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Advanced Launch System

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The Advanced Launch System (ALS) was a joint USAF and NASA study from 1987 to 1990 that began during the post-Challenger period. Colonel John R. Wormington (Brig. Gen., USAF, Retd.) was assigned as program director of the Joint Department of Defense and 'NASA Advanced Launch System Program' Office located in Los Angeles, CA AFB.

The program

The ALS was a joint USAF and NASA study from 1987 to 1990 that began during the post-challenger period. Colonel John R. Wormington (Brig. Gen., USAF, Ret.) was assigned as Program Director of the Joint Department of Defense and NASA Advanced Launch System Program Office, located at Los Angeles, CA AFB; Lt Col Michael C. Mushala (Maj. Gen., USAF, Ret.) was assigned as his Deputy Program Director.

Mushala was promoted to Colonel in October 1989 and became Program Director when Wormington was reassigned as commander of the Eastern Space and Missile Center, Patrick AFB, FL in February 1990. Mushala closed out the program, and the System Program Office (SPO) was disbanded in July 1990. With the remaining propulsion development efforts being managed by NASA alone. Although the project had a projected R&D cost of $15 billion, its early cancellation led to a final cost slightly under $3 billion.

The program office was unique; it was the only SPO within Space Systems Division (AFSC) and allowed to be completely furnished with Apple Mac OS personal computers instead of the Command's mainline Microsoft Windows systems. This was in part because NASA had already been using Apple computers and the joint program needed to be able to communicate between the SPO and the many NASA sites. The SPO also helped pioneer the use and development of what later became Microsoft Project.

The program considered the requirements and launch vehicles for its two primary goals. First, the USAF was tasked to deploy the space-based elements of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) program. Secondly, because the SDI was initially projected to require many thousands of tons of payload to reach low Earth orbit, ALS was intended to reduce the cost of space transportation by an order of magnitude. Specifically, from about $10,000 per kilogram to less than $1,000 per kilogram, which interested NASA.[1]

By 1989, the Bush Administration had inherited a plan for the development of the Advanced Launch System that called for the Defense Acquisition Board to approve the advanced development of the system in early 1990, leading to a first flight in 1998 and a full operational capability in 2000.[2] This effort would lead to the development of a modular family of launch vehicles, with a payload capacity to low Earth orbit ranging from 5,000 kilograms to 200,000 kilograms, that would replace existing expendable launch vehicles in the 2000-2005 time frame.[3]

However, by late 1989, it had become increasingly apparent that the requirements for the ALS program had largely disappeared.[4] The initial phase of SDI would be deployed using existing Titan IV and Atlas II rockets, and the launch requirements for subsequent phases of SDI deployment were too vague to require the immediate development of ALS.[5]

With the total development cost of ALS pegged at $15 billion through its first flight in 1998,[6] the need for ALS seemed increasingly doubtful.[7]

The program had three prime contractors developing concept "Launch Family" systems, each with an $800 million multi-year contract. They were Boeing Aerospace, Martin-Marietta, and General Dynamics for a total program budget of a little less than $2.5 Billion (the cost of just one B-2 bomber). By the end of 1990, the ALS program, once the centerpiece of space planning, had been reduced to a $150 Million per year propulsion development effort.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ "ALS Contractors Concentrate on Expendable, Reusable Designs", Aerospace Daily, 20 June 1989 page 463
  2. ^ Wolfe, M.G. et al, "The Advanced Launch System." 40th International Astronautical Federation Congress, Malaga Spain, 8–14 October 1989, IAF Paper 89-229.
  3. ^ Branscome, D.R., "The United States Space Transportation Survey," Proceedings of the 2nd European Aerospace Conference on Progress in Space Transportation, (European Space Agency, ESA SP-293, August 1989), pages 39-44.
  4. ^ "Air Force Embraces Expendable Launchers," Military Space, 17 July 1989, page 3-4.
  5. ^ "Adams, Peter, "Congress May Consider ALS Too Costly, Sources Say," Defense News, 27 March 1989, page 25.
  6. ^ Smith, Bruce, "USAF Cuts Vehicle Design Work On Advanced Launch System," Aviation Week & Space Technology, 18 December 1989, page 112.
  7. ^ Finnegan, Philip, "Report: ALS Program Lacks Mission, Should be Pared to Propulsion Study," Defense News, 25 September 1989, page 4.
  8. ^ Finnegan, Philip, "U.S. Air Force, NASA Restructure Advanced Launch System Program," Defense News, 15 January 1990, page 1, 25.
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