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Aviation Week & Space Technology

Trial By Fire
02/20/2005 01:42:58 PM
By Craig Covault

TRIAL BY FIRE

Boeing is preparing a range of Delta IV Heavy launcher
options for NASA Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) and
unmanned cargo transportation architectures to the
Moon and Mars, now that the massive new rocket has
been flight tested.

The Dec. 21 launch of the 232-ft. vehicle on 2 million
lb. thrust marked the largest all-liquid expendable
booster flown since the last Saturn V in 1973. A second
Delta IV Heavy mission is scheduled for this summer
carrying a U.S. Air Force missile warning satellite.
The first launch carried a dummy payload.

Boeing wants NASA to consider the Delta IV Heavy for
manned CEV missions, but is also pushing the Heavy for
unmanned exploration launch roles. One Delta IV Medium
version could also be a CEV player.

Boeing says even modest upgrades could double the
Delta Heavy's Earth orbit capability to more than 50
metric tons, including being able to fire up to 20
metric tons on escape trajectories to Mars.

The current Heavy, like that tested in December, can
already send about 10 metric tons to the Moon, while
modest upgrades could more than double the lunar tonnage.
NASA is asking all exploration program elements to
standardize on metric ton references.

Also among the options are performance upgrades using new
upper-stage engines--including the Pratt & Whitney RL60
and the Mitsubishi/Boeing MB-60.