Commercial Cargo Resupply Service: Supporting the International - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Commercial Cargo Resupply Service: Supporting the International Space Station

October 7, 2015 Frank L. Culbertson, Jr. President Space Systems Group

This document does not contain technical data as defined in the ITAR, 22 CFR 120.10.

The Commercial Model

 In 2005, NASA was charged with the task of “stimulating commercial enterprise in

space by asking American entrepreneurs to provide innovative, cost-effective commercial cargo and crew transportation services to the International Space Station”

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 From 2006 to 2013, under the Commercial Orbital

Transportation Services (COTS) program, NASA acted as both an investor and advisor

• Under this Program and in less than 5 years, Orbital

ATK developed and flew the “Antares” medium class rocket and the “Cygnus” advanced maneuvering space vehicle, designed to meet the stringent safety requirements for International Space Station operations.

 Commercial Services were then provided under

NASA’s follow-on Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract

Commercial Space Today: Cargo Resupply Mission to ISS

Antares Fueling at Pad 0A Antares Liftoff Cygnus Rendezvous With ISS

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Cargo Services Provided to the ISS

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Cargo Up Cargo Down

Cygnus Delivers for NASA!

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 Demo Mission – Fully Successful

• 700kg Delivered
• 1000kg Taken Away

 Orb-1 Mission – Fully Successful

• 1465kg Delivered
• 1461kg Taken Away

 Orb-2 Mission – Fully Successful

• 1664kg Delivered
• 1650kg Taken Away

 Orb-3 Mission – Loss of Mission

• 2290kg Was Manifested

In three missions, Cygnus has delivered more than 8360 lbs of pressurized cargo

CRS Return To Flight Planning

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 Orbital ATK Is Implementing a Return to Flight Plan

That Delivers Cargo to the ISS by December 2015

 The Orbital ATK Plan:

• Return Antares to Flight in early 2016 Using New, In-

production RD-181 Engines

• Purchase Launch Services from Atlas V to Launch

Cygnus during the Antares Down-time

 Cygnus was designed to be compatible with multiple

launch vehicles

 Integration with Atlas V going very smoothly and

scheduled to launch in early December 2015

 Updated Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM)

configuration of internal structure allows for higher cargo loads

• Approximately 3500 kg manifested on OA-4

OA-4 Preparations Underway – Pressurized Cargo Module at KSC

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Ready to Continue Commercial Cargo Services to the ISS

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ISS Enables Commercialization in LEO

 With the extension of the ISS to 2024, NASA has at least 9 more years to accomplish

its goal to enable:

• The development of a commercial market for human spaceflight in LEO
• Human spaceflight beyond LEO through technology/systems demonstrations

 NASA, FAA and other Government agencies need to

take steps now to promote, protect and establish commercial activities in LEO

• Legislation and Policies
• Simplification of ITAR requirements
• Funding
• Protection of Intellectual Property generated

from Commercial Activities

• Developing agreements for commercial transportation and

the use of NASA astronauts supporting commercial operations

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Orbital ATK’s Roadmap for ISS Commercialization

 Increased commercial transportation services for commercial ISS experiments using

• Cygnus. This augments NASA and National Lab ISS Utilization.

 Augmentation of ISS Laboratory equipment with commercially owned and operated

equipment

 Augmentation of the ISS with a complete commercial module for specialized

experimentation

 Free Flyer Commercial Module Independent of ISS

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Possible Long Term Future for ISS Commercialization

 ISS could transition from a Government operated facility to a Government owned –

contractor operated facility

• Commercial Contractors (Domestic and potentially international) would operate the ISS
• NASA would have access to the ISS for specific activities performed by their astronauts
• All transportation and resupply would be managed by the commercial operator
• A large subset of the total research conducted on the ISS would be performed by commercial

astronauts

 Enhancement or Replacement of ISS elements could use commercially developed

and manufactured habitation modules

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Summary

 NASA can help invigorate the commercial LEO market through –

• Restructuring of requirements to accommodate commercial utilization
• Streamlining of processes (i.e. safety process)
• Funding opportunities to prime the commercialization pump

− Anchor tenant − COTS model

• Accommodate commercial utilization outside of National Lab

− Opens new markets

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 Large Scale Commercial Utilization

still waiting on the “killer app”

 Use of commercial practices and

contracting approaches is the most cost effective way to provide services in space

 COTS model can be applied to other

NASA activities beyond LEO

Commercial Approach Can Also be Applied From ISS to Mars and Everywhere In-Between

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I nflatable Structure Dem o Satellite Servicing Asteroid Mission Free-Flyer Rendezvous & Docking Dem o Life Support Dem o HI AD Entry Dem o Space Tug I SS Test bed I SS Resupply Mission Free Flyer Lab I SS Lab/ Prop Module Exploration Subsystem Testing Deep Space Habitat Lunar Logistics Resupply Mission Deep Space Radiation Shield Dem o Mars Logistics Resupply Mission