Hopper (spacecraft)
This article needs to be updated.(November 2020) |
Country | EADS, German Aerospace Center |
---|---|
Status | Canceled |
Hopper was a proposed European Space Agency (ESA) orbital spaceplane and reusable launch vehicle. The Hopper was a FESTIP (Future European Space Transportation Investigations Programme) system study design.[1]
Hopper was one of several proposals for a reusable launch vehicle (RLV) developed by the ESA. The proposed reusable launch vehicles were to be used for the inexpensive delivery of satellite payloads into orbit as early as 2015.[2] A prototype of Hopper, known as (EADS) Phoenix, was a German-led European project which involved the construction and testing of a one-seventh scale model of the proposed Hopper. On 8 May 2004, a single test flight of the Phoenix was conducted at the North European Aerospace Test range in Kiruna, Sweden, which was followed by more tests later that month.[3]
Development
Background
From the 1980s onwards, there was growing international interest in the development of reusable spacecraft; at the time, only the
Under FLPP, the ESA and European industrial partners performed detailed investigations of several partially-reusable launch vehicle concepts; the aim of the program was to prepare a suitable vehicle to, upon a favorable decision by the ESA's member-nations, proceed with the production of a Next Generation Launcher (NGL).[5] A total of four launch concepts were studied: the Horizontal Take-Off (HTO) Hopper, the Vertical Take-Off (VTO) Hopper, the Reusable First Stage (RFS), and the liquid fly-back booster. Each of these concept vehicles consisted of a reusable winged booster, which was paired with an expendable upper stage, to deliver a payload in geostationary transfer orbit.[5]
The HTO Hopper variant was designed for horizontal take-off, the first portion of which was to be achieved via a
The alternative VTO Hopper variant was designed for vertical take-off, being launched conventionally via an expendable launch system.[6] It featured a relatively traditional slender missile-like body but differed in the presence of a small delta wing at a 45-degree leading edge sweep and a central vertical stabilizer arrangement. In terms of its structure, the VTO Hopper possessed a circular cross section complete with a loft fillet on the underside of the craft which functioned to accommodate both the wings and body flap; it also featured a booster which was designed to carry the payload upon the nose of the fuselage.[6] Studies determined that both the HTO and the VTO variant concepts possessed a relatively similar reentry load environment.[7]
HTO Hopper - Selection
The HTO Hopper was adopted for further development work under another ESA initiative in the form of the FESTIP (Future European Space Transportation Investigations Programme) system design study.[1] During 1998, it was decided the design of Hopper fulfilled all of the established requirements.[8] At this point, the spacecraft was to be composed of a single-stage reusable vehicle which would not attain orbital velocity itself. Hopper reportedly held the promise of delivering lower cost orbital deployment of payloads.[3] An EADS spokesperson stated that a reusable launch vehicle like Hopper could halve the cost of sending a satellite into orbit, which reportedly had been determined to be around US$15,000 per kilogram of payload in 2004.[2]
The envisioned mission profile of Hopper would have involved several phases. The launch phase was to be achieved by using a 4 km magnetic horizontal track, which was to be purpose-built at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana, that would accelerate the spacecraft up to launch speed.[3][8] Upon reaching an altitude of 130 km, the vehicle would fire an expendable rocket-powered upper stage to attain orbital speed; once it had achieved the necessary height and speed, it would have released its satellite payload, which would independently ascend higher still to reach the desired orbit.[3] Reportedly, Hopper was designed to deliver 7.5 tonne satellites into an orbit of 130 km above the surface of the Earth.[3] Following the release of its payload, the vehicle would have then glided down in a controller descent. It was intended that the spacecraft would land at a predetermined island facility in the Atlantic Ocean, after which it would have been transported back to French Guiana by ship for further flights.[2][3]
Multinational aerospace
Prototype - Phoenix
The Phoenix RLV launcher, the prototype of the Hopper launcher, was announced by
The Phoenix RLV was 6.9 meters (23 feet) long, had a weight of 1,200 kilograms (2,600 pounds), and a wingspan of 3.9 meters (13 feet). During its design, an emphasis had been placed on minimizing
Drop tests - May 2004
On Saturday, May 8, 2004, the Phoenix prototype underwent a large-scale drop-test at the
Additional tests had already been scheduled, including three that were planned to occur during the following two weeks, which were to build towards the testing of more challenging landings (involving the spacecraft being dropped from different angles or orientations relative to the landing site).[2] Furthermore, the project had an anticipated milestone of releasing the prototype from an altitude of 25 kilometres (82,000 ft) within three years. However, EADS noted prior to the flight that further tests would be dependent on the craft's performance during the initial flight.[8]
Two further test flights were conducted on May 13 (a repeat of the May 8 drop test) and May 16.[12]
Longer term - Socrates
In the long term, if successful and viable, the landing technology tested on Phoenix was to be incorporated into a follow-on re-usable vehicle, which was to be named Socrates. While not envisioned to serve as an orbital vehicle, Socrates was to be capable of flying at up to 10 times the
See also
- Hermes – French crewed spaceplane concept (1975–1992)
- Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle – Re-entry vehicle prototype by ESA for the development of the Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle
- Maglev– Train system using magnetic levitation
- Rocket sled launch – Proposed method for launching space vehicles
- Liquid Fly-back Booster– Launch vehicle study
- German space programme
References
Citations
- ^ a b Dujarric, C. (February 1999). "Possible Future European Launchers - A Process of Convergence" (PDF). ESA Bulletin (97). European Space Agency: 11–19. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Mckee, Maggie (10 May 2004). "Europe's space shuttle passes early test". New Scientist. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Launching the next generation of rockets". BBC News. 1 October 2004. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023.
- ^ a b "The Atmospheric Reentry Demonstrator." European Space Agency, October 1998. BR-138.
- ^ a b c d e f G. Pezzellaa et al. 2010. p. 36.
- ^ a b G. Pezzellaa et al. 2010. p. 37.
- ^ G. Pezzellaa et al. 2010. pp. 38-39.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "PHOENIX: Future prospects in space transport through reusable launch systems." Airbus, 10 May 2004.
- ^ "Germany plans RLV flights" Flight Global', 23 June 1999.
- ^ "European Space Shuttle Glides To Success". Deutsche Welle. 9 May 2004. Archived from the original on 13 August 2022.
- ^ "Phoenix Flight Day." Archived 2011-07-24 at the Wayback Machine Swedish Space Corporation, 8 May 2004.
- ^ IAC Vancouver, October 2004: "Reusable RLV Demonstrator Vehicles Phoenix Flight Test Results and Perspectives", W. Gockel et al. AAAF Arcachon, March 2005: "Synthesis Phoenix Flight Test Performance and Analysis", W. Gockel et al. AAIA Capua, May 2005: "Phoenix Project and Program Continuation Plan", P. Kyr and W. Gockel IAC Fukuoka October 2005: "Phoenix Demonstrator Logic", P. Kyr and J. Sommer
Bibliography
- G. Pezzellaa, M. Marinia, P. De Matteis b, J. Kauffmann c, A. Daprad, C. Tomatisd. "Aerothermodynamic Analyses of Four Reusable Launchers in the Framework of ESA Future Launchers Preparatory Programme ." Aerotecnica Missili & Spazio, The Journal of Aerospace Science, Technology and Systems, Vol. 89, No. 1. January 2010. pp. 36–46.
- Gockel, Wilhelm; Kyr, Peter; Janovsky, Rolf; Roenneke, Axel (October 2004). Reusable RLV Demonstrateur Vehicles - Phoenix Flight Test Results and Perspectives. 55th International Astronautical Congress of the International Astronautical Federation, the International Academy of Astronautics, and the International Institute of Space Law. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. .
External links
- European Space Shuttle Glides To Success 9 May 2004 - details & photo
- Glide test images: Zarm.uni-bremen.de, Spacetec.zarm.uni-bremen.de