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Commercial and US Government Launch Vehicles => ULA - Delta, Atlas, Vulcan => Topic started by: russianhalo117 on 07/06/2013 10:14 pm

Title: ULA Selects RUAG Space as Strategic Partner 4 Dual Launch Capability Development
Post by: russianhalo117 on 07/06/2013 10:14 pm
I do not feel like retyping the presser so here is the link to read it:
http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/News.shtml#/144/
Title: Re: ULA Selects RUAG Space as Strategic Partner 4 Dual Launch Capability Development
Post by: sdsds on 07/07/2013 12:43 am
The press release is unclear, but it seems this is for the 5m dual spacecraft system, aka DSS-5. The 4m equivalent (DSS-4) is apparently going to make clever use of flight-proven Centaur Forward Adapters?
Title: Re: ULA Selects RUAG Space as Strategic Partner 4 Dual Launch Capability Development
Post by: pippin on 07/07/2013 12:57 am
I doubt the 4m fairing is going to be used for dual launches.
Title: Re: ULA Selects RUAG Space as Strategic Partner 4 Dual Launch Capability Development
Post by: sdsds on 07/07/2013 02:06 am
I doubt the 4m fairing is going to be used for dual launches.

I share your doubt about it actually flying. That doesn't mean they won't offer it, though!  ;D

(Attached image from Delta IV Launch Services User’s Guide, June 2013.)
Title: Re: ULA Selects RUAG Space as Strategic Partner 4 Dual Launch Capability Development
Post by: pippin on 07/07/2013 02:11 am
Interesting. Do they have any data about the inner diameter of the DSS-4?
Title: Re: ULA Selects RUAG Space as Strategic Partner 4 Dual Launch Capability Development
Post by: sdsds on 07/07/2013 03:00 am
They do indeed!  100 inches, which is 2540 mm. The dimensional drawing of three "plug" version, matching the illustration above, is attached below. (I think including them here is "fair use.") These are available directly from the source:
http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/docs/product_cards/guides/Delta%20IV%20Users%20Guide%20June%202013.pdf

Off hand, are there existing satellite designs that would fit? Orbital's STAR Bus seems like it would. "Bus Dimensions (HxWxL): 1.75 m x 1.7 m x 1.8 m." But that might not include the solar array wings....
Title: Re: ULA Selects RUAG Space as Strategic Partner 4 Dual Launch Capability Development
Post by: baldusi on 07/07/2013 01:39 pm
can't access the press release without Flash!!! Who handles such a horrible site? I mean, you do 't even have a clue about new papers nor the release date of each.
Title: Re: ULA Selects RUAG Space as Strategic Partner 4 Dual Launch Capability Development
Post by: belegor on 07/07/2013 04:17 pm
can't access the press release without Flash!!! Who handles such a horrible site? I mean, you do 't even have a clue about new papers nor the release date of each.

Here is the similar press release on RUAG's site:
http://www.ruag.com/en/Group/Media/Media/Media_releases/Mediadetail?id=555 (http://www.ruag.com/en/Group/Media/Media/Media_releases/Mediadetail?id=555)
Title: Re: ULA Selects RUAG Space as Strategic Partner 4 Dual Launch Capability Development
Post by: Ronsmytheiii on 07/07/2013 09:26 pm
I think this is initially aimed for the USAF and GPS dual launching, but it will be interesting to see the effects that it will have on the market considering the increasing flight rate of Atlas V and the issues that Proton and Zenit are having.  Might we see a return of commercial Atlas?
Title: Re: ULA Selects RUAG Space as Strategic Partner 4 Dual Launch Capability Development
Post by: Jim on 07/07/2013 10:20 pm
RUAG only does 5meter.
Title: Re: ULA Selects RUAG Space as Strategic Partner 4 Dual Launch Capability Development
Post by: belegor on 07/07/2013 10:29 pm
They also do the interstage adapter for the 4m-version, though, so this dual-launch structure doesn't necessarily have to be restricted to the 5m-version, does it? (What's actually part of this agreement between RUAG and ULA is another matter of course, is this what you're refering to?)
Title: Re: ULA Selects RUAG Space as Strategic Partner 4 Dual Launch Capability Development
Post by: Lurker Steve on 07/08/2013 02:23 pm
This capability becomes available in 2017. Right about the time the DOD and Air Force should be preparing for the next block purchase.

It would be interesting to see how competitive a dual launch of a pair of GPS sats on Atlas would be compared to F9.