Proposed expendable, water launch, single-stage-to-orbit, liquid oxygen/hydrogen, low-cost launch vehicle designed to carry small bulk payloads to low earth orbit. A unique attribute was that low reliability was accepted in order to achieve low cost.
The Aquarius Concept was launch of low-cost supplies on a low-cost vehicle. These would be low-cost, easily-replaced consumables such as water, fuel, food, and air as needed by the International Space Station and military spacecraft.
Orbital retrieval of the payload would be by a space-tug (e.g. the ASTRO vehicle then being developed by the DARPA Orbital Express program, or other vehicles being studied under the NASA Alternate Access to Station study. Practical vehicle sizing led to a ~1 metric ton palletized payload to 200 km circular orbit with 52 deg inclination (Space Station).
In 2005 Space Systems/Loral, in conjunction with Aerojet and ORBITEC started work on a study funded by a provision of a defense appropriations bill on new engine technologies for use on Aquarius. The study is focusing on the development of a vortex combustion cold wall engine, using LOX and liquid hydrogen propellants; the engine would provide high thrust while eliminating the need for costly ablative materials in engine components. The study was scheduled to conclude in 2006.
Final Launch Vehicle Design Baseline for Study:
• Dimensions: Diameter: 4 meters; LH2 tank length: 21 meters;
LOX tank length: 8.4 meters;
LH2 Pressurant tank length:
4 meters; Total Length: 43 meters
• Mass: Payload: 1 metric ton; Total dry mass: about 10 metric
tons; Total liftoff mass: 130 metric tons.
• Liftoff thrust: 184 metric tons
• Main Propulsion: LOX/LH2, 6:1 ratio, 117.5 metric tons propellants.
Main engine 8:1 expansion ratio,
Chamber pressure 10-20 bar. H2 pressurant:-remained in vehicle following thrust termination and
was used for cold-gas propulsion for orbit insertion, on-orbit velocity correction, and de-orbit
The Space Grant Study Team consisted of:
• Space Systems/Loral, Palo Alto, CA: Major commercial telecommunications
and meteorological spacecraft manufacturer
• Microcosm , El Segundo, CA: Launch vehicle development company,
has flown several sounding rockets,
includes composite tank manufacturing Wilson
Composite Technologies, Folsom, CA: Composite tank manufacturing
expertise
• Captain John Draim, USN, Retired: Floating launch expert, former
director of Project Hydra, U.S. Navy - Conducted tests
at Point Mugu, CA
