NEPTUNE SERIES OF LAUNCH VEHICLES

Interorbital Systems (IOS) is developing a new generation of low-cost, rapid-response manned and unmanned orbital launch vehicles. NEPTUNE Series rockets are designed for minimum cost and maximum reliability. Unnecessary, expensive, complex, failure-prone, and performance-limiting systems such as wings and turbopumps have been eliminated from their design. Since the NEPTUNE Series launch vehicles are designed to be deployed from the ocean, launch costs will be relatively insignificant (compared to standard spaceport fees), and launch scheduling will be based on customer demand (not on placement in a spaceport's launch rotation).

MODULAR ROCKET SYSTEMS
Each member of the NEPTUNE Series of launch vehicles is assembled from multiple Common Propulsion Modules (CPM's). Both Small and Large CPMs are currently under development at IOS. The CPM selection is based on the launch vehicle application and projected cost. Payload capacity can be varied by increasing or decreasing the number of CPM's or the size of the CPM used in the rocket's CPM cluster. The first series of NEPTUNE launch vehicles will utilize the small CPM's.

COMMON PROPULSION MODULE
Each Common Propulsion Module is composed of one to four propellant tanks and a single throttleable, ablatively-cooled rocket engine.  Depending on the configuration, the modules can operate in either blowdown or pressurant tank-fed modes. The capacity of the propellant tanks is regulated by varying their lengths. All CPM parts are interchangeable and mass-producible.

LIQUID ROCKET ENGINES AND PROPELLANTS
The CPM propulsion units are fixed, throttleable, low-thrust, liquid rocket engines. Differential throttling of a series of rocket engines will provide pitch and yaw control. Auxiliary on/off thrusters provide roll control. Storable, high-density white fuming nitric acid (WFNA) and Hydrocarbon-X (HX) are the rocket’s primary propellants. These storable, environmentally friendly propellants provide reliable, efficient, hypergolic ignition.  

NEPTUNE 30
The NEPTUNE 30 is a multi-stage micro-satellite launch vehicle capable of launching 30-Kg into low-earth orbit. It is composed of 4 Small Common Propulsion Modules and a liquid propelled spin-stabilized satellite kick-stage. The NEPTUNE 30 is designed to support the CubeSat  and small-sat community.

NEPTUNE 1000
The NEPTUNE 1000 is a multi-stage medium-lift launch vehicle capable of launching a 1000-Kg payload into low-earth orbit or a 190-Kg payload to Earth escape velocity. The rocket is composed of 33 Small Common Propulsion Modules. The NEPTUNE 1000 is slated to launch the Google Lunar X PRIZE Synergy Moon lander/rover to the Moon.

NEPTUNE TSAAHTO
The modular NEPTUNE TSAAHTO (Two-Stage-and-a-Half-to-Orbit) is designed primarily for manned orbital applications. Its launch system is assembled from eight (8) Large Common Propulsion Modules and eight (8) Small Common Propulsion Modules.  The NEPTUNE TSAAHTO will have the same configuration as the Sea Star TSAAHTO.

Two-Stage-And-A-Half-To-Orbit (TSAAHTO)
The NEPTUNE TSAAHTO is a pressure-fed, two-stage-and-a-half-to-orbit launcher. It has a configuration similar to the Atlas Agena. Half-staging is equivalent to dropping unused ballast. The NEPTUNE TSAAHTO is designed to place a 7,000-pound payload into a 250 mile 51º orbit. The three main components of the rocket are the Booster Module (BM), the Sustainer Module (SM), the Orbital Station Module (OSM), and the Crew Module (CM).

Orbital Station Module
The manned NEPTUNE TSAAHTO’s dual-use (habitable when empty) pressurant tank is its most innovative design feature. Once on-orbit, an expedition crew will transfer to the rocket’s specially equipped pressurant tank through a hatch in the Crew Module's heat shield. During the mission, the 14-foot (4.27-M) diameter by 20-ft (6.1-M) long tank will provide the crew with an enormous living, recreational, and work area that will feature both private and group activity zones. The expedition crew will experience spectacular Earth and space views through numerous observation ports, while enjoying  weightlessness to the maximum.  

Crew Module (CM)
The CM is designed to accommodate five expedition crew members and one command pilot. The 6-person crew will be seated radially around a centrally located service compartment access hatch. Each crew member has a window providing excellent visibility. The CM is attached to the forward section of the rocket and has the following primary components: emergency escape system, life-support system, electric power system, docking collar, retro-rocket de-orbit system,  attitude control system (ACS), parachute recovery system, and an aft heat-shield for reentry.

Crew Module Escape System
The CM is equipped with set of four aft-mounted liquid rocket engines. In the event of a catastrophic failure of a major rocket system at the launch site, or anywhere along the launch trajectory, the escape rockets will boost the CM away from the launch vehicle. In this event, the CM is designed to land in the ocean by parachute and to be recovered.  

Floating Sea-launch
NEPTUNE TSAAHTO launch operations will be carried out at sea. Launching a rocket at sea is the most economical method for launching payloads into orbit. It eliminates the tremendous costs and scheduling bottlenecks associated with using the existing land spaceports and airports. Launches can be scheduled according to the customer’s requirements. Other advantages include: 

1)      Launch positions can be selected from a nearly infinite number points around the world

2)       Ocean launch systems are portable

3)       Launch insurance costs are substantially lower

4)       Vehicle recovery operations are simplified

5)       Federal launch licenses are easier to obtain

IOS will stage its launch operations from Port of Long Beach, California. Initial launches will take place from the Pacific Ocean West of Long Beach. 

Interorbital Systems P.O. Box 662 Mojave, CA 93502-0662
Copyright © 1996-2009 Interorbital Systems  All rights reserved