ADVANCED BOOSTER FOR NASA SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM (SLS)

摘要

ATK has designed a new Advanced Booster for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS). ATK's AdvancedBooster provides NASA the capability for the SLS to achieve 130 mT payload with significant margin,utilizing a booster that is 40 percent less expensive and 24 percent more reliable than the current SLSbooster. These gains in affordability, performance, and reliability ensure that the SLS will be sustainable and flexible in its ability to support a wide variety ofexploration, science and Department of Defense(DoD) missions. ATK's Advanced Boosterleverages our human-rated experience on the Shuttleand Ares First Stage programs in conjunction withour extensive commercial heritage in supporting theDelta, Antares, Pegasus, and Taurus programs. Thisvaluable legacy, combined with an innovativeadvanced booster design, enables us to exceed all ofNASA's performance and reliability requirements atan affordable price. ATK's Advanced Boosterincludes numerous advancements in Solid RocketBooster (SRB) technology that reduce cost, enhancereliability, and improve performance. Some of thecharacteristics of the Advanced Booster includefeatures that have been identified by NASA asimportant for the next-generation booster are: anenergetic propellant to improve performance andreduce cost, a composite case using low costfiber/resin, electric Thrust Vector Control (TVC),and an adaptable core attach design to minimizeinterface concerns.This Advanced Booster concept (Figure 1) willallow NASA to achieve its goal of evolving thecurrent demonstration flight configurations of SLSto achieve payload capabilities in excess of 130 mTto meet its long-term human exploration goalsbeyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO). To achieve thiscapability, the ATK Advanced Booster incorporatesproven design features from Titan and Shuttle and augments these with new technologies specifically targeted to meet NASA's goals for performance andaffordability. This approach minimizes development and recurring costs, while maintaining thedemonstrated human-rated capability needed for NASA's beyond LEO missions.