Access to Space: Issues Associated with DOD's Evolved Expendable Launch VehicleProgram

摘要

The federal government currently uses a fleet of expendable launch vehicles-Delta, Atlas, and Titan-to transport a variety of national security and civil satellites into space. According to DOD, these vehicles (which are acquired by DOD), currently operate at or near their maximum performance capability. Also, DOD and congressional sources consider these vehicles to be very costly to produce and launch. Since 1987, the government has made several attempts to develop a new launch vehicle system, but these attempts were canceled either because of funding issues, changing requirements, or controversy regarding the best solution. In 1994, by congressional direction, DOD developed a space launch modernization plan that led to the initiation of the EELV program. Currently, two contractors-Lockheed Martin Astronautics and McDonnell Douglas Aerospace-are competing in a pre-EMD phase, and one is to be chosen for the EMD phase. Of the total planned $2 billion investment, the EMD phase is expected to cost about $1.6 billion and take approximately 6 years. Concurrent with the EMD decision, DOD plans to authorize the start of EELV production. An initial quantity of 29 launch vehicles is estimated to cost about $1.5 billion. In addition, toward the end of the EMD phase, a decision is to be made on whether to produce a significantly larger quantity that would cost several billion dollars.