Life Cycle Cost Assessments for Military Transatmospheric Vehicles

by Eisman, Melvin; Gonzales, Daniel

• ISBN13: 9780833025548
• ISBN10: 0833025546
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-01-07
• Publisher: RAND Corporation

Summary

The authors find that in the long term, an air-launched military TAV would be more cost effective than a small expendable launch vehicle such as Pegasus.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. iii
Figures	p. vii
Tables	p. ix
Summary	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xix
Glossary	p. xxi
Report Outline	p. 1
Introduction	p. 3
Research Objectives	p. 3
Caveats	p. 3
Military TAVs--Why Now?	p. 5
TAV and RLV Needs and Concepts	p. 7
Military TAV Needs	p. 7
Military Missions	p. 7
Alternatives to Military TAVs	p. 8
Military Mission Effectiveness Trade Studies	p. 8
Potential Military Multimission Capability	p. 10
Commercial and Civil RLV Goals and Motivations	p. 10
Military TAV Technology Required	p. 11
Structures, Aerodynamics, and Engine Designs	p. 12
Propellant Mix and Fuel Handling	p. 12
Thermal Protection Systems (TPS)	p. 12
Flexibility and Operability	p. 12
Overview of RLV and TAV Concepts	p. 13
Candidate Military TAV Design Concepts	p. 13
Military TAV Cost Assessments	p. 17
Ground Rules and Assumptions	p. 17
RDTandE Cost Assessments	p. 19
Cost Model Evaluations and Advantages of TRANSCOST	p. 19
Technology Readiness Levels and Risk Assessment Adjustments	p. 23
Cost Estimating Cross Checks	p. 24
RDTandE Cost Results	p. 25
Overall LCC Assessments	p. 26
LCC Methodology	p. 26
LCC Affordability Assessments Results	p. 26
LCC Affordability Observations	p. 28
Observations	p. 30
Summary of Cost Assessments	p. 30
Potential Implementation Strategies	p. 31
Appendix
Initial Military TAV Affordability Assessment	p. 33
Rand Military TAV Cost Model Sample Output Report	p. 40
Bibliography	p. 45
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