Air Force Doubts New ULA Engine Can Be Ready by 2019
Atlas V launch of WorldView-3 satellite (Credit: ULA)
U.S. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee Jones told a Senate committee this week that it would be difficult to develop a new rocket motor to replace the Atlas V’s Russian-produced RD-180 by the the 2019 deadline established by Congress.
“Because this,” James said, “is rocket science.”
James said the technical experts she’s spoken with estimate that it would take six to eight years to build a new engine and another year or two to integrate it into the launch vehicle. If those estimates are right, it would push the first use of a new engine well into the 2020s.
The Air Force has not decided what engine to fund to replace the RD-180, which powers the Atlas V’s first stage. United Launch Alliance, which builds the launch vehicle, has announced a partnership with Blue Origin to develop the BE4 engine.
The Atlas V is used almost exclusively to launch defense payloads. Replacing the RD-180 has become a priority given deteriorating ties between the United States and Russia.
In series of Tweets, ULA President and CEO Tory Bruno said he expects the first flight of the BE4 engine to occur in 2019. The new engine and rocket would be certified in 2022-23 for launching national security payloads.
“Developing an American engine by 2019, cert in 2022-23, is an aggressive schedule,” Bruno wrote. “The existing law leaves us no flexibility.”
“No, we cannot realistically accelerate certification to 2019. 2022-23 already has risk,” he said in another Tweet.
11 responses to “Air Force Doubts New ULA Engine Can Be Ready by 2019”
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Unbelievable. Lack of expertise or the old money question.
Plenty of ppl to point fingers at. However, in current times, I would blame the house GOP. The reason is that they have tried hard to kill off new private space, while pushing for reliance on old space that chose to use Russian parts ( and osc had options and still went with them ).
The GOP needs to quit pushing DOD to give only to ula, and instead:
1) get f9 and FH approved quickly.
2) get a contract going for atk to do a solid launcher, with liquid 2nd stage.
3) start a cots for multiple companies to do rocket engines. Ideally, it should encourage 2-4 new companies, as well as create multiple tugs/fuel depots. DOD, NASA, and private space need these.
Three years ago was 2012. If you accept the numbers of 6-8 years to develop the engine and 1-2 more years to integrate it into the new rocket, that’s 7-10 years. That puts them at 2019 as the best case and 2022 as the worst case, meaning 2019 is possible but unlikely.
In addition, BO never produced anything in any numbers. They are an R&D shop. They may be expected to make one BE-4 by 2019 that’s held together by chewing gum and a prayer, and run some impressive demos with it.
Yes, solids are big firecrackers, they have large structural mass fraction, but maintaining competence in design, manufacture and operation of solids is important because it is a technology most applicable to military rockets. Solids are the only alternative for storable rockets. Storableable liquid propellants are toxic and corrosive.
Large segmented solids have absolutely nothing to do with military rockets, not even ICBMs. Get informed about basics of rocket technology.
Who said anything about segmented solids? Besides it is not about reusing design but know-how in combustion physics, propellant formulations, casting methods, handling and quality control. They are comparable among solids and widely different problems from liquid rockets.
It can’t be a quick-n-dirty – it’s gonna fly USAF payloads
The article is about launching USAF payloads by Lockheed Martin – you know, the same company that happens to make Trident missiles.
I suggest you review the NASA Ares 1 launcher….
Look into the challenges there.
You use that word reliable while talking about solids.