The Future of Air and Space Power

Motivation  Our study up until today has focused on the history of aircraft development  Today we will take brief look into the future

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 OverviewOverview  Identify four key developments in military, NASA, and commercial space systems  Identify the goals of the US Cyberspace Command  Identify three anticipated developments in unmanned systems  Identify two current manned aircraft under development

Vocabulary  Cyberspace  UAV  Micro-UAV  Hyper sonic  STOVL

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles  The Air Force will be launching its satellites into orbit aboard the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV)  Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle, known as EELV, is designed to improve our nation’s access to space by making space launch vehicles more affordable and reliable.  The program is replacing the existing fleet of launch systems with two families of launch vehicles, each using common components and common infrastructure Courtesy of the U.S. Air Force

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles  The vehicles are the Boeing Delta IV and Lockheed Martin Atlas V.  EELV’s operability improvements over current systems include a standard payload interface, standardized launch pads and increased off-pad processing. Courtesy of the U.S. Air Force

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 Reusable Space Maneuver Vehicles Reusable Space Maneuver Vehicles  The future may lie with reusable Space Maneuver vehicles  These platforms carry payloads into space and bring them back to Earth  One such platform now under development for the Air Force is the unmanned Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) Courtesy of NASA

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 Reusable Launch Platforms and Space Maneuver Vehicles Reusable Launch Platforms and Space Maneuver Vehicles  The Air Force has successfully flown three X-37B missions, OTV-1 through OTV-3,  All three have landed successfully at Vandenberg AFB, California, with the latest landing of OTV-3 occurring on Oct. 17, 2014, after 674 days in orbit.  The first three OTV missions have spent a total of 1,367 days in orbit, successfully checking out the x-37B's reusable flight, reentry and landing technologies. Courtesy of NASA

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 NASA’s Vision for the Future NASA’s Vision for the Future  NASA is busy planning for future space exploration  Some people think space travel isn’t practical  NASA doesn’t agree  It’s working now on concepts and inventions that will help get humans into deep space

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 Why Explore Beyond Earth’s Orbit?  NASA flew men to the moon in the 1960s  Today it routinely sends astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS)  But some people still ask: why explore space?  Pushing the boundaries of space keeps the United States ahead technologically  Scientists can conduct studies in space that are not possible on Earth

New Orion Spacecraft and Space Launch Vehicle  The Orion spacecraft is NASA’s newest vehicle for exploring space  Orion will provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during the space travel, and provide safe re-entry from deep space.  The Orion Spacecraft will serve as the primary crew vehicle for missions beyond Low earth Orbit  On December 5, 2014, Orion launched atop a Delta IV Heavy rocket  On the Orion Flight Test: a two-orbit, four-hour flight that tested many of the systems most critical to safety.  The Orion Flight Test evaluated launch and high speed re-entry systems such as avionics, attitude control, parachutes and the heat shield.

New Orion Spacecraft and Space Launch Vehicle  Orion will be apable of conducting regular in-space operations (rendezvous, docking, extravehicular activity) in conjunction with payloads delivered by the Space Launch System (SLS) for missions beyond LEO  NASA’s Space Launch System, or SLS, is an advanced launch vehicle for a new era of exploration beyond Earth’s orbit into deep space.  SLS, will be the world’s most powerful rocket, will launch astronauts in the agency’s Orion spacecraft on missions to an asteroid and eventually to Mars

New Orion Spacecraft and Space Launch Vehicle  Offering the highest-ever payload mass and volume capability and energy to speed missions through space, SLS is designed to be flexible and evolvable, to meet a variety of crew and cargo mission needs.  In 2015, NASA completed the critical design review – a first for a NASA exploration class vehicle in almost 40 years -- and continues to move forward with production of the launch vehicle. Engineers are making rapid progress aimed toward delivering the first SLS rocket to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for its first launch. Flight hardware is currently in production for every element.

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 Future Manned Exploration Future Manned Exploration  Additional trips to the moon are many years away  NASA is aiming for a lunar mission in 2020  Voyages to Mars are likely decades away Voyages to Mars are likely decades away  But NASA keeps its options open, and is always thinking ahead  After Mars, what?  NASA itself doesn’t know yet  But one thing is sure: exploration of space will continue

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 Commercial Space Programs Dragon – Space X  Dragon is a free-flying, reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program.  Initiated internally by SpaceX in 2005, the Dragon spacecraft is made up of a pressurized capsule and unpressurized trunk used for Earth to LEO transport of pressurized cargo, unpressurized cargo, and/or crew members.

Commercial Space Programs Dragon – SpaceX  In May 2012, SpaceX made history when its Dragon spacecraft became the first commercial vehicle in history to successfully attach to the International Space Station.  Previously only four governments -- the United States, Russia, Japan and the European Space Agency -- had achieved this challenging technical feat.  SpaceX has now begun regular missions to the Space Station, completing its first official resupply mission in October 2012

Commercial Space Programs Falcon 9 – SpaceX  Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit.  As the first rocket completely developed in the 21st century, Falcon 9 was designed from the ground up for maximum reliability.  Falcon 9’s simple two-stage configuration minimizes the number of separation events - - and with nine first-stage engines, it can safely complete its mission even in the event of an engine shutdown.

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 OverviewOverview  Identify four key developments in military, NASA, and commercial space systems  Identify the goals of the US Cyberspace Command  Identify three anticipated developments in unmanned systems  Identify two current manned aircraft under development

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 CyberspaceCyberspace  The US Air Force is expanding its responsibilities into the cyber world  Computers, chips, hardware, monitors, and plugs—these are the physical tools of the Internet  But the information we retrieve from the Internet is not physical  Cyberspace  Cyberspace is a virtual place where information is stored Courtesy of NASA

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 AF Cyberspace Command AF Cyberspace Command  In 2006 Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne announced the formation of the Air Force Cyberspace Command  A key reason is that hackers, terrorists, and criminals often use the Internet to further their plans  Many new kinds of threats can hit the United States through the Web  That’s why the Air Force has stepped in to defend cyberspace Courtesy of the U. S. Air Force

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 Current Operations  The goals of the Cyberspace Command are to:  Protect cyberspace  Make sure commanders have full access to all battlefield information available through cyberspace  Carry out offensive missions in cyberspace  Support reconnaissance missions

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 Exploiting Cyberspace  What would an offensive cyberspace mission look like?  It might involve an effort to destroy an enemy’s power grid  Computer viruses are another weapon in the US cyberspace arsenal  Cyberspace can also be used for training, using a modern simulator Courtesy of Clipart.com

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 OverviewOverview  Identify four key developments in military, NASA, and commercial space systems  Identify the goals of the US Cyberspace Command  Identify three anticipated developments in unmanned systems  Identify two current manned aircraft under development

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 Unmanned Air Vehicles  New developments are also in the works for unmanned air vehicles (UAVs)  UAVs traditionally have flown reconnaissance missions but UAVs are now taking roles in combat  As technology improves, engineers will find many more uses for UAVs  The Predator  The X-45/7 (under development) Courtesy of the U.S. Air Force Predator

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 Anticipated Developments in UAV Technology  Military planners hope to make other important developments with UAVs  These developments involve three things: sight, size, and tactics  Engineers are trying to give UAVs sight using electronic sensors.  They are testing micro-UAVs—an aircraft that weighs as little as a few ounces or a few pounds  New applications of warfare have become possible— combining UAVs and piloted aircraft on missions

Current / Future UAVs

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 Changing the Traditional Concept of the “Pilot”  As progress in UAV technology continues, remote flight will become more common  This will change the definition of the word pilot  No longer will the pilot be a daring aviator flying Mach 2 over enemy territory  More and more, combat will involve skilled pilots, navigators, and missile- sensor operators who work with computers

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 OverviewOverview  Identify four key developments in military, NASA, and commercial space systems  Identify the goals of the US Cyberspace Command  Identify three anticipated developments in unmanned systems  Identify two current manned aircraft under development

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 From Gliders to Jets  Today’s advanced manned aircraft would seem like the stuff of science fiction to early inventors such as the Wright brothers  But the United States is not far ahead of other countries in technologies and must continue to worry about challenges from its enemies  Aircraft have progressed from clumsy gliders to jets that fly many times the speed of sound  The modern US arsenal features even more futuristic technology

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 The F-35 Lightning II  The F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter is a stealth fighter with a single engine  F-35 is still in the testing phase  Lockheed-Martin is designing three models, one for each branch of the military  The Air Force will get the conventional takeoff/landing model (CTOL).  The Navy will receive the carrier variant (CV), which will make takeoffs and landings from carriers.  The Marines will fly the short takeoff/vertical landing aircraft (STOVL). Courtesy of the U.S. Air Force

The F-35 Lightning II

Russian T-50  Sukhoi Aircraft has introduced the new design solutions to increase the stealth capabilities of T-50 by managing to greatly reduce the effective surface scattering of the fighter, which is the basic element for visibility on aircraft radars.  An average value of this indicator for the T-50 fighter is between 0.1 and 1 square meter.  Comparing the visibility of the American fifth-generation F-22 fighter which is square meters,

Russian T-50  In order to achieve this level of stealth, designers moved all weapons to the inside of the plane and also changed the shape of the air intake channel, also lining its walls with a material that absorbs radio waves.  The T-50 is the first Russian combat aircraft made from a high proportion of composite materials, making up 25% of the mass of the aircraft and covering 70% of its surface.  The United Engine Corporation is designing the propulsion system for the fighter jet. The work for the fifth-generation engine is taking place at the company “Engines for Combat Aircraft.” The T-50 prototype is already testing the first-phase AL-41F1 engines, a turbofan engine with afterburner and thrust vector control. With this engine the aircraft is capable of supersonic speeds without afterburner effects.

Chapter 8, Lesson 2 The Future Is Ahead Before you, as before no other generation in the history of mankind, the future of air and space power lies bright with promise and possibilities Will you be part of it? Astronauts and Robots Working Together Courtesy of NASA