Background Information: DoD & The X-33 SSTO Program

Background Information: DoD & The X-33 SSTO Program The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization ("BMDO") designed, fabricated, and flight tested the DC-X1, an innovative, fully reusable, single stage rocket powered flight vehicle. This is the first time such a concept has been successfully demonstrated, and the effort was accomplished in just 2 years for less than $70 million -- a noteworthy accomplishment in itself. Designated the DC-X1, this first totally reusable rocket powered flight vehicle was systematically designed to minimize the size of the ground-based flight control crew and the associated maintenance team, and to demonstrate "aircraft-like" quick turnaround and reliable operations. These accomplishments are directly attributable to the management approach used by BMDO. A major departure from typical space industry acquisition practices, it employed a small government oversight team with short, direct lines of authority; non-restrictive guidance to the contractor; and rapid prototyping of hardware and software -- not paper products. It is a clear example of streamlined defense program management.

Program Background

When initially proposed the goals for the DC-X1 program were focused on development of a "single stage to orbit" ("SSTO") system. In 1990 a 10 month competitive concept design effort was undertaken and 4 contracts were awarded to Boeing, General Dynamics, McDonnell Douglas, and Rockwell International to determine feasibility, and to develop initial designs, of SSTO systems. Departing from standard acquisition practices the BMDO management team structured the program in clearly defined technology development and flight demonstration steps following a philosophy of "build a little, test a little" combined with "fly before buy." This broke the total program into manageable portions, with key decision points, technological and budgetary, placed so that successful completion of 1 phase was a prerequisite to proceeding to the next. In 1991, following the 10 month SSTO design effort ("Phase I"), BMDO (then the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization -- "SDIO") selected 1 design as most promising for technology demonstration purposes, and thus the Single Stage Rocket Technology ("SSRT") Program ("Phase II") was initiated to design, fabricate, and flight test the McDonnell Douglas Aerospace (MDA) Delta Clipper - Experimental ("DC-X1"). Subsequently, due to de-emphasis in BMDO on space-based elements, the SSRT program was restructured to focus exclusively on building and testing the DC-X1 as a technology demonstrator for suborbital vehicles with the potential to support BMDO system tests and experiments. However, continued traceability to an orbital launch capability was inherent in the DC-X1's design considerations.

The DC-X1 system, composed of the DC-X1 flight vehicle, the flight operations control center ("FOCC"), the ground support system ("GSS"), and other support facilities, was designed, fabricated, assembled, tested, and ready for flight in only 22 months. Following design and fabrication at the MDA Huntington Beach, California plant, the vehicle and FOCC completed all factory tests and was transported to the NASA-White Sands Test Facility ("WSTF") in April 1993. Following shipment and assembly of the DC-X1 system at NASA-WSTF the DC-X1 underwent a series of tests including cryogenic propellant loading and 9 static system tests during which all engines were fired and all DC-X1 subsystems, including the FOCC and GSS, were exercised. The final test in the series was a simulation of a complete DC-X1 flight test. Throughout these tests valuable operations and supportability data was gathered demonstrating the capability of the DC-X1 to be operated "aircraft-like."

With the completion of the testing at NASA-WSTF the entire DC-X1 system was transported and reassembled at the US Army's White Sands Missile Range ("WSMR") for flight testing. Again, following reassembly of the support systems, FOCC, and GSS, and complete DC-X1 system checkout, the DC-X1 was ready to begin flight testing. On August 18, 1993 at 1643 MDT -- almost 2 years to the day after contract award -- the DC-X1 took off from its WSMR flight stand, climbed to 150 feet, hovered briefly, then moved 350 feet to the west and landed under power on its landing gear dead center on the 100 foot square landing pad. Since that first, historic flight, the DC-X1 has flown four times more. These flights have helped to increase understanding of the complex aerodynamics of a vertical takeoff and landing rocket in the low speed regime, and have provided much more data on "aircraft-like" operations.

Congress appropriated FY '94 funds to the Advanced Research Projects Agency ("ARPA") to (among other things) complete the initial flight test series of the DC-X1, to fully characterize operations and supportability and the key aerodynamic concerns of this unique vertical takeoff and landing rocket powered system. This funding has only recently been released by ARPA for these purposes, and then only due to Congressional action in the FY '95 DoD appropriations and continued Congressional pressure in the months after passage of those appropriations last fall. With the release of these funds (some $5 million) the DC-X1 flight test program will finally be completed, performing approximately 4 more flights, including a rapid turn-around demonstration (3 days) and the important rotation maneuver for landing. These tests ought to be completed by the end of this calander year (1995), and following completion the entire DC-X1 system will be transferred to NASA as part of the cooperative effort DoD has begun with NASA to develop SSTO systems. NASA will perform technology upgrades on various systems and subsystems of the DC-X1 (redesignating it the "DC-XA") and will resume flight testing in 1996.

SSTO Next Phase -- "X-33" Given the success of the DC-X1, and the potential for a new generation of low-cost, reliable space launch vehicles, an "advanced technology demonstrator" ("ATD") "X"-vehicle SSTO demonstrator is the prudent next step. The most cost effective approach is a follow-on program to build, and preferably fly, an ATD, dubbed "X-33." This could be accomplished within four years following a competitive detailed system design phase. Parallel to this design effort would be key technology demonstrations designed to show the requisite levels of maturity of structures, cryogenic tankage and plumbing, thermal protection systems, advanced avionics, and operations and maintenance hardware and software systems. DoD should cooperatively conduct this phase of SSTO development with NASA's planned SSTO development activities. This is called for by the President's National Space Transportation Policy (PDD/NSTC-4).

The X-33 is the next step in the planned stepping stone approach to address the unknowns to achieve single stage to orbit. The primary technology objective is to build an airframe and key subsystems using the same composites, structures, and component weights that scale-up to follow-on operational SSTO vehicles. Existing liquid oxygen and hydrogen rocket engines would be used to minimize cost and shorten development time. The X-33 will push even further toward demonstrating the feasibility of rocket powered "aircraft-like" operations, support, reliability, and associated recurring flight costs in the only credible way Q by doing it. The X-33 design will use oxygen and hydrogen to support all propulsion and power needs, offering an environmentally benign exhaust product -- water. With clean exhaust, manageable noise levels, and no staging debris, the X-33 is envisioned as an environmentally friendly system that can help set the standard for 21st century launch vehicles.

SSTO Follow-on Phase(s) The X-33 should provide a clear demonstration of the technology maturity to attain operational fully reusable single stage to orbit for a relatively minimal government investment. The next logical phase would then be to design and construct a fleet of operational full-scale development reusable SSTOs. This could be a cooperative government-industry effort with innovative cost sharing and market development and guarantee arrangements. Details of such a program are still being worked out but one possible method to ensure strong industry participation in this type of program would be for the government to provide an "anchor-tenant" relationship as a market incentive to industry. (Dan Goldin, NASA's Administrator, has publicly voiced support for this sort of approach.) United States transportation systems include such historical precedents as the railroads (government provided land/rights of way) and airlines (air mail). Cooperation between DoD and NASA in technology development and insertion into these systems will also be maintained.

Should a DoD Position in the X-33 Program Be Funded?

Yes. With the DC-X1, DoD has demonstrated that it can manage a low cost, fast track technology development and demonstration program providing tangible results. But any follow-on, such as the X- 33, must be accomplished using the same management philosophy and style as utilized by BMDO for the DC-X1. By breaking the SSTO program down into manageable steps -- technologically and fiscally -- the commitment to acquiring an operational system is not made until the requisite technologies have been demonstrated. Several military/commercial "dual use" factors provide additional reason for DoD to fund an "equity" position in the X-33 program:

It enables development of follow-on suborbital and orbital vehicles providing vastly less expensive commercial spacelift services and fundamentally new strategic and tactical military capabilities;
Helps to assure that the American aerospace industry is the first to commercially exploit low cost, highly reliable space access;
Provides dual use technology spin-offs to commercial and military sectors;
Bolsters the aerospace industrial base by helping to open profitable new commercial opportunities; and
Helps develop American-Russian cooperative ventures.

Program Status BMDO's redefined mission to focus on ground based missile defenses ended BMDO's requirement to pursue low-cost space launch and thus its involvement in the SSRT program. BMDO will not continue SSRT development activities following the completion of DC-X1 flight testing this year. However, BMDO has encouraged other DoD agencies, particularly the USAF, to take over the follow-on X-33 related advanced technology development program.

An aggressive X-33 ATD flight demonstration program would require 4 years to complete (provided the same streamlined management philosophy and team remains in place), including a 15 month competitive detailed design phase. The DoD portion of the X-33 program would cost approximately $70 a year -- by design. For FY '96, $50 million would need to be appropriated.

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