Reusable Booster System

The Reusable Booster System (RBS) is a United States Air Force circa-2010 program to develop a new vertical-takeoff, horizontal-landing (VTHL)[1] reusable booster and a new expendable second stage to replace the existing Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles (EELV) after 2025.[2]

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Program description

Program funding is set at US$250,000,000.[1] "Officials anticipate awarding up to three contracts for the project, where winners would compete for individual tasks of experiments and demonstrations that address technology, processes and other attributes of a reusable booster system, or RBS." The proposal deadline is 19 March 2011.[1] In December of 2011 Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract to build a flight demonstration vehicle, the RBS Pathfinder, due in 2015.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Cogliano (2011-03-22). "Air Force launches $250M reusable booster initiative". Dayton Business Journal. http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/news/2011/03/22/air-force-launches-250m-reusable.html. Retrieved 2011-03-24. "Officials anticipate awarding up to three contracts for the project, where winners would compete for individual tasks of experiments and demonstrations that address technology, processes and other attributes of a reusable booster system, or RBS. Air Force officials envision an RBS that includes a reusable rocket and an expendable upper stage rocket. The reusable rocket would be launched vertically and return, landing aircraft style on a runway, after carrying the space craft to a point where the expendable rocket could take over." 
  2. ^ "Air Force studying reusable upper stage systems for reusable booster". RLV and Space Transport News. 2010-09-20. http://hobbyspace.com/nucleus/index.php?itemid=23692. Retrieved 2011-03-24. 
  3. ^ http://www.space-travel.com/reports/Lockheed_Martin_Selected_USAF_for_Reusable_Booster_System_Flight_Demonstrator_Program_999.html

External links