List of space launch system designs

Key for Abbreviations

HTHL: Horizontal takeoff, horizontal landing
VTHL: Vertical takeoff, horizontal landing
VTVL: Vertical takeoff, vertical landing
SSTO: Single-stage-to-orbit
TSTO: Two-stage-to-orbit
LEO: Low Earth orbit

List of space launch system designs covers[1] designs and concepts for rockets and other vehicles for sending payloads into space.

This is a list of plans, concepts, and/or proposals for launch systems such as rockets and reusable spaceplanes, typically for orbiting the Earth. Plans may mature into an actual launch system, or may not be developed. An example of launch vehicle plan, is the Space Launch System proposed by NASA in 2011, which is planning to be developed and tested over the next two decades.

21st century

Space Launch Initiative designs [2000][2]
A development of the HOTOL concept for an autonomous spaceplane
Side-mount, a non-reusable, cargo-oriented Shuttle-based launch vehicle with payload capacity (100/35/75) tons for the heaviest variant, the lunar-capable vehicle (different versions with payload capacities 66, 68, 71, 81, 83 tons to LEO were also considered [3]). The vehicle is also known as Shuttle-Derived Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle, High Confidence Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle, and HLV. In a picture shown at the 17 June 2009 meeting of the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee in Washington DC, NASA Space Shuttle Program Manager John Shannon introduced a High Confidence Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle capable of putting 104 metric tonnes to LEO.[4]
Direct's Jupiter-rocket designs studied under the DIRECT 3.0-program (started in 2006) include many versions, such as Jupiter-130 and Jupiter-246, with claimed lift capacities exceeding 60 and 90 tonnes to LEO (up to 100 tonnes with Jupiter-upper stage, and 120 with five-segment solid rocket boosters and upper stage) and the in-line-version (110/35/75). Also older, DIRECT 2.0-program versions of Jupiter, like Jupiter-120 and Jupiter-232, exist.[4]
A rocket with 20,227 kilograms (44,593 lb)[6] to ISS orbit. The rocket consists of Alliant Techsystems Stage I (Ares I) and EADS Astrium Stage II (Ariane 5). It will cost less than $180M[6] or less than $8,899/kg[6]
A NASA Space Shuttle-based launch system designed to replace the Shuttle after its retirement. This is the NASA's current plan to replace the Shuttle (authorized by NASA Authorization Act of 2010). The systems payload capacity to LEO should be 64-130 tons depending heavily on the launch configuration.
Jet carrier aircraft launches large rocket in the air.[8]

20th century

Developed to hardware test of flight vehicles

Concepts and proposals

X-30 concept, single stage to orbit space plane with air-breathing engine within atmosphere
British Aircraft Corporation Multi-Unit Space Transport And Recovery Device
Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm Ballistisches Einstufiges Träger-Aggregat (BETA)[10] BETA is similar to SASSTO, and three configurations were proposed: BETA, BETA 2, and BETA 3, each with different payload weight.[10]
Smaller than "Black Horse", to launch orbital payload with a Star 48V solid rocket and in-flight refueling.[14]
A single-stage-to-orbit reusable spaceplane concept using linear aerospike-engines by NASA/Lockheed Martin. Cancelled (federal financing) in 2001. Planned payload capacity of 20,412 kg to LEO.
Simulated in-flight view of the Lockheed Martin X-33
Unmanned reusable cargo-vehicle studied by NASA in 1984–1995. Shuttle-C was designed to use much of the then-existing STS components and infrastructure. It would have had a payload capacity to LEO 80 or 60 tons. Many later studied Shuttle-derived launch vehicles, such as the SDHLV, have taken a lot of inspiration from the Shuttle-C plans.
Larger than Shuttle-C with 4 SSME (instead of 3) for 87,500 kg (192,900 lb) to LEO.[16]
Studied in the year 1991 but not implemented. The medium-lift rocket NLS-2 would have had a payload capacity of 22,700 kg to LEO and the heavy-lift rocket NLS-1 would have had payload capacity of 45,400 kg to LEO.[17]
Part of Japan's Space Tourism Study Program in the 1990s
Proposed NASA design in the period 1996-2004 for a Mars expedition, but it never made it past the preliminary design phase. Planned payload capacity to LEO was 80 tons, and other versions of the rocket were designed with payload capacities between 55-94 tons to LEO.[19]
Douglas Ithacus
North American Rockwell design for a space ferry, two reusable stages to orbit with piloted shuttles and internal fuel tanks.
Shuttle based HLLV
Scale model of one design for a Saturn-Shuttle, basically the Space Shuttle using lower stages of the Saturn rocket family instead of the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB)

Additional systems

Miscellaneous early designs

X-15B was a modified X-15 for spaceflight, launching on a various configurations of a SM-64 Navaho derivative or Titan I stages.[88]

See also

References

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Further reading

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