ERNO Large Ariane 5 Return Capsule (LaReCa)

[Michel Van]

As ESA discuss European Manned Spaceflight, there was a battle between Hermes Shuttle and Capsule Fraction

Here the 1989 Proposal of German ERNO "LaReCa" short for Large Ariane 5 Return Capsule
It feature:

-A large reusable Capsule for various mission
-The use of full potential of Ariane 5 rocket
-Mission preparation and maintenance in Europe
-Use of Airbus Beluga for transport of Capsule to launch site
-Horizontal layout make it easy to access the Payload and crew on Launch pad

The Capsule is 7.3 meter in Diameter
it feature a large cargo bay with 110 cubic meter and Cockpit with 30 cubic meter space
The Cockpit got place for 3 to 5 astronauts for maximum mission of 12 days
The Cargo bay can be open by 4 square meter door while the Cockpit is sealed, while cargo can move out with HERA robot arm 
if not needed the cargo bay door is close and a atmosphere in keep in Cargo bay

on Capsule is a Servis module attach
it feature bipropellant rocket engine  and Reaction control system for get into Orbit and maneuver and Docking and deorbit burn
Fuelcell for Power supply and radiator of thermal  control system 
the Service module is drop after debris burn and disintegrated on reentry

Launch feature interesting feature
the LaReCa got three solid rocket who incase of Ariane 5 failure, ignite and pull the Capsule from Service module.
In that case the capsule got two option landing in Atlantic or  land near launch site.
if all goes well and booster of Ariane 5 are drop the three solid rocket ignite and help the Core stage !
This Ariane 5 consisted only two Booster and Core Stage, the  LaReCa service module serve as second stage

the Capsule feature unique reentry system
next to Apollo reentry control system allowed to correct it flight pad for 100 to 150 km
follow by 3 parachute to reduce descent speed to 16/meter while four landing legs are deployed.
under this condition the Capsule can land on surface with force of 5.7G survivable for astronaut in there seats
but that only the case if Rotor landing system fails
At decent of 7.5 meter /second the parachute is drop and 4 rotor blade are deployed (stored at the side of Capsule in two notch
this system allow point landing by litte engine in Rotorblades and Apollo reentry control system
either remote controlled from french Korou or full automatic

Several Mission and Version of  LaReCa

Mark 1
unmanned logistic craft to space station, without Rotor landing system
Tow day mission, automatic renders and docking, crew access to LaReCa, use of Robot arm HERA from Payload bay
launch mass 23.65 tons into 28°, or 21.15 in 65° orbit
landing mass 16.8~14.1 tons
Payload Up 4.7 tons into 28°, or 2.5 tons  in 65° orbit.
Payload Down 5.1 tons 

Mark II.1
Basic version for unmanned EURECA mission, without Rotor landing system
Landing in Korou not possible
launch mass 22.6 tons into 5° or higher inclnation orbit
landing mass 15.7 tons
Payload Up 5.1 tons
Payload Down 5.1 tons 

Mark II.2
unmanned EURECA mission, with Rotor landing system and precursor for Manned version
Landing in Korou possible
launch mass 24.6 tons into 5° orbit
landing mass 17,5 tons
Payload Up 4 tons
Payload Down 4 tons 

Mark III
Manned version for Spacelab mission in Payload bay and 3 to 5 astronaute 
precise soft Landing in Korou
launch mass 24.75 tons into 5° orbit
landing mass 18,4 tons
Payload Up 2.3 tons
Payload Down 2.3 tons 

Source:
Gerd Zelck, Aerospace engineer who work in ENRO for Shuttle Spacelab
publish in German FlugRevue issue 3/89 page 79 and issue 12/1993 page 32

PDF version of this article with Illustrations
http://gerd-zelck.de/dokumente/flug-revue-1993-12_kapsel-losung-wieder-aktuell__farbe.pdf

[Archibald]

Great find, very interesting !

[Pipcard]

All I've ever read about was that "Ariane 5 was designed to carry the Hermes spaceplane," so this is completely new information to me.

[Welsh Dragon]

Landing with rotor? Is this the first instance of that or was it an existing idea? I only knew of it from ROTON, but they probably weren't the first to think of it.

[Rocket Science]

Landing with rotor? Is this the first instance of that or was it an existing idea? I only knew of it from ROTON, but they probably weren't the first to think of it.

[Welsh Dragon]

Landing with rotor? Is this the first instance of that or was it an existing idea? I only knew of it from ROTON, but they probably weren't the first to think of it.

Ha! Shows you what I know... Oh well.

[Michel Van]

All I've ever read about was that "Ariane 5 was designed to carry the Hermes spaceplane," so this is completely new information to me.

During 1970s until 2000s were battle for European Manned Spacecraft

Between 1970s and 1980s was battle inside french CNES  for Capsule or Glider
at one hand the SOLARIS with there capsule approach on other hand a Mini Glider for Ariane 4 or 5 rocket.
in begin of 1980s this glider won the struggle, but it became bigger and heavier toward a French Shuttle.
in 1985 became CNES Hermes a official ESA project
after 1986 Hermas had become analog to X-20 program in every way
the Ariane launcher proposals for hermes became bigger and Bigger until prototype of first Ariane 5

Also made Hermes problems it became complex and bigger and very expensive.
so some made easier Capsule proposal like LaReCa  ignored by ESA
But Germany pull the plug out Hermes in 1991 they needed the Money for Unification of two germanys...
While Hermes program died, Ariane 5 program went ahead...unchanged
After that some proposals came like unmanned  Plato and Hermes X2000 lifting body 
Russian try pull ESA over the table, with proposal for ESA Russian shuttle join venture that use Energia-M
follow by Advanced Crew Transportation System, ACTS, also known as "Euro-Soyuz" then Kliper

One of Last Attempt were proposal to put a EADS capsule on the ATV.
sadly the European Minister committee for ESA are bunch of Idiots.
they not see need to spend 2 billion euros in something like this.
while same amount of money is trow each year out window for subsidized european tabac farming
That entire harvest is destroy each year do non smoking policy of EU.

Hell, if they waste that money, then wasted it on ESA space flight !

[Pipcard]

All the major space agencies in the 80s/90s wanted to have their own version of the U.S. Space Shuttle: Soviet Buran, European Hermes, Japanese HOPE (H-II Orbiting Plane), Chinese Chang Cheng-1 (or Tianjiao-1)