National AERO-Space Plane: Key Issues Facing the Program. Testimony Before theSubcommittee on Technology and Competitiveness, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, House of Representatives

摘要

Since its inception in December 1985, the NASP (National Aero-Space Plane)Program has undergone significant evolutionary changes. Its cost estimates have increased dramatically and some key schedule milestones may be delayed up to 11 years. While the program has achieved technical progress, it has also encountered problems with its weight and propulsion system. These problems, in conjunction with budget constraints and increasing costs, have resulted in various options being explored to reduce program costs and technical risks. As a part of this assessment, the primary goal of the program--to conduct single-stage-to-orbit flight testing of the X-30--is being reconsidered. Even without additional technical problems, potential cost increases and budget constraints are likely to be significant contributors to future schedule delays in the NASP Program. Furthermore, determining how much funding is needed and when, focusing development activities on needed technologies, and developing achievable long-range plans are complicated by the lack of a determination of whether the X-30 will conduct single-stage-to-orbit flight testing. For these reasons, we believe that a timely decision on this issue is critical. The Joint Program Office's recent proposal to concentrate on the X-30's propulsion system in the near term and defer a decision to build the X-30 until 1996 would likely reduce the program's near-term technical risk. Nevertheless, testing of several critical components and an analysis of the test results are not expected to occur until after the scheduled Phase 3 go-ahead decision in September 1993.