Boeing Launch Services for the 21st Century

The Boeing Company, a global leader in aerospace, is changing the expendable launch services industry with its latest Sea Launch and Delta product offerings. The Boeing commitment to lead in space is evidenced by major investments in new product development and infrastructure to bring both Sea Launch and Delta IV launch systems to market. The keys to developing competitive, robust technology solutions are the Boeing reputation, financial and technical strength, and demonstrated ability to partner on a multinational level with leading companies. This paper presents an overview of the current and future capabilities of Sea Launch and Delta IV launch services to provide reliable and cost-effective access to space in the 21st century. _______________________ Copyright 2002 by The Boeing Company. Published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., with permission. INTRODUCTION The Boeing Company, a global leader in aerospace, is changing the expendable launch services industry with its latest Sea Launch and Delta product offerings (Figure 1). The Boeing commitment to lead in space is evidenced by multibillion dollar investments in product development and infrastructure over the past 5 years to bring both Sea Launch and Delta IV launch systems to market. Boeing is a 40% owner of the Sea Launch venture, a multinational partnership formed in 1995 that has succeeded in developing a breakaway launch system concept that is revolutionizing the commercial launch services industry and maximizing customer value. With heavy-lift capability from a maritime equatorial launch site, Sea Launch delivers a fully proven, operational system designed to maximize spacecraft orbital lifetime and provide inherent schedule assurance. Boeing will soon achieve the most dramatic change in capability in the 40-year legacy of Figure 1. Boeing Launch Services vehicle configurations. HB2T125001.2 ZE N IT 3S L Delta II Delta III Delta IV Medium Delta IV M+ (4,2) 1,000 to 13,000 kg to GTO Sea Launch Zenit-3SL Delta IV M+ (5,2) Delta IV M+ (5,4) Delta IV Heavy 38th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit 7-10 July 2002, Indianapolis, Indiana AIAA 2002-4199 Copyright © 2002 by the author(s). Published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., with permission. Delta launch systems with the introduction of the Delta IV family of launch vehicles. Delta IV is the most technically advanced, highly reliable, and costeffective family of expendable launch systems ever produced by Boeing, building on the more than 294 missions of the respected Delta II and Delta III launch systems. In response to ever-increasing customer needs, the Delta IV family is designed for flexibility, high reliability, and low cost to compete in the global marketplace. Boeing is committed to providing a wide range of launch service solutions through a portfolio of launch systems. Together, the Delta IV and Sea Launch systems offer customers unprecedented advantages with the ability to provide mutual backup using dissimilar systems and a combined launch capability to meet every conceivable orbit from eastern range, western range, and equatorial launch sites. The synergies in payload accommodations and mutual backup capability are evidence that working together is paying off for our customers, enabling Boeing to offer enhanced schedule assurance, more flexibility, reduced cost, and a greater ability to successfully launch our customers' satellites. In 2001, the Boeing Launch Services (BLS) organization was created to unify Sea Launch and Delta sales and marketing activities, providing commercial customers with a single point of contact, delivering additional business synergies, and maximizing customer service. The ability to meet the unique needs of our customers with a wide variety of customized technical and business solutions provides customers with flexibility and added value. A key element of enhancing customer value is offering whole product solutions (launch, risk mitigation, finance). Our focus is not just on our immediate customer, but also our customer's customer and how we can effect a positive change in their current business plan. BLS is committed to working with the global satellite producers and end users to integrate with their business plans to further enable commercial space segment growth. SEA LAUNCH: A BREAKAWAY CONCEPT DESIGNED FOR THE COMMERCIAL MARKET Sea Launch, headquartered in Long Beach, California, formed a multinational partnership in 1995 with the objective to develop a breakaway launch system concept, revolutionize the industry, and maximize customer value by launching dedicated missions from the earth's equator. Sea Launch is the first launch system designed and developed purely for success in the commercial marketplace. By teaming with world leaders in their respective fields, Boeing, RSC Energia, KB Yuzhnoye/Yuzhmash, and Kvaerner have created a new launch system concept that is rich in heritage, reliability, and capability (Figure 2). The Sea Launch system combines launch, home port, and marine segments to offer the most reliable heavy-lift launcher currently available (Figure 3). With heavy-lift capability up to 6,000 kg and injection into GTO from a performance-enhancing equatorial launch site, Sea Launch delivers a fully proven, operational system designed to maximize spacecraft orbital lifetime and provide inherent schedule assurance. The launch segment consists of the Zenit-3SL rocket produced by Yuzhnoye/Yuzhmash in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, the Block DM-SL upper stage produced by Energia in Moscow, Russia, and payload accommodations produced by Boeing in Seattle, Washington. The first and second stages of the Zenit3SL are powered by the RD-171 (Figure 4) and RD120 LO2/kerosene engines, respectively. The Block DM-SL upper stage is powered by the 11D58M LO2/kerosene engine (Figure 4). The generous payload accommodation module consists of a graphite epoxy, Figure 2. Sea Launch LCC partnership roles and responsibilities. • Payload Fairing and Adapter • Mission Integration • Home Port Operations • Launch Operations (40% Ownership) (20% Ownership) (25% Ownership) (15% Ownership) • Block DM Upper Stage • Mission Integration • Launch Support • Ground Processing