Project Pegasus - Yet Another Space Plane

[Arthur Dent]

Hi Everyone,

I'm working for a while now on a new custom space plane. The Pegasus.

(I know: the name is a bit too stereotypical, but I don't have a better one yet)

The design goal for me was to have a reusable plane, that can transport a crew of about 6-8 people to a space station. The passenger seats should basically be removable to have more storage space for space station supplies like standard racks, consumables, etc..
A third configuration would be, to have the docking port configured to be an airlock. That would depend on the anticipated mission profile.

It'll be launched from any modern rocket ( Atlas V, Ariane 5, Delta IV, Falcon or my secret custom rocket )

Edit: Somehow the image attachments are not showing up. I will upload them with photobucket/imageshack instead.

I was thinking of having something like an "orbital maneuvering/docking module" attached to it, but I don't like the idea of discarding it for reentry.
So the upper stage of a given rocket should bring it into orbit, while the maneuvering engines should be used for orbital operations and de-orbiting.

My first draft had a docking port on top, that would extend after a "payload bay hatch" would open, but I thought that it would than just look too much like a mini space shuttle clone.

Dimensions

Length: 15 meters
Wingspan: 9.84 meters
Fuselage width: 4.12 meters
Fuselage height: 3.16 meters
​

I wasn't sure, if it is oversized and should be downsized to 80% of it, to make it more reasonable.

Edit: Images:

 

[GoForPDI]

The more realistic spaceplanes the better!

 

[mc_]

Looks nice
And its great that you completely understand what do you want to do, not just "another cool spaceplane".

Mass (empty, fuel, with payload, etc)? Isp? dV?

 

[Grover]

be careful with the name, there is already a Pegase (Possibly the French for Pegasus)

 

[liber]

be careful with the name, there is already a Pegase (Possibly the French for Pegasus)

LOL...I'm going to copyright my name anyone who named like me must pay me a right to use it...
Pegasus is good name,it would be great to call it Pegasus...

 

[Arthur Dent]

Looks nice
And its great that you completely understand what do you want to do, not just "another cool spaceplane".

Mass (empty, fuel, with payload, etc)? Isp? dV?

I'm trying to aim for a mass of less than 30.000 kg, to be launchable with an Atlas V heavy. If that's seems too unrealistic, a Falcon 9 Heavy has to do it, I guess.
But I'm still trying to figure out the dimensions, because suddenly it seems, that it is way to big for an 8-manned crew.

The docking adapter is planned to be CBM sized, so it could dock to the american section of the ISS. Only the hatch of the CBM is big enough to bring racks to the station.

be careful with the name, there is already a Pegase (Possibly the French for Pegasus)

Pegasus is just a working name. I thought the name of a winged mythological horse seems fitting. Another work title is "YASP". I'll keep that, until I come up with a more sexy and unique name.

 

[Solar424]

YASP=Yet Another Space Plane

 

[Arthur Dent]

I decided do scale the plane down. It should still be big enough for 6-8 people.

New Dimensions

Length: 11 meters
Wingspan: 9.84 meters
Fuselage width: 3 meters
Fuselage height: 2.4 meters
​

I also moved the docking port up a bit. That way I could get rid of the central elevator control surface that would have served as a thermal protector during reentry.

The orbital engines and the mounting pods for them are just dummies at the moment. I'm planning to make a more elaborate set of engines and RCS thrusters.
I moved the V-tail surfaces already a bit more to the front in anticipation of the RCS.

 

[N_Molson]

be careful with the name, there is already a Pegase (Possibly the French for Pegasus)

Confirmed, Pegase = Pegasus.

 

[liber]

I decided do scale the plane down. It should still be big enough for 6-8 people.

Well now I expect you include and that lady on photo in add-on,like flight attendant.

:thumbup:

 

[River Crab]

Looks great! Something like an American Kliper equivalent with an X-37-like shape, I guess.
It's always good to see more spaceplanes for Orbiter, and present-day realistic ones are almost nonexistent. This would be great for people building their own space stations in Orbiter. Good luck.

One thing, is the RCS precise enough to dock by itself using CBM? CBM has no guidance, so the docking must really be perfect...

 

[Belisarius]

It looks quite like one of the intermediate designs for Kliper:

As you know Kliper is theoretically for 6 crew, and has a detachable docking/orbit module based on the Soyuz OM

I like the design a lot. Suggested possible names:
Micron
Kestrel
DynoMite (tribute to DynoSoar, but could be a bit "explosive" as a name)
Gaia
Flyak
Schooner
SpaceBoat
SkySloop

EDIT: Images not coming through, they're from

http://www.astronautix.com/craft/kliper.htm

 

[Fabri91]

A spacecraft like this is the perfect excuse to use a spaceplane when there is no heavy cargo to be brought up! Keep up the good work!

 

[Arthur Dent]

Well now I expect you include and that lady on photo in add-on,like flight attendant.

:thumbup:

I'll try. But the lady is from Google Warehouse and I'm not sure what the license situation is.

One thing, is the RCS precise enough to dock by itself using CBM? CBM has no guidance, so the docking must really be perfect...

I think it could be precise enough. It will work in Orbiter anyway. If that's not realistic enough, I can always add a grapple point.

@Belisarius
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm more in favor of acronyms right now. That's why "YASP - Yet another space plane" is among my favorites. But a more serious technical term would be even better. Something like "PSV - Piloted Supply Vehicle".



I'm trying to fix some issues with the wing mesh. Somehow the underside of the wing/body structure doesn't seem to be as smooth as it ought to be.

 

[Fabri91]

How about CEV - Crew Exchange Vehicle? But it's the same acronym as Crew Exploration Vehicle...

 

[liber]

the wing/body structure doesn't seem to be as smooth as it ought to be.

What modeling program you use?

 

[Arthur Dent]

How about CEV - Crew Exchange Vehicle? But it's the same acronym as Crew Exploration Vehicle...

I tried to avoid existing names. And it is not so much an exploration vehicle. It is basically "just" a Crew Transfer and Supply Vehicle. CTSV. But I'm not sure if that's too ling. It this kind of attention to detail that delays modern space plane development. :lol:

What modeling program you use?

AC3D. But I could solve the problem. I had to delete some misplaced vertices. Next up: Orbital engines and RCS pods.

 

[Arthur Dent]

I changed the sizes once more, because I figured out, that the standard racks that will be part of the station supply payload would cramp up the whole place. It is now a bit bigger.

After some bizarre design failures, I came up with a sleeker pod design that will house the RCS,the engines and propellant.

I'm wondering if the clearance between the docking port and the engines is big enough. I also hope that the general position of the CBM docking port is alright. The hatch, once removed, doesn't need to slide upwards, I hope.