NEAR-TERM 2-STAGE-TO-ORBIT, FULLY REUSABLE, HORIZONTAL TAKE-OFF LANDING LAUNCH VEHICLE

Studies have shown that it may be possible to develop, in the relative ly near term, a fully reusable launch vehicle with horizontal take-off and landing capability which would use nearly state-of-the-art techno logy and have generous weight growth margins for low risk development. The system could also provide near airline type low cost operations a nd broad mission flexibility. Such a vehicle would have a highly integ rated two-stage-to-orbit configuration. The booster would be powered b y High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) derivative turbojet engines that b urn JP-7 fuel and LH-2 fueled ramjets to accelerate an all-rocket orbi ter to a staging mach number of about 6.5. The orbiter would be highly integrated with the booster to simplify on-ground and mating operatio ns, provide low aerodynamic drag and efficient separation from the boo ster. The system is sized to weigh no more at take-off than about the same weight of a projected growth version of the 747 commercial transp ort, yet it would still be able to deploy at least a 10,000 lb payload to polar low Earth orbit, or a 16,000 lb payload to Space Station Fre edom (and subsequently return a payload of the same weight, if require d). The mission scenario for the two stage vehicle, called ''Beta Boos ter'', is depicted on Fig. 1.