ELEMENT DETAILS

Empty Mass: 50 metric tons

Propellant Mass: 730 metric tons
Engine Thrust: 1,000 metric tons force
Wings Retracted
Main
Engine Hardware: RS-68 pumps (3 sets)
Throttle: 40% to 105%
Thrust: 1,000 metric tons
Engine Nozzle: Aerospike
Isp: 468 sec

Touchdown
Engine Hardware: RL-10 pumps (10 sets)
Throttle: 30% to 105% Wings Deployed
Thrust: 100 metric tons
Isp: 435 sec

Cost: $100 million each

 Third Stage

Second Stage

Aerial Recovery
 First Stage Separation

First Stage
External Tank Derived Heavy Lift Reusable Launch Vehicle

First Stage:

Element 1 and 3 feeds Element 5

Element 2 and 4 feeds Element 6
Element 5 and 6 feeds Element 7
7
7,000 metric tons of thrust

Second Stage:

Element 5 and 6 feeds Element 7 2 6

3,000 metric tons of thrust 1
4

Third Stage:
3
Element 7 feeds Element 7 5

1,000 metric tons of thrust

Payload:

680 metric tons stored in a stretched Element 7

in the Inter-tank Region Between Oxidizer and Fuel
 Wing & Tail Deployment
4
3
2
1

After the ET reaches subsonic Preliminary weight estimates were

terminal velocity following re-entry, taken from a careful analysis of a
5 the fold-away wings and empennage 727-100 aircraft. This aircraft has a
are released from their shrouded maximum take off weight of 76.8
folded position and the ET pitches metric tons. The empty ET/glider has
down to reduce aerodynamic forces a weight of 49.6 metric tons. The
on these systems during deployment. 727 wing and tail sections were sized
(1) The systems are hinged and for a 55.0 metric ton weight assuming
shaped to use aerodynamic forces of no lift contribution from the ET itself.
the slip-stream to assist in the wing So, further weight reductions are
and tail deployment. (2 and 3) The possible. A preliminary weight
ET then pitches up to maximize its statement for these changes is given
range as a glider and guides itself below;
toward a dedicated recovery plane
which picks it up mid-air, down- 5.26 Wing
range. All systems fold-away during 1.23 Tail
launch beneath shrouds placed along 0.84 Flight Control
the length of the ET. This minimizes 0.21 Instrumentation
the forces the wing and tail must take 0.31 Hydraulic/Pneumatic
through Max-Q and so minimizes 0.89 Electrical
weight of the system. 0.55 Avionics
Innovation in ground handling and vehicle processing is also vitally important in lowering launch costs by reducing the
number of people needed to ready the vehicle for flight. Seven elements require 150 people to ready launcher for flight.
 Element Configurations

Seven Element Three Stage - 632 metric tons to Shuttle Orbit

Exhaust V Payload Weight Stage Weight Propellant W Propellant f Ideal Stage Ideal Total
Stage 1 4,358 632 6085 2,920 47.99% 2,849 2,849
Stage 2 4,496 632 2969 1,460 49.17% 3,043 5,891
Stage 3 4,541 632 1411 730 51.74% 3,308 9,200

Standard
Standard

Three Element Two Stage - 252 metric tons to Shuttle Orbit

Exhaust V Payload Weight Stage Weight Propellant W Propellant f Ideal Stage Ideal Total
Stage 1 4,358 252 2589 1,460 56.39% 3,617 3,617
Stage 2 4,541 252 1031 730 70.81% 5,591 9,208

Two Element Two Stage - 161 metric tons to Shuttle Orbit

Exhaust V Payload Weight Stage Weight Propellant W Propellant f Ideal Stage Ideal Total
Stage 1 4,358 161 1719 730 42.47% 2,409 2,409
Stage 2 4,541 161 940 730 77.66% 6,807 9,216

One Element One Stage - 61.7 metric tons to Shuttle Orbit

Exhaust V Payload Weight Stage Weight Propellant W Propellant f Ideal Stage Ideal Total
Stage 1 4,541 61.7 840.7 730 86.83% 9,207 9,207
Non-Standard

Non-Standard
Eight Elements Four Stages - 1,000 metric tons to Escape Trajectory
Exhaust V Payload Weight Stage Weight Propellant W Propellant f Ideal Stage Ideal Total
Stage 1 4,358 1000 7302 2,920 39.99% 2,225 2,225
Stage 2 4,496 1000 4186 1,460 34.88% 1,928 4,154
Stage 3 4,541 1000 2628 730 27.78% 1,478 5,631
Stage 4 4,587 1000 1129 800 70.86% 5,656 11,288