[Idea] Shuttle payloads that never flew

[Graham2001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donamy

 The PEP and HSTx are just about finished, I think I'll do the NOSS next.

It'll be eagerly awaited.

I've managed to hit what can best be called a rich seam of documents relating to shuttle launched astrophysics projects only some of which made it into orbit.

One that did not was the...

Very Large Space Telescope



A 7 meter telescope to be constructed using a series of modified space shuttle external tanks.

Astrophysics Long-Term Program. Project Concept Study: Very Large Space Telescope (VLST)

[Donamy]

Almost there with the HSTx.

[Graham2001]

I've found a few documents relating to various solar power projects that involved the Space Shuttle including some more information on the 25kw Power Module that appears in Skylab 1980.

Power system interface and umbilical system study

Satellite power system salvage and disposal alternatives

The above is an article discussing what could be done with SPS units after their planned lifetime expired.

Satellite Power Systems (SPS). LSST systems and integration task for SPS flight test article

The above deals with a proposed Solar Power System test-bed. It seems to contain enough information to model the two proposed designs (Type 1:Hexagonal, Type 2:Linear)

I'm also going to mention the one item that flew I'd love to see modeled for the current version of Orbiter:

The OAST-1 solar array that flew on STS-41d, the only real outcome of the PEP studies in the 1970s



The little I've so far managed to locate online is linked to below:

STS-41D Presskit

STS-41D Mission Report

[Donamy]

HSTx addon uploaded to OH.

[Graham2001]

During the 1960's & 1970's NASA carried out many studies into using Lasers for communications. In 1976 it was proposed that Spacelab be used for a communications test between the Shuttle and firstly, a ground station, secondly a satellite in a Molinya like orbit.

The linked documents cover the project.







Experiment Definition Phase Shuttle Laboratory (LDRL-10.6 experiment), Shuttle Sortie to Ground Terminal, Final Report

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1977012347.pdf

Laser Data Transfer Flight Experiment Definition: Final Report

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ca...1976012122.pdf

[Graham2001]

I've located the report dealing on the Research & Applications Module (RAM) which was the more ambitious predecessor to Spacelab.

Research & Applications Module



Aside from Spacelab like functions,...



...it could be attached to a space station (See The 12 Man Space Station)...



...or be used as a free floating platform.



See:

Research and Applications Modules (RAM). Phase B study: Executive summary

Research and Applications Modules (RAM). Phase B study: Preliminary design review brochure

Research and Applications Modules (RAM). Phase B study

[Graham2001]

25-100kW Orbital Power Module


A version of the Power Module was modelled as part of

Skylab 80

Skylab 80

, but since that addon came out information on a later design appeared on the NTRS.

The revised design was intended to be expandable from 25kw to 100kw in power.



25kW Power Module, Outboard & Inboard Profile



50kW Power Module, Outboard & Inboard Profile



100kW Power Module, Outboard & Inboard Profile



In addition to the possible use with a salvaged Skylab, use as the core of a small space station was also considered.



The station would be constructed from modified Spacelab components, such as the materials processing pallet shown below.



See:

The 25 kW power module updated baseline system

The 25 kW power module evolution study. Part 1: Payload requirements and growth scenarios

The 25 kW power module evolution study. Part 2: Payload supports system evolution

The 25 kW power module evolution study. Part 3: Conceptual designs for power module evolution. Volume 1: Power module evolution

The 25 kW power module evolution study. Part 3: Conceptual designs for power module evolution. Volume 2: Program plans

The 25 kW power module evolution study. Part 3: Conceptual designs for power module evolutions. Volume 3: Cost estimates

The 25 kW power module evolution study. Part 3: Conceptual designs for power module evolution. Volume 4: Design analyses

The 25 kW power module evolution study. Part 3: Conceptual designs for power module evolution. Volume 5: Mission accommodations

The 25 kW power module evolution study. Part 3: Conceptual design for power module evolution. Volume 6: WBS and dictionary

[Graham2001]

Large Space Telescope

The ancestor of Hubble. A 3m diameter telescope placed into a 611km high orbit inclined at 28.5 degrees to the equator by a shuttle fitted with an 'OMS Kit' (As far as I can tell a fuel bladder in the payload bay, research is continuing.)

Unlike Hubble this telescope was designed with a docking compartment designed to be pressurised using the shuttles life support system so that maintenance could be carried out in a shirt-sleeve environment.







See:

Large space telescope, phase A. Volume 1: Executive summary

Large space telescope, phase A. Volume 2: Mission description and system design characteristics

Large space telescope, phase A. Volume 3: Optical telescope assembly

Large space telescope, phase A. Volume 4: Scientific instrument package

Large space telescope, phase A. Volume 5: Support systems module

[Graham2001]

The following is probably the biggest thing I am going to post in this thread. It also ties in with the Research & Applications Module material I posted earlier.

The 12 Person Space Station



This is the space station that NASA was designing in parallel with the Space Shuttle until 'Tricky Dick' pulled the funding in early '72.

The first phase or Initial Space Station (InSS) to be assembled through successive shuttle launches.

Construction would begin by placing the three sections of the InSS into a 500km high/55 degree inclination orbit in the configuration below

InSS



The InSS would hold a rotating six person crew and would eventually be expanded to a 12 person station. Crew would be transported aboard the Shuttles transporting either Research/Applications Modules or Logsitics Modules

Logistics Module



In the event of an emergency the Logistics Module could be configured to carry six people.



One possible problem is that when this design was finalised (December 1971), NASA had not finalised the shuttle design. McDonnell-Douglas who designed this station used the shuttle configuration below in their planning. Adaptions may need to be made.



See:

Modular Space Station, Detailed Preliminary Design. Volume 1: Sections 1 through 4.4

Modular Space Station, Detailed Preliminary Design. Volume 2: Sections 4.5 through 4.8

Modular Space Station, Detailed Preliminary Design. Volume 3: Sections 4.9 through 6

Crew/cargo and logistics module definition

[Graham2001]

One proposed payload for the Shuttle was the Sortie Module (Later SpaceLab). Here are configurations for proposed missions to carry out Earth Resources studies. (Later permanently given over to the unmanned Landsat series.)





See:

Mission requirements for a manned earth observatory. Volume 1, Task 1: Experiment selection, definition, and documentation

Mission requirements for a manned earth observatory. Volume 2, Task 2: Reference mission definition and analysis

Mission requirements for a manned earth observatory. Volume 3, Task 3: Conceptual design

Mission requirements for a manned earth observatory. Volume 4, Task 4: Programmatics

[Graham2001]

Proposed by McDonald-Douglas.

Use of the shuttle to carry out re-entry tests for NASA (Outer Planetary re-entry probes) and Department of Defence (Re-entry Vehicles).






See:

Planetary/DoD Entry Technology Flight Experiments: Vol.1, Executive Summary

Planetary/DoD Entry Technology Flight Experiments: Vol.2, Planetary Entry Flight Experiments

Planetary/DoD Entry Technology Flight Experiments: Vol.3, Planetary Entry Flight Experiments Handbook

Planetary/DoD Entry Technology Flight Experiments: Vol.4, DoD Flight Entry Experiments

---------- Post added 01-15-12 at 08:04 PM ---------- Previous post was 01-14-12 at 08:13 PM ----------

I've located another pallet mounted payload. It's a proposed test-bed called the Shuttle Modular Scanning Spectro-radiometer.

The purpose of the self-contained experiment, which would have been mounted in a standard Spacelab pallet, was to test proposed Earth Resources sensing equipment before comitting to a full scale program.

As designed it could also be used as one of the pallets fitted to the 25-100kW Orbital Power Module (See above)





Preliminary Design Study, Shuttle Modular Scanning Spectroradiometer, Final Report

[Graham2001]

The first of a series of related proposals by Convair.

In the late 70's one project NASA hitched it's future to was the construction of Orbiting Solar Power Stations. One key component was machinery to build the stations in orbit.

Large Space Structures Fabrication Experiment



This is the earliest proposed test mission for a beam building machine I've found so far. Intended to be launched in March 1982, it would see a shuttle carry a prototype beam builder into orbit mounted on two modified Spacelab pallets, either on it's own or as part of a joint mission.



Over a period of three days a structural beam of 100m length would be built, it's structural integrity tested and then cut into segments for return to Earth See below for a mission timeline for the three day testing period.

Day One



Day Two



Day Three



See:

Large Space Structures Fabrication Experiment, Final Report

For more details on Orbital Solar Power Proposals see the thread "Discussion of an idea, a new World of the Pasts Future."

[Graham2001]

The second of the Convair beam builder test missions

Space Construction Automated Fabrication Experiment (SCAFE)

This follow on to the LSSFE would take the form of a dedicated shuttle mission which would use the beam builder tested on the earlier mission to construct a platform that would be left in orbit to study the long term effects of space on the platform.







See:

1. Space Construction Automated Fabrication Experiment Definition Study (SCAFEDS), Part 1. Volume 1: Executive summary

2. Space Construction Automated Fabrication Experiment Definition Study (SCAFEDS), Part 1. Volume 2: Study results

3. Space Construction Automated Fabrication Experiment Definition Study (SCAFEDS), Part 1. Volume 3: Requirements

4. Space Construction Automated Fabrication Experiment Definition Study (SCAFEDS), Part 2

5. Space Construction Automated Fabrication Experiment Definition Study. (SCAFEDS), Part 3. Volume 1: Executive summary

6. Space Construction Automated Fabrication Experiment Definition Study (SCAFEDS), Part 3. Volume 2: Study results

7. Space Construction Automated Fabrication Experiment Definition Study (SCAFEDS), Part 3. Volume 3: Requirements

8. Space Construction Automated Fabrication Experiment Definition Study (SCAFEDS), Part 4. Volume 1: Executive summary[COLOR="Red"]

[Donamy]

Thanks for the research, and inspiration.

PS, you can edit, and post the second post after this.

[Graham2001]

Thanks Donamy, now onto the next and last of the Convair proposals.

Space Construction Experiment (SCE)

With the abandonment of NASAs plans for orbital solar power stations in the early 1980's Convair was forced to scale down its plans to test out a beam builder in orbit to a simple test of a prebuilt length of structural beam of the type that a beam builder could produce.

NOTE: This project seems to have been evolving fairly rapidly as the planning went on. What started out a something involving EVAs and use of the shuttle RCS system to set the structure vibrating changed into a more 'self contained' project where the aparatus contained all the equipment to carry out the test functions.





See:

1. Space Construction Experiment Definition Study (SCEDS), part 1. Volume 1: Executive summary

2. Space Construction Experiment Definition Study (SCEDS), part 1. Volume 2: Study results

3. Space Construction Experiment Definition Study (SCEDS), part 2. Volume 1: Executive summary

4. Space Construction Experiment Definition Study (SCEDS), part 2. Volume 2: Study results

5. Space Construction Experiment Definition Study (SCEDS), part 3. Volume 1: Executive summary

6. Space Construction Experiment Definition Study (SCEDS), part 3. Volume 2: Study results

I'm currently reviewing some North American/Rockwell space construction studies, but they are very poorly scanned.