Liberty (rocket)
Encyclopedia
Liberty is a 2011 launch vehicle
concept proposed to NASA
by Alliant Techsystems
(ATK) and Astrium under phase 2 of the NASA Commercial Crew Development
(CCDev) program intended to stimulate development of privately operated crew
vehicles to low Earth orbit
.
The Liberty design proposal is a combination of hardware from the defunct Ares I
project (the Five-segment version of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster
for a first stage) and from the commercial Ariane 5
launcher (the Vulcain
cryogenic
main engine as a second stage). It is intended to be launched from Kennedy Space Center
.
The launcher height is planned at 90 metres (295.3 ft), is advertised at a price of $180 million per launch, and has a projected payload of 20,140 kg (44,500 lb) to Low Earth orbit
.
The first launch is projected to take place as early as 2013, with astronaut
s launching by 2015.
for crew and cargo, but its capacities and cost could make it also a launcher for government and commercial satellite
s, including to Geostationary transfer orbit
.
Development continues in the hope of gaining funding from NASA in future years.
NASA and ATK are holding a joint news conference on Tuesday, September 13, 2011 to announce a new agreement that could "accelerate the availability of of U.S. commercial crew transportation capabilities."
On 9/13/2011, USA Today reported NASA's intention to form at agreement with ATK to further develop the Liberty rocket as a heavy launch vehicle capable of launching humans into space. Although no money is expected to change hands as a result of this agreement, NASA will share expertise and technology.
Launch vehicle
In spaceflight, a launch vehicle or carrier rocket is a rocket used to carry a payload from the Earth's surface into outer space. A launch system includes the launch vehicle, the launch pad and other infrastructure....
concept proposed to NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
by Alliant Techsystems
Alliant Techsystems
Alliant Techsystems Inc., most commonly known by its ticker symbol, ', is one of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the United States with more than 18,000 employees in 22 states, Puerto Rico and internationally, and 2010 revenues in excess of an estimated...
(ATK) and Astrium under phase 2 of the NASA Commercial Crew Development
Commercial Crew Development
Commercial Crew Development is a multiphase space technology development program, funded by the U.S. government, and administered by NASA. The program is intended to stimulate development of privately operated crew vehicles to low Earth orbit. It is run by the Commercial Crew and Cargo Program...
(CCDev) program intended to stimulate development of privately operated crew
Human spaceflight
Human spaceflight is spaceflight with humans on the spacecraft. When a spacecraft is manned, it can be piloted directly, as opposed to machine or robotic space probes and remotely-controlled satellites....
vehicles to low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
.
The Liberty design proposal is a combination of hardware from the defunct Ares I
Ares I
Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...
project (the Five-segment version of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster
Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster
The Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters were the pair of large solid rockets used by the United States' NASA Space Shuttle during the first two minutes of powered flight. Together they provided about 83% of liftoff thrust for the Space Shuttle. They were located on either side of the rusty or...
for a first stage) and from the commercial Ariane 5
Ariane 5
Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit or low Earth orbit . Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales...
launcher (the Vulcain
Vulcain
Vulcain is a family of European cryogenic first stage rocket engines for the Ariane 5.-History:The development of Vulcain, assured by a European collaboration, began in 1988 with the Ariane 5 rocket program. It first flew in 1996 powering the ill-fated flight 501 without being the cause of the...
cryogenic
Cryogenics
In physics, cryogenics is the study of the production of very low temperature and the behavior of materials at those temperatures. A person who studies elements under extremely cold temperature is called a cryogenicist. Rather than the relative temperature scales of Celsius and Fahrenheit,...
main engine as a second stage). It is intended to be launched from Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...
.
The launcher height is planned at 90 metres (295.3 ft), is advertised at a price of $180 million per launch, and has a projected payload of 20,140 kg (44,500 lb) to Low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
.
The first launch is projected to take place as early as 2013, with astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
s launching by 2015.
Missions
Liberty is advertised as a vehicle to service the International Space StationInternational Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
for crew and cargo, but its capacities and cost could make it also a launcher for government and commercial satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
s, including to Geostationary transfer orbit
Geostationary transfer orbit
A geosynchronous transfer orbit or geostationary transfer orbit is a Hohmann transfer orbit used to reach geosynchronous or geostationary orbit....
.
Latest Developments
The Alliant/Astrium proposal was not selected by NASA in the 2011 contract awards to assist development of a commercial space transportation system to replace the Space Shuttle.Development continues in the hope of gaining funding from NASA in future years.
NASA and ATK are holding a joint news conference on Tuesday, September 13, 2011 to announce a new agreement that could "accelerate the availability of of U.S. commercial crew transportation capabilities."
On 9/13/2011, USA Today reported NASA's intention to form at agreement with ATK to further develop the Liberty rocket as a heavy launch vehicle capable of launching humans into space. Although no money is expected to change hands as a result of this agreement, NASA will share expertise and technology.