As Centaur turns 60 years old, ULA prepares to evolve Centaur V

[Chris Bergin]

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/05/centaur-turns-60/

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1523662715042267136

[TrevorMonty]

Great article.

Thought you might of included LCROSS mission as it was one of more interesting things Centaur was used for.

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[Vahe231991]

The Centaur V to be used for the Vulcan rocket incorporates elements of the proposed but canceled Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage, namely a diameter of 18 feet (5.4 meters) and advanced insulation, in case anyone's aware.

[Jim]

The Centaur V to be used for the Vulcan rocket incorporates elements of the proposed but canceled Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage, namely a diameter of 18 feet (5.4 meters) and advanced insulation, in case anyone's aware.

It wasn't cancelled if it was only proposed.

And no, the diameter is not from ACES but from the fairing.    And the insulation is the same as previous versions.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1593643134444924928

Thought you guys might like this, from a few weeks ago. The Centaur V Structural Test Article being placed in the stand for testing at @NASA_Marshall to continue collecting data of the upper stage for #VulcanRocket

[edzieba]

The Centaur V to be used for the Vulcan rocket incorporates elements of the proposed but canceled Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage, namely a diameter of 18 feet (5.4 meters) and advanced insulation, in case anyone's aware.

It wasn't cancelled if it was only proposed.

And no, the diameter is not from ACES but from the fairing.    And the insulation is the same as previous versions.

It was more than just a paper proposal: serious work went into IVF, including working prototypes of the hydrox ICE (and the hydrox thrusters, which are now beyond prototype and slated for Centaur V).

[spacenut]

I asked this somewhere else, but could Centaur V use one BE-3U instead of the AR-10's.  Maybe it would burn too much fuel for GSO or deep space launches, but might make for a good LEO payload. 

[warp99]

I asked this somewhere else, but could Centaur V use one BE-3U instead of the AR-10's.  Maybe it would burn too much fuel for GSO or deep space launches, but might make for a good LEO payload.

Yes around three times the thrust of a pair of RL-10CX at the cost of a lower Isp would be perfect for LEO operations. 

ULA originally was looking at three different hydrolox engines including the BE-3U before they settled on the RL-10CX and the lower Isp for high energy mission profiles was probably what counted against the BE-3U

[baldusi]

Rockets are not Lego Bricks (tm). You can't casually swap engines, even when they have the same propellants. Things like spin up and TVC fluids, interfaces, propellant line clocking, ECU, control bus, avionics, etc. make it practically a new stage. LEO optimized is probably a 4 RL-10 version with structural reinforcements.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

twitter.com/archipeppe/status/1626164140082438145

Tory, which differences are between the Centaur III and the brand new Centaur V?
Thanks in advance...

https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1626177057091645444

2.5x energy.  450x endurance. 1/10 the welds. Robotic manufacturing

twitter.com/singularityg3/status/1626177598220042242

Woah, 2.5x more energy? Like specific impulse? wow,,,,

https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1626177895164182528

Prop load

[TrevorMonty]

twitter.com/archipeppe/status/1626164140082438145

Tory, which differences are between the Centaur III and the brand new Centaur V?
Thanks in advance...

https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1626177057091645444

2.5x energy.  450x endurance. 1/10 the welds. Robotic manufacturing

twitter.com/singularityg3/status/1626177598220042242

Woah, 2.5x more energy? Like specific impulse? wow,,,,

https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1626177895164182528

Prop load

50t vs 20t of fuel. Current Centuar wasn't optimum size for Atlas V but neither LM or later ULA were willing to pay for development of new larger version. There is also policy "if it ain't broke don't fix it", just add another 1 or 2 SRMs to booster.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Couple of Centaur V cert photos from ULA