Flight Hardware

Flight Profile - STS

Flight Profile - SLS Earth Mars 34,600,000 mi International Space Station 220 mi Near-Earth Asteroid ~3,100,000 mi Moon 239,000 mi Commercial Partners 130 t

Flight Profile - SLS

 Orion Capsule  RS-25 Core Stage Engines  Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs)  Core Stage Basic Components STS  Orbiter  Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs)  Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs)  External Tank (ET) SLS

SLS Configurations Launch Abort System 70 t 320 ft 130 t 384 ft Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) INITIAL CAPABILITY, 2017–21 EVOLVED CAPABILITY, Post-2021 Fairings (27.5’ or 33’) Right-sized for the payload RS- 25 Core Stage Engines 5-Segment Solid Rocket Boosters I nterim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage Core/Upper Stage Avionics Upper Stage Advanced Boosters cargo crew

The Orbiter Weight: 153,000 lb / 69,400 kg Height: 57 feet / 17.4 meters Length: 122 feet / 37.2 meters Width: 78 feet / 23.8 meters

The Shuttle Crew Component The only pressurized and temperature controlled part of the Orbiter Equipment Bay Flight Deck Middeck

The Orion Capsule Crew Component

Payload  Payload is defined as “any mission critical equipment, not necessary for spacecraft operation”.

Payload Deployment and Retrieval  Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS) aka the Canadarm was used to deploy and manipulate large payloads in space.  pre-programmed or manually controlled  powered electrically  50 ft. of graphite  ISS has SRMS.  Orion does not have plans for one.

Electrical Power System STS: FUEL CELLSSLS: BATTERIES AND SOLAR PANELS  Electrical Power on the Orbiter is provided by Fuel Cells. Fuel Cells convert Oxygen and Hydrogen into water and electricity.  The Orion Capsule will use batteries and two solar arrays with photovoltaic cells to provide electricity like on the ISS.

Environmental Control & Life Support System (ECLSS)  ECLSS provides:  Cleans CO 2 from the cabin  Provides drinkable water  Keep the temperature between 65°F - 80°F  Pressurizes the cabin

Solid Rocket Propellant  Simplest types of engines  Case of fuel that burns quickly  Expel hot exhaust gas through nozzle  Substance is typically rubbery  Examples (solid in at least 1 stage):  Delta (ULA, satellites)  Space Shuttle (largest built and flown to date)  Antares (Orbital Sciences, launches Cygnus)  PSLV (India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle)  Shavit (Israeli rocket)

Solid Rocket Boosters STS: SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS SLS: SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS  4 segments  Reusable  Poured as a double batch.  5 segments  Non-reusable  Initially going to use the SRBs that are in inventory.  SLS will be developing new side boosters (either solid or liquid) for the 130t version.

Liquid Rocket Propellant  The propellant is stored as a liquid.  The igniter gives off a spark and the propellant combusts and is expelled through the nozzle.

Liquid Propellant Tanks STS: EXTERNAL TANK (ET)SLS: CORE STAGE  Stores liquid Oxygen and liquid Hydrogen for the SSMEs.  The Orbiter is attached to the side of the ET.  Will house the tanks for the liquid Oxygen and liquid Hydrogen AND houses the Core stage engines.  The Orion Capsule will attach to the top of the core stage.

Liquid Propellant Engines STS: SPACE SHUTTLE MAIN ENGINESSLS: RS-25 CORE STAGE ENGINES  Connected to the propellant tanks in the ET.  Initially SLS will use the same SSMEs attached to the bottom of the core stage.  New, advanced engines will be developed.

Hypergolic Rocket Propellant  Ignite on contact with no ignition source  Easy start/restart capabilities  Liquid at room temperature  Examples :  Space Shuttle (OMS and RCS engines)  Titan II (Project Gemini)  Delta II (satellite launcher)

Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) STS: OMS ENGINESSTS / SLS: RCS ENGINES  Two OMS Engines on the back of the orbiter  Used for BIG movements in space.  44 thrusters on the nose and tail of the Orbiter  Orion has RCS thrusters as well.  Used for changing the orientation of the orbiter / capsule