XS-1 - DARPA Experimental Spaceplane

[Братушка]

DARPA выдало компании Boeing контракт на сумму 6,6 млн долл

[triage]

немного англоязычных

 http://www.janes.com/article/53348/pentagon-satellite-launching-uav-development-enters-new-phase-ahead-of-2016-competition
Under Phase 1B, Boeing is responsible for developing a demonstration concept and core technologies for XS-1, DARPA said in a statement. .... Work on this phase is expected to be completed by August 2016.
.....
DARPA plans to hold a Phase II competition next year for the follow-on production order to build the vehicle and conduct demonstration flights, according to the statement.

 http://www.militaryaerospace.com/articles/2015/07/xs-1-spaceplane.html
 https://defensesystems.com/articles/2015/07/28/darpa-boeing-xs1-airborne-satellite-launch.aspx
 http://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/2015/July%202015/July%2029%202015/Boeing-Continues-DARPA-Spaceplane-Development.aspx

[triage]

и первоисточник 

 http://www.defense.gov/contracts/contract.aspx?contractid=5592
The Boeing Co., Huntington Beach, California, has been awarded a $6,587,447 modification (P00004) to previously awarded HR0011-14-9-0005 (Other Transaction), for the Experimental Spaceplane (XS-1) program. The additional tasks, identified as Phase IB, will continue the development of the XS-1 demonstration concept, substantiating identified core component technologies, mitigating risk, developing a Technology Maturation Plan (TMP), and performing several demonstration tasks. The addition of the XS-1 Phase IB tasks brings the total cumulative face value of the agreement from $10,000,000 to $16,587,447. Fiscal year 2015 research and development funds in the amount of $4,083,255 are being obligated at time of award. Work will be performed in Huntington Beach, California (90 percent); Titusville, Florida (5 percent); St. Louis, Missouri (4 percent); and Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (1 percent) with an expected completion date of August 2016. Total Boeing Cost Share is $6,000,000 and the total estimated government funding of the agreement is $10,587,447. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

по картинкам на первой странице 2 квартал 2015 (фискального года) - начало Phase II, а тут пишут о Phase IB

[avmich]

http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/rockets/a17574/masten-space-systems/

Masten reads slowly and deliberately. Then he turns to the engineers gathered near his desk, nonchalant, and says: "I've got some good news and bad news. The good news is we've been selected for XS-1. The bad news is we've been selected for XS-1."

[Salo]

http://spacenews.com/darpa-experimental-spaceplane-program-moves-into-next-phase/

DARPA experimental spaceplane program moves into next phase
by Jeff Foust — April 13, 2016
  Boeing XS-1 Experimental Spaceplane artist concept  
 
PHOENIX — The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is moving ahead to the next phase of an experimental reusable spaceplane program, but the agency's expectation that the winning bidder shoulder some of the costs could cause some companies to reconsider participating.

DARPA announced April 7 that it was moving ahead to phase 2 of its Experimental Spaceplane 1 (XS-1) program, an effort to develop a prototype of a reusable first stage that, when combined with an expendable upper stage, could launch small and medium-sized satellites for less than $5 million.

DARPA awarded three phase 1 study contracts in 2014 to Boeing, Masten Space Systems and Northrop Grumman. Those study efforts are nearing completion, said Jess Sponable, DARPA XS-1 program manager, in a presentation April 7 at the Space Access '16 conference here.

Under phase 2, DARPA will select one company to continue development of their design and perform a series of flight tests. "We have a funded flight demonstration and experimental program for the next phase of the XS-1 program," he said.

DARPA has scheduled an industry day for phase 2 of the XS-1 program for April 29 at its Arlington, Virginia, headquarters. That will be followed by a formal solicitation in early May, Sponable said, with DARPA making an award early in fiscal year 2017.

The winning company will be responsible for developing a vehicle that can fly 10 times in 10 days, demonstrating reliable and cost-effective reusability. On at least one test flight the vehicle would carry an upper stage to launch a "representative payload" weighing between 400 and 680 kilograms, with the ability to later accommodate payloads weighing at least 1,350 kilograms. Those test flights would take place by 2020.

Phase 2 of XS-1 will be open to any bidder, and not just the three companies who participated in phase 1, Sponable said. "We felt the market was dynamic enough that we should not limit ourselves to three contractors," he said, citing efforts by Blue Origin and SpaceX to develop reusable vehicles.

He added, though, that it will be more difficult for companies not involved in the initial phase of XS-1 to be competitive in phase 2. "We are looking for a level of detail in the response that will make it very difficult for some people to come in on the fly and respond," he said.

Another factor that could affect who bids on phase 2 is funding. DARPA is planning to spend about $140 million on the development and flight tests of the vehicle. "That's enough to pick someone and go," Sponable said. "It's probably not enough to fully fund what we have envisioned."

DARPA plans to use its other transactional authority to contract with the winning company. "That implies cost-sharing," he said, with that company contributing the additional funding above DARPA's $140 million to carry out the program.

Sponable said he believes the current XS-1 contractors, and others who might decide to compete for phase 2, understand they'll be expected to contribute to the program. But one company involved in phase 1 says they're still weighing their options for competing for phase 2.

"For participation, we're assessing the appropriateness of what Boeing might do," said Craig Cooning, president of Boeing Network and Space Systems, during a media roundtable April 12 at the 32nd Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

"There was always going to be company participation, but the amount of company participation will be a little different" because the funding for phase 2 is less than what was previously expected, said Alex Lopez, vice president for global sales and marketing at Boeing Network and Space Systems.

Lopez suggested Boeing might ask DARPA to change some of the requirements to reflect that reduced funding. "One way or another we're going to go forward with this program, but we're working closely with DARPA to work on the expectations for the next phase."

Sponable said that, despite ongoing reusable launch vehicle development efforts in the private sector, XS-1 was still relevant, in part because of its high flight rate. "We think flying 10 times in 10 days is something well outside the capability of either SpaceX or Blue Origin at this time," he said. "We hope to spur them along and get them to think about how they can increase their flight rates."

[Димитър]

Победителя в конкурсе определят 29 апреля?

[Cepёгa]

Сборка перспективного многоразового гиперзвукового космического беспилотника XS-1 начнется в 2017 году. Как сообщил ресурс Defence Talk, в начале будущего года Агентство перспективных оборонных проектов (DARPA) Пентагона выберет проект одного из участников тендера на разработку аппарата. При этом готовые проекты должны быть представлены для изучения не позже 22 июля 2016 года.
В настоящее время в тендере участвуют три консорциума американских компаний: Boeing с BLue Origin, Masten Space Systems с XCOE Aerospace, а также Northrop Grumman с Virgin Galactic (контракты с ними были подписаны в 2014 году — когда и стартовал проект). Согласно планам DARPA, испытания нового БЛА должны начаться в 2019—2020 году.
Ранее сообщалось, что сборка первого демонстратора технологий начнется весной 2016 года, однако эта фаза была сдвинута по финансовым причинам. Уменьшенный опытный образец с полезной нагрузкой от 408,2 до 680,4 кг должен будет выдержать серию из одного запуска на орбиту в сутки на протяжении десяти суток подряд. Причем в ходе такой серии запусков аппарат не должен ремонтироваться и проходить техническое обслуживание.
Отмечается, что XS-1 в перспективе будет использоваться для доставки на низкую околоземную орбиту различного оборудования. Стоимость одного запуска серийного аппарата не должна превышать пяти миллионов долларов.

http://svpressa.ru/war21/article/150008/?rss=1&utm_source=rnews

[triage]

 http://www.janes.com/article/60802/darpa-issues-xs-1-rfp
DARPA issues XS-1 RfP
30 May 2016
Key Points

[/li]
• DARPA has issued an RfP for the XS-1 satellite-launching space plane
• Responses are due by 22 July
  

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on 23 May released a request for proposal (RfP) for a satellite-launching space plane.

According to DARPA, the XS-1 is envisioned to employ "structures made of advanced materials, cryogenic tanks, durable thermal protection, and modular subsystems", and a reusable, reliable unmanned propulsion or booster vehicle. The booster vehicle would launch, fly to hypersonic speeds at a suborbital altitude "where one or more expendable upper stages would separate, boost, and deploy satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO)", then return to earth for another flight with rapid turnaround.

Responses are due by 22 July, according to the solicitation.

The programme has four primary technical goals. The craft must fly 10 times in a 10-day period (not including weather, range, and emergency delays), demonstrate aircraft-like access to space, and eliminate concerns about the reliability of reusable launches; achieve flight velocity sufficiently high to enable the use of a small, expendable upper stage; ins ert a representative payload of 408 kg to 680 kg to orbit with the goal that the same vehicle could eventually insert future 1360 kg or greater payloads by using a larger expendable upper stage; and finally, reduce the cost of access to space with a goal of approximately USD5 million per flight for the operational system including the reusable booster and expendable upper stage.

DARPA's Tactical Technology Office held an event on 29 April to provide information to potential proposers on the objectives of the XS-1 programme in advance of the planned Phases 2 and 3 programme solicitations. Based on the results of Phase 1, DARPA anticipates that Phases 2 and 3 will be a "full and open" competition for a single contract worth up to USD140 million for the development of a prototype and subsequent trials.
....

Документы к 22 июля включая pdf на 57 страницах.

...
4.1.4 Section IV – XS-1 $5M/Flight Traceability Analysis
...... In addition to the proposer's own business cases analysis, the proposer shall also answer the following questions:
1) When would the proposer attain $5M/launch with the following flight rate: FY21 – 3 flights, FY22 – 6 flights, FY23 and beyond – 10 flights steady state 16
2) Same as above, but increase to 30 flights starting in FY24
3) What is the expected and maximum steady state sortie rate the performer can provide, giv?
...

от апреля

http://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2016-04-07b
XS-1 Program to Ease Access to Space Enters Phase 2
4/7/2016

Спойлер

In an era of declining budgets and adversaries' evolving capabilities, quick, affordable and routine access to space is increasingly critical for both national and economic security. Current satellite launch systems, however, require scheduling years in advance for an extremely limited inventory of available slots. Moreover, launches often cost hundreds of millions of dollars each, due in large part to the massive amounts of dedicated infrastructure and large number of personnel required. DARPA created its Experimental Spaceplane (XS-1) program to help overcome these challenges and create a new paradigm for more routine, responsive and affordable space operations, reducing the time to get capabilities to space.
In an important step toward these goals, DARPA has announced Phase 2 of the XS-1 program, which seeks to design and fabricate an experimental unmanned spaceplane using state-of-the-art technologies and streamlined processes, and fly the vehicle ten times in ten days. The reusable XS-1 would demonstrate the potential for low-cost and "aircraft-like" high-ops-tempo space flight, enabling a host of critical national security options while helping to launch a new and potentially fruitful commercial sector. A Special Notice was posted today on FedBizOpps announcing the XS-1 Phase 2 Proposers Day, to be held on Friday, April, 29, 2016, in Arlington, Virginia.

"During Phase 1 of the XS-1 program, the space industry has evolved rapidly and we intend to take advantage of multiple impressive technological and commercial advances," said Jess Sponable, DARPA program manager. "We intend to leverage those advances along with our Phase 1 progress to break the cycle of escalating DoD space system launch costs, catalyze lower-cost satellite architectures, and prove that routine and responsive access to space can be achieved at costs an order of magnitude lower than with today's systems."

XS-1 envisions that a fully reusable unmanned booster vehicle would fly to high speeds at a suborbital altitude. At that point, one or more expendable upper stages would separate, boost and deploy a satellite in to low Earth orbit (LEO). The reusable first stage would then return to earth, land and be prepared for the next flight. Although relatively small by conventional aircraft standards, the XS-1 flight booster size—akin to a business jet—would be sufficient to validate credible scaling to larger reusable launch systems. Moreover, demonstration of on-demand and routine access to space, akin to aircraft, is important for next-generation DoD needs.

XS-1 has four primary technical goals:

[/li]
• Fly 10 times in a 10-day period (not including weather, range and emergency delays) to demonstrate aircraft-like access to space and eliminate concerns about the cost-effectiveness and reliability of reusable launch.
• Achieve flight velocity sufficiently high to enable use of a small (and therefore low-cost) expendable upper stage.
• Launch a 900- to 1,500-pound representative payload to demonstrate an immediate responsive launch capability able to support both DoD and commercial missions. The same XS-1 vehicle could eventually also launch future 3,000+- pound payloads by using a larger expendable upper stage.
• Reduce the cost of access to space for 3,000+-pound payloads, with a goal of approximately $5 million per flight for the operational system, which would include a reusable booster and expendable upper stage(s).
  

Successful design would require integrating state-of-the-art technologies, processes and system approaches to deliver routine aircraft-like operability, reliability and cost efficiency. In particular, incorporation of autonomous technology and operations promises to significantly decrease the logistical footprint and enable rapid turnaround between flights. Structures made of advanced materials, cryogenic tanks, durable thermal protection, and modular subsystems would make possible a vehicle able to launch, fly to high speeds and then land in a condition amenable to rapid turnaround and launch with the next payload. Reusable, reliable propulsion would also be essential for a low-cost and recurring flight capability.

In Phase 1 of XS-1, DARPA sought to evaluate the technical feasibility and methods for achieving the program's goals. To achieve that, it awarded prime contracts to three companies, each working in concert with a commercial launch provider: The Boeing Company (working with Blue Origin, LLC); Masten Space Systems (working with XCOR Aerospace); and Northrop Grumman Corporation (working with Virgin Galactic). Phases 2 and 3 will be competed as a full and open Program Solicitation mandating an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement with the expectation of a single resulting award. Cost share is expected.

Specifically, the program is structured to directly transition any successful technology to the industrial and commercial launch sectors, with the goal of enabling new launch markets and sale of launch services back to the government at dramatically lower costs and more rapid time frames than are possible today. By ensuring the technologies and launch systems would be available through the commercial sector, government leaders would have the opportunity to begin relying on XS-1 and derived systems. Militarily-relevant applications of the technology may also spur adoption and help enable future capabilities such as disaggregated spacecraft architectures and next-generation, reusable space-access aircraft.

[свернуть]

Details on the XS-1 Phase 2 Proposers Day are available here: http://go.usa.gov/ct475. A Program Solicitation is expected to be posted on FedBizOpps here: http://go.usa.gov/Peh.

[Димитър]

Cepёгa пишет:

Сборка перспективного многоразового гиперзвукового космического беспилотника XS-1 начнется в 2017 году. Как сообщил ресурс Defence Talk , в начале будущего года Агентство перспективных оборонных проектов (DARPA) Пентагона выберет проект одного из участников тендера на разработку аппарата. При этом готовые проекты должны быть представлены для изучения не позже 22 июля 2016 года.

Начало года прошло. Ничего нового ?

[triage]

http://www.space.com/36892-darpa-xs-1-space-plane-contract-decision.html
US Military Is Close to Selecting Builder for XS-1 Space Plane
By Leonard David, Space.com's Space Insider Columnist | May 18, 2017 07:30am ET
...

 http://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/2017/May%202017/May%2011%202017/DARPA-XS-1-Spaceplane-Award-Coming-Soon.aspx

DARPA XS-1 Spaceplane Award Coming Soon
—JOHN A. TIRPAK5/11/2017

​The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency expects to award a contract for the XS-1 spaceplane program "soon," according to a contractor authorized to speak about the program. Michael Arnone of Spire Communications said DARPA is indeed in the final stages of a "downselect" to choose one company to proceed into the flying phase of the spaceplane, which is meant to be a two-stage to orbit vehicle potentially able to bring down the cost of space lift "by orders of magnitude," according to DARPA's website. Arnone acknowledged that program plans called for the downselect in late 2016 or early this year, but "this is the government and things sometimes take time," he said. Phase I of the program explored concepts offered by Boeing partnered with Blue Origin, Masten Space Systems teamed with XCOR Aerospace, and Northrop Grumman working with Virgin Galactic. However, the Phase II contractor won't necessarily be chosen from the three Phase I participants. After downselect, a critical design review would take place in 2018 and a series of flights could be made as early as 2020. One of the program requirements is to fly 10 suborbital or orbital missions in as many days, achieving space operations with "aircraft-like" frequency, DARPA said. If successful, a "public-private partnership" model of operating the vehicles could be adopted, DARPA documents show.

....
Space.com contacted Jess Sponable, program manager of XS-1 at DARPA's Tactical Technology Office, about the Air Force Magazine report and projected timelines for XS-1 milestones.

"Absolutely, we are moving forward. But we never say so until it is a done deal," Sponable said.

[DYF]

Выбор сделан!

Победитель Boeing с двигателем AR-22 (от Рокетдайна). Модификация SSME.

http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2017-05-24-Boeing-DARPA-to-Design-Build-Test-New-Experimental-Spaceplane

Boeing will develop an autonomous, reusable spaceplane capable of carrying and deploying a small expendable upper stage to launch small (3,000 pound/1,361 kg) satellites into low Earth orbit

The Aerojet Rocketdyne AR-22 engine, a version of the legacy Space Shuttle main engine, would power the spaceplane. It is designed to be reusable and operates using liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen fuel.

In the test phase of the program, Boeing and DARPA plan to conduct a demonstration of 10 flights over 10 days.

[Apollo13]

Вы будете смеяться, но они опять собираются делать композитный бак для жидкого водорода

[Apollo13]

http://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2017-05-24

[Димитър]

The Aerojet Rocketdyne AR-22 engine, a version of the legacy Space Shuttle main engine, would power the spaceplane. It is designed to be reusable and operates using liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen fuel.

http://www.rocket.com/article/aerojet-rocketdyne-selected-main-propulsion-provider-boeing-and-darpa-experimental
The main propulsion is based on the legacy space shuttle main engines (SSME).

"As one of the world's most reliable rocket engines, the SSME is a smart choice to power the XS-1 launch vehicle," said Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and President Eileen Drake. "This engine has a demonstrated track record of solid performance and proven reusability."
For the XS-1 program, Aerojet Rocketdyne is providing two engines with legacy shuttle flight experience to demonstrate reusability, a wide operating range and rapid turnarounds. These engines will be designated as AR-22 engines and will be assembled from parts that remained in both Aerojet Rocketdyne and NASA inventories from early versions of the SSME engines. Assembly and ground testing will take place at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.

[triage]

 http://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2017-05-24
...
XS-1 Phase 2 includes design, construction, and testing of the technology demonstration vehicle through 2019. It calls for initially firing the vehicle's engine on the ground 10 times in 10 days to demonstrate propulsion readiness for flight tests.
Phase 3 objectives include 12 to 15 flight tests, currently scheduled for 2020. After multiple shakedown flights to reduce risk, the XS-1 would aim to fly 10 times over 10 consecutive days, at first without payloads and at speeds as fast as Mach 5. Subsequent flights are planned to fly as fast as Mach 10, and deliver a demonstration payload between 900 pounds and 3,000 pounds into low Earth orbit.
...

Название - Phantom Express

 http://www.boeing.com/space/phantom-express/index.page
...
Phantom Express Technical Specifications

Length	100 ft (30.5 m)
Height	24 ft (7.3 m)
Diameter	13.7 ft (4.1 m)
Wing Span	62 ft (19 m)
Engine	1 Aerojet Rocketdyne AR-22
Fuel	Liquid hydrogen
Oxidizer	Liquid oxygen

...

 
Published on May 24, 2017
DARPA has sel ected The Boeing Company to complete advanced design work for the Agency's Experimental Spaceplane (XS-1) program, which aims to build and fly the first of an entirely new class of hypersonic aircraft that would bolster national security by providing short-notice, low-cost access to space. The program aims to achieve a capability well out of reach today—launches to low Earth orbit in days, as compared to the months or years of preparation currently needed to get a single satellite on orbit. Success will depend upon significant advances in both technical capabilities and ground operations, but would revolutionize the Nation's ability to recover fr om a catastrophic loss of military or commercial satellites, upon which the Nation today is critically dependent.
In its pursuit of aircraft-like operability, reliability, and cost-efficiency, DARPA and Boeing are planning to conduct a flight test demonstration of XS-1 technology, flying 10 times in 10 days, initially without an upper stage. If successful, the program could help enable a commercial service in the future that could operate with recurring costs of as little as $5 million or less per launch, including the cost of an expendable upper stage, assuming a recurring flight rate of at least ten flights per year—a small fraction of the cost of launch systems the U.S. military currently uses for similarly sized payloads. (Note that goal is for actual cost, not commercial price, which would be determined in part by market forces.)

[Not]

Apollo13 пишет:
Вы будете смеяться, но они опять собираются делать композитный бак для жидкого водорода  

Ну дык, тож Боинг, а не всякие мелкие лавочники  

[triage]

На видео при посадке вспомнились индийские картинки - TSTO - чуть похоже бак с крылышками

 http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/messages/forum13/topic9180/message652672/#message652672

Спойлер

[свернуть]

[triage]

Max Andriyahov пишет:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4274/34027487804_1680cace86_b.jpg

"Вслед за уже уверенно летающим X-37 корпорация Boeing получила еще один заказ от широко известного в узких кругах заведения по раздаче грантов на чистую науку DARPA. В этот раз речь идет не о орбитальном мини-шаттле, а напротив, о средстве вывода полезной нагрузки.

Космоплан "Experimental Spaceplane", он же XS-1, от же "Phantom Express" должен обеспечить вывод на опорную орбиту спутники вполне приличной массой до 1360 кг. Судя по представленным концептам космоплан будет выполнять роль первой ступени системы, как во множестве проектов, ранее не реализованных (у нас в первую очередь конечно вспомнят "Спираль"  )  . Планируется обеспечить возможность эксплуатации с высочайшим темпом — планируется продемонстрировать подряд 10 полетов за 10 дней."

 http://sandrermakoff.livejournal.com/1098341.html

А есть какой-то советский аналог - вертикальный взлет, горизонтальная посадка с такой компоновкой крыла? Помимо чуть другого Байкала и анонсированного в планах крылатого РН сверхлегкого и легкого класса.  Буран не подходит, он выводился РН, а не сам.

[Apollo13]

Not пишет:

Apollo13 пишет:
Вы будете смеяться, но они опять собираются делать композитный бак для жидкого водорода    

Ну дык, тож Боинг, а не всякие мелкие лавочники  

... вроде Локхида

[Apollo13]

Ещё интересно как там поживают ужасные трудности и дороговизна межполетного обслуживания SSME. Оказывается если очень надо можно обойтись и без них?