Dual-ETs are launched they will be attached to the sides of the first one in orbit. A year after the first launch this cluster of ETs will form a huge, zero-g manufacturing and satellite repair facility with living quarters for nearly (200) people.
This is a re-engineered version of the space shuttle's orange, hollow external fuel tank, or ET.
http://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/etmaster.jpg
Its overall dimensions will be the same (approximately 27.5 feet by 154 feet) to utilize current factory tooling, but it an extra 20-25 foot segment will be added to its lower end to house (3) liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engines. Those engines will be improved versions of the ones mounted in the tail of NASA's Space Shuttle's. Structural elements at the ET's lower end and elsewhere will be redesigned to handle these new loads, and wall thickness in other area may be increased to improve radiation or micro-meteor protection on orbit.
These changes may increase the ET's overall weight substantially over its current 66,000 pounds, but the new engines will compensate for that increase. The ET will be filled with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen fuel before launch, as is done with the current shuttle. Re-engineering costs could be as high as $500 million.
Liquid Fuel Engines
The full range of liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engines now in production or in late stage development are being considered. The Rocketdyne RS-68, currently in use on the Delta IV unmanned launcher, is one option. The Cobra engine under development by Pratt and Whitney and Aerojet is another. Man rating the RS-68 may cost $200-$300 million or more, and completing development of the Cobra, which is designed as a man-rated engine, may cost the same. The Doujin Aeronautics (DA) is exploring options with several engine developers.
Solid Rocket Boosters
These engines (2 per launch vehicle) will be the same 4-segment versions used on the current Space Shuttle, or an improved, 5-segment version, which is in its final testing stage.
DA may fund development of reusable, liquid fly back boosters to replace these solid boosters. This could lower launch costs and increase safety margins, but could cost up to $2 billion dollars to develop. DA is exploring fly backs with several engine developers. In either case the boosters will separate from the primary vehicle about (2) minutes after launch, as the current shuttle boosters do.
Zero Gravity Production/Research Facility
This is essentially the hydrogen section of a standard ET, measuring roughly 27.5 feet by 100 feet. Its interior will be outfitted before launch with living and working quarters for a crew of at least 12. Its standard wall thickness may be increased for additional radiation and micro-meteor protection, and it will contain research, manufacturing production, analytical and product packaging areas.
http://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/labbayblack.jpghttp://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/prodbayblack.jpg
The section will weight 100,000 pounds, and its development/construction cost will approach $1 billion.
Two passageway/hatches will be built between the habitable section and the fuel-filled ET. Once in orbit the remaining odorless fuel will be removed, and a crew will enter through the hatches to outfit the interior as living quarters and working areas for a variety of commercial markets.
A space shuttle docking port may be built at the bottom of this habitable section on the first (2) launches to allow access until DA's crew transfer vehicle (see below) is man-rated.
Crew Transport Vehicle
This is a variation of the DC-X (or 'Delta Clipper') single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) design developed by Dr. Bill Gaubatz and his team at McDonnell Douglas in the early 1990s. The original concept was to place enough liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen fuel inside the vehicle to let it reach orbit without external fuel tanks or rocket boosters, or perhaps with just a single, small booster rocket. When its orbital task was completed it was to re-enter the atmosphere nose-first, rotate to a tail-first position a few thousand feet above the landing site, then land gently as the retro-rockets in its tail fired. Its design and operating costs were to be a small fraction of the space shuttles. A prototype was built and this landing concept and cost structure was successfully proven, but in the mid-90's the program's federal funding ran out.
http://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/deltaclipper2.jpg
A drawback of the concept, common to all SSTO concepts, was that only 1-2% of its interior space was left for cargo or personnel. But combining this Clipper concept with Dual-ET launch eliminates this drawback.
A Clipper-like vehicle attached above the habitable production section would ride to orbit on the thrust of the fuel-filled ET and the boosters. Only 25% of its interior would be needed for engines and landing fuel.
DA will design at least (3) variations of this vehicle. A manned version will carry 3 dozen people to orbit and back, a second, unmanned version will carry zero-g materials from the factory modules back to Earth, and a third version will remain in orbit permanently to bring damaged satellites to one of DA's orbiting repair, refueling and upgrade facilities, then return them to their proper orbit.
Each variation will weigh approximately 75,000 pounds. The (3) variations together will cost some $3 billion to develop and test.
The design is scaleable. Longer version could be mounted on the side of the fuel-filled ET, replacing the habitable hydrogen section and eliminating DA's original, far more expensive plan to build an improved, passenger-carrying version of NASA's Space Shuttle prototypes.
Launch Complexes
Specialized launch complexes for these vehicles will be built at a cost of $200 to $300 million each.
http://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/launchfull2.jpg
More into our space program:
Doujin has designed several space stations and is going to start assembly of one within 5 years.
http://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/openscene.jpg
http://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/proposedstation03.jpg
Dozens of studies done by NASA and aerospace companies over the last (20) years have verified that building space stations from NASA's current ETs is feasible, but expensive. The studies pointed out that with a few critical ET design changes, assembling and operating these stations could be done far more efficiently. DA is aggressively pursuing those changes with our aerospace corporate partners.
Our initial plan was to redesign the space shuttles to create a safer, less expensive, passenger-carrying version. Most of this website describes this combination of ET-stations served by commercial space shuttles. After all, NASA's shuttle prototypes have flown over (100) flights during the last (20) years. They work, but like all prototypes, they're expensive and dangerous to operate. Doujin understands that both those conditions can be changed by engineering improvements.
We calculated that re-designing the ETs and building our first unmanned 'Dual-ET' vehicle would cost about $2 billion and take 3-4 years. It would have one fuel-filled ET with engines at its lower end, and space shuttle solid rocket boosters attached to its sides. Mounted on the side of this first ET, between the (2) boosters would be a second, empty ET that could carry cargo to orbit, or its interior could be outfitted in advance as living and working quarters for at least a dozen people.
http://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/duallaunchvehicle.jpg
This outfitted version could have hatchways built between the (2) ETs before launch. Once in orbit the crew, carried up later on a manned vehicle, could move into the prefabricated ET and activate its systems. Within a few days, after the excess fuel was removed from the first ET, they could enter it through the hatchways and outfit its interior for other commercial uses.
http://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/sig7stationgeode.jpg
As more Dual-ETs are launched they will be attached to the sides of the first one in orbit. A year after the first launch this cluster of ETs will form a huge, zero-g manufacturing and satellite repair facility with living quarters for nearly (200) people.
This is a re-engineered version of the space shuttle's orange, hollow external fuel tank, or ET.
http://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/etmaster.jpg
Its overall dimensions will be the same (approximately 27.5 feet by 154 feet) to utilize current factory tooling, but it an extra 20-25 foot segment will be added to its lower end to house (3) liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engines. Those engines will be improved versions of the ones mounted in the tail of NASA's Space Shuttle's. Structural elements at the ET's lower end and elsewhere will be redesigned to handle these new loads, and wall thickness in other area may be increased to improve radiation or micro-meteor protection on orbit.
These changes may increase the ET's overall weight substantially over its current 66,000 pounds, but the new engines will compensate for that increase. The ET will be filled with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen fuel before launch, as is done with the current shuttle. Re-engineering costs could be as high as $500 million.
Liquid Fuel Engines
The full range of liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engines now in production or in late stage development are being considered. The Rocketdyne RS-68, currently in use on the Delta IV unmanned launcher, is one option. The Cobra engine under development by Pratt and Whitney and Aerojet is another. Man rating the RS-68 may cost $200-$300 million or more, and completing development of the Cobra, which is designed as a man-rated engine, may cost the same. The Doujin Aeronautics (DA) is exploring options with several engine developers.
Solid Rocket Boosters
These engines (2 per launch vehicle) will be the same 4-segment versions used on the current Space Shuttle, or an improved, 5-segment version, which is in its final testing stage.
DA may fund development of reusable, liquid fly back boosters to replace these solid boosters. This could lower launch costs and increase safety margins, but could cost up to $2 billion dollars to develop. DA is exploring fly backs with several engine developers. In either case the boosters will separate from the primary vehicle about (2) minutes after launch, as the current shuttle boosters do.
Zero Gravity Production/Research Facility
This is essentially the hydrogen section of a standard ET, measuring roughly 27.5 feet by 100 feet. Its interior will be outfitted before launch with living and working quarters for a crew of at least 12. Its standard wall thickness may be increased for additional radiation and micro-meteor protection, and it will contain research, manufacturing production, analytical and product packaging areas.
http://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/labbayblack.jpghttp://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/prodbayblack.jpg
The section will weight 100,000 pounds, and its development/construction cost will approach $1 billion.
Two passageway/hatches will be built between the habitable section and the fuel-filled ET. Once in orbit the remaining odorless fuel will be removed, and a crew will enter through the hatches to outfit the interior as living quarters and working areas for a variety of commercial markets.
A space shuttle docking port may be built at the bottom of this habitable section on the first (2) launches to allow access until DA's crew transfer vehicle (see below) is man-rated.
Crew Transport Vehicle
This is a variation of the DC-X (or 'Delta Clipper') single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) design developed by Dr. Bill Gaubatz and his team at McDonnell Douglas in the early 1990s. The original concept was to place enough liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen fuel inside the vehicle to let it reach orbit without external fuel tanks or rocket boosters, or perhaps with just a single, small booster rocket. When its orbital task was completed it was to re-enter the atmosphere nose-first, rotate to a tail-first position a few thousand feet above the landing site, then land gently as the retro-rockets in its tail fired. Its design and operating costs were to be a small fraction of the space shuttles. A prototype was built and this landing concept and cost structure was successfully proven, but in the mid-90's the program's federal funding ran out.
http://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/deltaclipper2.jpg
A drawback of the concept, common to all SSTO concepts, was that only 1-2% of its interior space was left for cargo or personnel. But combining this Clipper concept with Dual-ET launch eliminates this drawback.
A Clipper-like vehicle attached above the habitable production section would ride to orbit on the thrust of the fuel-filled ET and the boosters. Only 25% of its interior would be needed for engines and landing fuel.
DA will design at least (3) variations of this vehicle. A manned version will carry 3 dozen people to orbit and back, a second, unmanned version will carry zero-g materials from the factory modules back to Earth, and a third version will remain in orbit permanently to bring damaged satellites to one of DA's orbiting repair, refueling and upgrade facilities, then return them to their proper orbit.
Each variation will weigh approximately 75,000 pounds. The (3) variations together will cost some $3 billion to develop and test.
The design is scaleable. Longer version could be mounted on the side of the fuel-filled ET, replacing the habitable hydrogen section and eliminating DA's original, far more expensive plan to build an improved, passenger-carrying version of NASA's Space Shuttle prototypes.
Launch Complexes
Specialized launch complexes for these vehicles will be built at a cost of $200 to $300 million each.
http://www.spaceislandgroup.com/images/DualLaunch/launchfull2.jpg