Building a Cadre of Space Professionals With Responsive Lift

摘要

This paper investigates a new concept for launching small satellites to space. It first discusses small satellite capabilities, since many view them as being only applicable to special niche markets, current launch deficiencies for this market, development of the new launch system, and a conops for its application. My intention for writing this paper at ACSC is to show that there is a conops for affordable access to space. If low cost small space systems can be produced at the same cost as some of our other expendable assets (e.g. precision bombs ranging in price from $100 K - $1,000,000 each) the small space systems could provide a force enhancement function to our existing higher cost space systems. Some say that bigger, higher performance, longer lifetime space systems are the only way to move forward in space. I would say if we took this approach to the computer market, we would only have big mainframe computers and no personal computers today. However, I know proving that a low cost system can be developed and provide a useful capability is a challenge. Hopefully this paper is a start.