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Advanced Launch System

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The Advanced Launch System (ALS) is a joint United States Air Force (USAF) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) study which operated from 1987 to 1990. Its aim was to develop a flexible, modular, heavy-lift, high rate space launch vehicle that could deliver payloads to Earth orbit at a tenth the cost of existing boosters.

Background

The ALS was a joint USAF and NASA study from 1987 to 1990. It was an endeavour of the years following the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. Colonel John R. Wormington (retired Brigadier General USAF) was the Program Director of the Joint Department of Defense and NASA Advanced Launch System Program Office. Lieutenant Colonel Michael C. Mushala (retired Major General USAF) was assigned as Wormington's Deputy. The program operated from the Los Angeles Air Force Base. In October 1989, Mushala was promoted to Colonel. In February 1990, Wormington was reassigned to command the 45th Space Wing at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida. Mushala became the program director and remained so until the project was disbanded in July 1990.

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 ALS program office differed from others in that it was the only one within the Air Force Space Command. The office was furnished with Apple Mac OS personal computers instead of the Command's usual Microsoft Windows systems. This was in part because NASA had already been using Apple computers. The program office pioneered what later became the Microsoft Project.

Aims

The ALS program was charged with deploying the space based elements of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) program. Secondly, the ALS program was to find a way to transport many thousands of tons of equipment for the SDI into low Earth orbit at a cost less than $1,000 per kilogram. The usual cost was about $10,000 per kg.[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.