New shuttle

A private company has introduced the ability to trade NASA flights on orbit on a shuttle-like spacecraft.

SpaceDev, a California-based company, has announced plans to build a spacecraft that will take passengers and astronauts into orbit.

This small spacecraft is shaped like a plane and is named HL-20.

The HL-20 was designed by NASA in 1980 to replace the shuttle. NASA has spent $ 2 billion to design the HL-20 but has not deployed it.

SpaceDev has worked closely with NASA to explore a number of experimental spacecraft ideas based on the HL-20 design details published by NASA.

The company also said it would launch a low-orbit four-seater flight in 2008 if it received $ 20 million in financing. They will be able to launch six flights to the International Space Station by 2010 at a cost of $ 100 million.

According to Jim Benson, founder and CEO of SpaceDev, they will succeed because this is NASA's design.

Like the shuttle, the Dream Chaser will lift vertically and land horizontally. But it will not carry heavy loads, and will only be the size of a shuttle. It is only 9 meters high and weighs 10 tons.

Unlike the shuttle launch missile, the Dream Chaser launcher will not use cryogenic fuel to be insulated with foam panels. This would have avoided the trouble of falling apart on the takeoff and eventually destroying the shuttle Columbia in 2003. The trouble was repeated for most of the Discovery flights, though without damage. .

Instead of using cryogenic fuels including liquid hydrogen and oxygen, the spacecraft will use liquid-fueled hybrid rockets, including nitrogen oxide, special gas and solid rubber.

The Dream Chaser will be attached to one of the three large missiles on the launch pad. Two external rockets will burn and fall out first, then the spacecraft will be separated from the third rocket. The spacecraft will eventually be driven into orbit by smaller rockets.

Large rockets will be lifted with about 450 tonnes of thrust. Although still in design, the company has experience with hybrid missiles, which make it possible to build a hybrid propulsion system for the SpaceShipOne spacecraft with 7 tons of thrust. SpaceShipOne has won the Ansari X Prize for private spaceships with a $ 10 million prize in 2004.

According to NewScientist