Logistics Considerations forPrivately-Built Manned Orbiting Vehicles

摘要

The recent 50th year anniversary of orbital spaceflight initiated by the October 4th 1957 launching of the former USSR's Sputnik satellite has led to much anticipation that the next fifty years will see a resurgence of activity in Return-to-the-Moon manned missions. These missions would certainly pave the way for a much better understanding of the Earth-to-Moon environment known as cis-lunar space and provide an important means to learn spacefaring techniques for humankind's further ventures into the near Solar System. For the present, the entrepreneurship that was seen in the winning of the Ansari X-Prize with SpaceShipOne has also provided an exciting impetus for suborbital space tourism. It is therefore envisioned that this efficiency of private enterprise, in consonance with local, national, and international government oversight, could be the stimulus by which spaceflight can be dependably and affordably achieved. Accordingly, the Privately-Built Manned Orbiting Vehicle for Low Earth Orbit can be seen as the next viable step beyond the suborbital realm for furthering the technology and economy of manned spaceflight. The logistics necessary to achieve private orbital spaceflight is then viewed as being integral to the development of a sustainable enterprise that is both reliable and profitable.This paper will take a global look at the logistics associated with private spaceflight. Since supply chains commonly range across the world, the entrepreneur for this type of unique enterprise will want to ensure that product is available – not just upon the earth, but as resources that could be brought up to orbit for immediate use or for future storage. Ultimately, the product needs for the aerospace vehicle will encompass manufacturing, replenishment, life-support, and infrastructure activities. Vertical integration versus horizontal integration of the aerospace enterprise will have profound effects with regard to the system dynamics of the supply chain: So, tradeoffs would have to be evaluated as to the cost and benefits found in keeping supply control within the domain of the business versus delegating responsibilities onto the suppliers of assemblies, components, services, and other commodities. In addition to the longer-term aspect of building the vehicle and its associated support equipment, there is the need to fully prepare for the temporal nature of launch and recovery activities as well as to be provisioned for life support and rescue. Other logistics issues that come to the fore are in developing a commonality of standards such that usage and orbital rendezvous with other vehicles and space station platforms may be achieved. Commonality approaches will thus help to ensure a successful business model for the present-day entrepreneur and provide a means to transcend into longer-term technology benefits. Another logistics facet that is critical is in understanding how much physical land, sea, and air space is necessary along the flight path, for the safe accession of orbit and a planned recovery, with provision being made for potential abort trajectories that could be seen during in-flight emergencies. Cooperation will thus be necessary with national and international governing authorities prior to the set-up of aerospace activities. While the flight technology of developing a private aerospace enterprise is indeed the central challenge of the entrepreneur, "the business of doing the business" needs to be minded since these logistics can have far-reaching effects for sustainability and growth.