Thiokol will use both its existing line of STAR solid fuel rocket stages in the spaceplane as well as a new, all liquid stage to be built using a new monopropellant rocket engine. The stage, which will be released from the Pathfinder winged vehicle to send the satellite payload to its final orbital destination, will be able to carry 200 to 400 pound space platforms or small satellites. The development marks the first new U.S. upper stage vehicle in more than a decade.

Pioneer Rocketplane is one of several firms now competing for a NASA development contract aimed at creating a new small U.S. rocket booster capable of sending small payloads into space for about $1 million per launch, an order of magnitude less than today's current small launchers, the winged Pegasus and stacked, staged Taurus. Both rockets are believed to cost in the $9 to $12 million range, and are products of Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Virginia. Under the Bantam project, the space vehicle can be reusable, expendable, or a combination. Pioneer's design is a small winged spaceplane about the size of an F-16 fighter jet that takes off from a runway and is refueled with liquid oxygen from a tanker aircraft. Once full of fuel from the tanker, which is planned as a converted Lockheed L-1011 cargo plane, the Pathfinder vehicle ignites a rocket engine and flys 80 miles into space but doesn't orbit. At that point, the Thiokol stage with the satellite or payload attached, is released and flies the remainder of the flight into orbit. The Pathfinder, with a crew of two astronaut-pilots, returns to Earth and lands using jet engines. The small craft can be turned around for another flight into space in a few hours, according to company officials.

Thiokol's new upper stage program might also make it easier for any number of current proposals for private winged reusable vehicles. No matter what the design, each of the several companies now making their designs available for private financing will also need a new, small upper stage to deliver their satellites into final orbits. Thiokol's move yesterday breathes new life into the stale and oft stagnant U.S. rocket business-and opens a whole new all-civil space product line for the company.

Motorola Satellites Key to RLVs

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