NA

SA D

ryde

n Fl

ight

Res

earc

h C

ente

r

Bas

ed o

n A

IAA

Pap

ers:

Chi

ef E

ngin

eer’s

Vie

w o

f the

NA

SA

X-4

3A S

cram

jet F

light

Tes

t (A

IAA

-200

5-33

32)

Ove

rvie

w w

ith R

esul

ts a

nd L

esso

ns L

earn

ed o

f the

X-4

3A M

ach

10 F

light

(A

IAA

-200

5-33

36)

X-4

3A P

roje

ct O

verv

iew

Adv

entu

res

in H

yper

soni

cs

https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20070021637 2019-02-03T22:19:49+00:00Z

Pre

sent

atio

n T

opic

s

•X

-43A

Pro

gra

mO

verv

iew

•V

ehic

le D

escr

ipti

on

•F

ligh

t 1,

MIB

& R

etu

rnto

Flig

ht

•F

ligh

t 2

and

Res

ult

s•

Flig

ht

3 an

d R

esu

lts

•C

on

clu

din

g R

emar

ks

X-4

3A (

Hyp

er-X

) P

rogr

amO

verv

iew

•F

irst

eve

r fl

igh

t d

emo

nst

rati

on

of

an a

irfr

ame-

inte

gra

ted

scra

mje

t p

ow

ered

hyp

erso

nic

veh

icle

Hyp

er-X

Res

earc

hV

ehic

le (

HX

RV

)

Res

earc

h V

ehic

leA

dapt

er

Hyp

er-X

Lau

nch

Veh

icle

(H

XL

V)

Hyp

er-X

Res

earc

h V

ehic

le (

HX

RV

): A

TK

-GA

SL

–H

ydro

gen

fu

eled

scr

amje

t en

gin

e–

Sca

led

ver

sio

n o

f a

Mac

h 1

0 "c

ruis

e"co

nfi

gu

rati

on

Hyp

er-X

Lau

nch

Veh

icle

(H

XL

V)

- O

SC

–A

ir la

un

ched

fro

m N

AS

A’s

B-5

2–

Bo

ost

s H

XR

V t

o t

est

con

dit

ion

–M

od

ifie

d 1

st S

tag

e P

egas

us

bo

ost

er

•P

rim

ary

ob

ject

ive

was

to

val

idat

e th

e to

ols

, tes

tan

d a

nal

ysis

tec

hn

iqu

es, &

des

ign

met

ho

ds

of

scra

mje

t p

ow

ered

, hyp

erso

nic

veh

icle

s

•T

hre

e fl

igh

t p

roje

ct–

Tw

o f

ligh

ts a

t M

ach

7–

On

e fl

igh

t at

Mac

h 1

0

X-4

3A (

Hyp

er-X

) P

rog

ram

Ove

rvie

w

•In

let:

slo

ws

the

flow

effi

cien

tly•

Isol

ator

: co

ntai

ns th

e pr

ecom

bust

ion

shoc

k sy

stem

•C

ombu

stor

: in

ject

s, m

ixes

, fla

meh

olds

, and

bur

ns w

ith m

inim

al lo

sses

•N

ozzl

e: e

xpan

ds th

e ga

ses

with

out q

uenc

hing

the

reac

tions

•A

ll th

is m

ust b

e ac

com

plis

hed

in a

s sh

ort a

dis

tanc

e as

pos

sibl

e

•A

llow

s fo

r ai

r-b

reat

hin

g f

ligh

t at

Mac

h 5

+•

For

ces

and

mom

ents

bal

ance

d to

min

imiz

e tr

imdr

ag a

nd m

axim

ize

thru

st

Scr

amje

ts

Th

e C

hal

len

ge

•D

urin

g th

e 0.

001

sec

–In

ject

the

H2,

mix

the

fuel

and

air,

and

igni

te th

e m

ixtu

re–

Com

bust

the

H2+

O2

to H

2O (

a m

in o

f 7 r

eact

ions

mod

eled

in C

FD

cod

es)

–M

aint

ain

flam

ehol

ding

and

don

’t u

nsta

rt (

prop

agat

ion

of s

hock

trai

n fo

rwar

d)–

Exp

and

the

gase

s an

d ex

trac

t the

ene

rgy

to p

rodu

ce th

rust

> d

rag

•A

ccom

plis

h at

Mac

h 7

spee

d an

d dy

nam

ic p

ress

ure

of 1

000

lb/ft

2

Mac

h 7

~7,

000

ft/se

c

App

rox

3 fe

et~

3,00

0 ft/

sec

O2

resi

denc

e tim

e ~

0.0

01 s

ec

“Lik

ened

toke

epin

g a

cand

lelit

in a

hur

rican

e”

X-4

3A F

light

Pha

ses

Cap

tive

Car

ry t

o L

aunc

h C

ondi

tion

Boo

st t

o 10

0,00

0 fe

et

MA

CH

7/1

0 Se

para

tion

Fre

e F

light

& S

cram

jet

Ope

rati

on

MA

CH

9.7

(6 s

ec)

110,

000

ft

(3 s

ec)

NO

NE

-0.5

g’s

2.5g

’s

Mac

h 7

Mis

sion

Mac

h 10

Mis

sion

X-4

3A M

ach

7 an

d M

ach

10 M

issi

onP

rofil

es

No

min

al T

imel

ine

12 m

inut

es a

fter

Sep

.10

min

utes

afte

r S

ep.

Spl

ash

Per

form

ed a

t eve

ry M

ach

no.

from

Mac

h 8

to 2

Per

form

ed a

t eve

ry M

ach

no. f

rom

Mac

h 5

to 2

Cow

l clo

sed

PID

's

Cow

l clo

sed

Cow

l clo

sed

Cow

l clo

sed

Non

e17

sec

Cow

l ope

n P

ID

6 se

c4

sec

Pos

t-ex

perim

ent t

are

4.5

sec

7.5

sec

H2

fuel

bur

n

4.5

sec

3.5

sec

Igni

tion

w/ H

2/si

lane

3 se

c5

sec

Pre

-exp

erim

ent t

are

Cow

l ope

nC

owl o

pen

Cow

l ope

n

2.5

sec

2.5

sec

Sep

arat

ion

Eve

nt

88 s

ec93

sec

Boo

st

5 se

c5

sec

Dro

p

1 ho

ur1

hour

Cap

tive

carr

y

days

days

Gro

und

ops

Flig

ht

3F

ligh

t 2

Eve

nt

X-4

3A E

xter

nal V

ehic

le C

onfig

urat

ion

Leng

th: 1

2'4"

Wid

th: 5

'0"

Heig

ht: 2

'2"

Wei

ght:

300

0 lb

max

Actu

ator

Con

trolle

r

Wat

er C

onne

ctio

nto

Ada

pterN 2

Con

nect

ion

to A

dapt

er

Win

gAc

tuat

or

Win

g Ac

tuat

or

Rudd

er A

ctua

tor

Rudd

er A

ctua

tor

Wat

er T

ank

N 2 T

ank

Sila

ne T

ank

H 2 T

anks

Flig

ht M

anag

emen

tUn

it (F

MU)

Batte

ry

Flus

h Ai

r Da

ta S

enso

rs(F

ADS)

Inst

rum

enta

tion

Syst

em

X-4

3A In

tern

al V

ehic

le C

onfig

urat

ion

X-4

3A M

ater

ial L

ayou

t

AE

TB

Tile

TU

FI C

oatin

g

TU

FI =

Tou

ghen

ed U

ni-p

iece

Fib

rous

Insu

latio

nA

ET

B=

Alu

min

a E

nhan

ced

The

rmal

Bar

rier

Nos

eLe

adin

gE

dge

Sid

eC

hine

Car

bon-

Car

bon

Tun

gste

n

TU

FI/A

ET

B

Hay

nes

Allo

y

Car

bon-

Car

bon

Cop

per

Allo

y

NA

SA D

ryde

n Fl

ight

Res

earc

h C

ente

rEd

war

ds, C

A

Th

e H

yper

-X P

artn

ersh

ipT

he

Hyp

er-X

Par

tner

ship

Dra

win

g o

n E

xper

tise

fro

mD

raw

ing

on

Exp

erti

se f

rom

Co

ast-

to-C

oas

tC

oas

t-to

-Co

ast

NA

SA L

angl

eyR

esea

rch

Cen

ter

Ham

pton

, VA

ATK

- G

ASL

Ron

konk

oma,

NY

ATK

- G

ASL

Tulla

hom

a, T

N a

ndH

unts

ville

, AL

Orb

ital S

cien

ces C

orp.

Cha

ndle

r, A

Z

Laun

ch V

ehic

le D

evel

opm

ent

Rese

arch

/Flig

ht O

pera

tions

Airw

orth

ines

s, Fl

ight

Saf

ety,

Ran

ge S

afet

y

Syst

ems I

nsta

llatio

nTech

nolo

gy D

esig

n an

dEx

peri

men

tal T

est

Engi

ne &

Fue

l Sys

tem

s

Actu

ato

r C

ontr

olle

r

H20 to A

dapte

r

N2 to A

dapte

r

Horizonta

l T

ail

Actu

ato

r

Horizonta

l T

ail

Actu

ato

r

Rudder

Actu

ato

r

Rudder

Actu

ato

r

H20 T

ank

N2 T

an

k

Sila

ne T

ank

H2 T

an

ks

Flig

ht M

anagem

ent

Un

it (

FM

U)

Ba

tte

ry

Flu

sh

Air

Data

Sensors

(FA

DS

)

Rese

arch

and

Lau

nch

Vehi

cle

Inte

rfac

eSt

age

Sepa

ratio

n Te

stin

gSy

stem

s/So

ftwar

e D

esig

nan

d In

tegr

atio

n

Mic

roC

raft

Ont

ario

, CA

Airf

ram

e As

sem

bly

Boei

ngLo

ng B

each

, CA

Air

For

ce F

light

Tes

tC

ente

r, V

ande

nber

g A

FBN

aval

Air

War

fare

Cen

ter,

Pt.

Mug

uPa

cific

Sea

Ran

ge

Lock

heed

Mar

tinD

alla

s, TX

Win

d Tu

nnel

Tes

ting

ATK

Mag

na, U

TRo

cket

Mot

or

Hon

eyw

ell

Cle

arw

ater

, FL

Rese

arch

Veh

icle

Flig

htC

ompu

ter

NA

SA M

arsh

all S

pace

Flig

ht C

ente

rH

unts

ville

, AL

Arch

itect

ure

Stud

ies a

ndTe

chno

logy

Ass

essm

ents

Boei

ngSt

Lou

is, M

OTe

chno

logy

Des

ign

‘‘ It

take

s a

villa

ge

It t

akes

a v

illag

e’’

Hig

hly

Inte

gra

ted

Eff

ort

Req

uir

ed

Pro

puls

ion

•Fue

l sys

tem

•Scr

amje

t eng

ine

•Pro

puls

ion

cont

rol l

aws

•Env

ironm

enta

l sys

tem

Sys

tem

s•F

light

com

pute

rs

•Act

uato

rs

•Pow

er

•Sof

twar

e

•V &

V te

stin

g

LV, S

ep, &

RV

Sim

s•G

NC

& P

SC

des

ign

& te

stin

g

•Mon

te-C

arlo

ana

lyse

s

•Veh

icle

per

form

ance

•S/W

& H

/W te

stin

g

•HIL

/AIL

test

ing

•Mis

sion

con

trol

roo

m tr

aini

ng

Sta

ge S

epar

atio

n•N

ever

bee

n do

ne

•Hig

h q,

asy

mm

etric

bod

ies

Aer

odyn

amic

s•O

uter

mol

d lin

e de

sign

•Aer

o da

ta b

ase

– te

stin

g &

CF

D

GN

C•L

V, S

ep, &

RV

con

trol

law

s

Str

uctu

res

•Aer

o &

ther

mal

loa

ds

•FE

M m

odel

ing

•Str

uctu

ral a

naly

sis

& d

esig

n

Laun

ch V

ehic

le•T

he r

ide

to M

ach

7 an

d 10

•Mod

ified

Peg

asus

boo

ster

Flig

ht O

pera

tions

•Put

s it

all t

oget

her

•Veh

icle

inte

grat

ion,

fuel

ing,

fligh

t, gr

ound

, & c

ontr

ol r

oom

ops

Co

ntr

ol S

urf

ace

Dep

artu

re

Flig

ht

Tes

tin

g IS

Ris

kyB

usi

nes

s

Flig

ht 1

- J

une

2, 2

001

•A

ppro

xim

atel

y 13

sec

onds

afte

rla

unch

, boo

ster

dep

arte

d fr

omco

ntro

lled

fligh

t.•

The

rig

ht fi

n br

oke

off,

follo

wed

with

in o

ne s

econ

d by

left

fin a

ndru

dder

.

•H

XLV

FT

S w

as in

itiat

ed 4

8 se

cond

s af

ter

laun

ch a

nd c

ause

dth

e un

com

man

ded

“sep

arat

ion”

of t

he X

-43A

.

•T

he X

-43A

con

tinue

d to

tran

smit

data

unt

il 77

sec

onds

afte

r la

unch

,w

hich

is c

onsi

sten

t with

the

time

spla

sh o

ccur

red.

Mis

hap

Inve

stig

atio

n &

Ret

urn

to F

light

Effo

rt•

X-4

3A M

isha

p In

vest

igat

ion

Boa

rd (

MIB

) w

as im

med

iate

ly c

onve

ned

follo

win

g th

e ac

cide

nt o

n Ju

ne 5

, 200

1 an

d en

ded

9 m

onth

s la

ter.

•“T

he X

-43A

HX

LV fa

iled

beca

use

the

vehi

cle

cont

rol s

yste

m d

esig

n w

as d

efic

ient

for

the

traj

ecto

ry fl

own

due

to in

accu

rate

ana

lytic

al m

odel

s w

hich

ove

rest

imat

ed th

e sy

stem

mar

gins

” --

Roo

t Cau

se M

IB R

epor

t dat

ed 5

/8/2

003

–M

odel

ing

defic

ienc

ies

caus

ed a

n ov

er-p

redi

ctio

n of

aut

opilo

t sta

bilit

y m

argi

ns:

Aer

odyn

amic

s, C

ompl

ianc

e, a

nd F

in A

ctua

tion

Sys

tem

•R

etur

n to

Flig

ht (

RT

F)

com

men

ced

Mar

ch 2

002

(last

ed 2

yea

rs)

–D

evel

oped

a C

orre

ctiv

e A

ctio

n P

lan

in r

espo

nse

to th

e M

IB fi

ndin

gs/r

ecom

men

datio

ns

–D

evel

oped

an

over

all a

ppro

ach

and

road

map

for

Ret

urn

to F

light

–F

ocu

sed

on th

e ro

ot c

ause

s an

d ap

plie

d le

sson

s le

arne

d on

the

HX

LV to

the

HX

RV

Flig

ht 1

Mish

ap

Dynamic Pressure

X-43

A Fl

ight

#1

Mac

h Nu

mbe

r

Pega

sus

X-43

A Fl

ight

#2

Flig

ht 2

– M

arch

27,

200

4

X-4

3A R

esea

rch

Veh

icle

Res

ult

s

Acc

eler

atio

n v

s. t

ime

Pre

fligh

t Nom

inal

& M

onte

Car

loP

redi

ctio

ns v

s F

light

Dat

a

Axi

al L

eng

th

SURFACEPRESSURE Pressure

Pret

est P

redi

cted

Flig

ht D

ata

Nose

Tail

Cen

terli

ne w

all p

ress

ure

No

te:

Un

clas

sifi

ed “

Ap

pro

xim

ate”

Mo

nte

Car

lo S

imu

lati

on

and

rel

ativ

e fl

igh

t “T

ren

ds,

” N

OT

Dat

a

Wh

y D

id F

ligh

t 2

Su

ccee

d

•W

e w

ere

give

n a

seco

nd c

hanc

e an

d th

e co

re te

am w

as le

ftin

tact

•S

tron

g fo

unda

tion

base

d on

Flig

ht 1

exp

erie

nce,

MIB

find

ings

and

reco

mm

enda

tions

, and

RT

F A

ppro

ach

•S

tron

g te

chni

cal e

xper

tise

betw

een

NA

SA

, AT

K, &

Orb

ital

•S

tron

g te

amw

ork

with

in N

AS

A a

nd b

etw

een

NA

SA

, AT

K, a

ndO

rbita

l

Flig

ht 2

Res

ults

Sum

mar

y

Sta

ge

Sep

arat

ion

:•

All

laun

ch v

ehic

le s

epar

atio

n co

nditi

ons

wer

e es

sent

ially

nom

inal

and

with

in th

e sp

ecifi

ed to

lera

nce.

•T

he X

-43A

suc

cess

fully

sep

arat

ed fr

om th

e la

unch

veh

icle

and

ach

ieve

d st

able

free

flig

ht th

roug

hout

the

engi

ne te

st.

X-4

3A P

ow

ered

Flig

ht

(Scr

amje

t E

ng

ine

Exp

erim

ent)

:•

Scr

amje

t eng

ine

perf

orm

ance

was

with

in 3

% o

f pre

fligh

t pre

dict

ions

– s

uffic

ient

to o

verc

ome

addi

tiona

lai

rfra

me

drag

and

pro

duce

net

pos

itive

thru

st.

•S

cram

jet e

ngin

e te

st c

ondi

tions

wer

e w

ell w

ithin

pre

fligh

t unc

erta

inty

leve

ls a

nd r

equi

rem

ents

•T

he m

axim

um p

ower

ed M

ach

num

ber

was

6.8

•D

urin

g po

wer

ed fl

ight

, the

X-4

3A fl

ight

con

trol

s m

aint

aine

d th

e de

sire

d ve

hicl

e an

gle-

of-a

ttack

of 2

.5de

gree

s w

ithin

an

acce

ptab

le to

lera

nce.

X-4

3A D

esce

nt:

•F

ollo

win

g th

e sc

ram

jet e

xper

imen

t, th

e ve

hicl

e re

mai

ned

cont

rolle

d du

ring

the

desc

ent a

nd s

ucce

ssfu

llyco

mpl

eted

a s

erie

s of

des

cent

man

euve

rs.

Ove

rall

Mis

sio

n C

om

men

ts:

•A

erod

ynam

ic s

tabi

lity

and

cont

rol M

ach

7 to

Mac

h 0.

9 –

with

in 1

sig

ma

unce

rtai

nty

of p

redi

ctio

n

•B

ound

ary

laye

r tr

ansi

tion,

bou

ndar

y la

yer

trip

effe

ctiv

enes

s –

with

in 1

sig

ma

unce

rtai

nty

of p

redi

ctio

n

•A

irfra

me

and

win

g st

ruct

ure,

TP

S a

nd in

tern

al e

nviro

nmen

t –

as

pred

icte

d w

/ exc

eptio

n of

rud

ders

•A

ll sy

stem

s on

bot

h th

e la

unch

veh

icle

and

X-4

3A p

erfo

rmed

wel

l and

ext

ensi

ve r

esea

rch

qual

ity d

ata

was

acq

uire

d th

roug

hout

the

boos

t and

des

cent

.

X-4

3A F

light

3 H

W &

SW

Mod

ifica

tion

Sum

mar

y

AC

TUA

TOR

S &

CO

NTR

OLL

ER

S-B

AN

D T

RA

NSM

ITTE

RC

-BA

ND

TR

AN

SPO

ND

ER

CO

OLA

NT

SYST

EM

HYD

RO

GEN

SYS

TEM

NIT

RO

GEN

(PU

RG

E)SY

STEM

INST

RU

MEN

TATI

ON

STA

CK

- Add

ition

al L

eadi

ng E

dge

Ther

moc

oupl

e- S

ides

lip A

bsol

ute

Pres

sure

Sen

sors

Rem

oved

- Tot

al P

ress

ure

Sens

or re

mov

ed- E

ngin

e Sk

in F

rictio

n &

Hea

t Flu

x G

ages

- Hig

h Te

mpe

ratu

re S

trai

n G

ages

FLIG

HT

MA

NA

GEM

ENT

UN

IT (F

MU

)- S

urfa

ce C

alib

ratio

n U

pdat

e- N

AV/

Gui

danc

e U

pdat

es- S

ep L

oop

Clo

sure

Tim

es a

s M

DL

inpu

ts- T

est A

ngle

of A

ttack

= 1

°- F

uelin

g sc

hedu

le- I

gnite

r sub

syst

em c

ontr

olle

r ope

n lo

op- U

nsta

rt L

ogic

Rem

oved

SCR

AM

JET

ENG

INE

- A

dditi

onal

TPS

- En

gine

Lin

es-

Engi

ne/C

owl H

eigh

t

BA

TTER

Y

EXT

POW

ER

Vert

ical

Tai

ls- S

olid

Hay

nes

- Car

bon-

Car

bon

Lead

ing

Edge

s

BA

LLA

ST- 5

8 lb

s in

pla

ce o

f Abs

olut

e To

tal

& S

ides

lip P

ress

ure

Sens

ors

LEA

DIN

G E

DG

E- B

lunt

er R

adiu

s- R

emov

ed T

otal

Pre

ssur

e Po

rt

SILA

NE

SYST

EM-

Valv

e up

grad

ed

Flig

ht 3

– N

ovem

ber

16, 2

004

Flig

ht 3

Res

ults

Sum

mar

yS

tag

e S

epar

atio

n:

•A

ll la

unch

veh

icle

sep

arat

ion

cond

ition

s w

ere

esse

ntia

lly n

omin

al a

nd w

ithin

the

spec

ified

tole

ranc

e.•

The

X-4

3A s

ucce

ssfu

lly s

epar

ated

from

the

laun

ch v

ehic

le a

nd a

chie

ved

stab

le fr

ee fl

ight

thro

ugho

ut th

e en

gine

test

.

X-4

3A P

ow

ered

Flig

ht

(Scr

amje

t E

ng

ine

Exp

erim

ent)

:•

The

scr

amje

t exp

erim

ent/f

uel o

n be

gan

appr

oxim

atel

y 5

seco

nds

afte

r se

para

tion

•T

he m

axim

um p

ower

ed M

ach

num

ber

was

9.6

•D

urin

g po

wer

ed fl

ight

, the

X-4

3A fl

ight

con

trol

s m

aint

aine

d th

e de

sire

d ve

hicl

e an

gle-

of-

atta

ck o

f 1 d

egre

e w

ithin

an

acce

ptab

le to

lera

nce.

•T

he s

cram

jet w

as fu

eled

for

appr

oxim

atel

y 10

sec

onds

, pro

vidi

ng p

redi

cted

thru

st.

•D

urin

g th

is ti

me

the

vehi

cle

achi

eved

cru

ise

cond

ition

.•

The

dat

a co

llect

ed d

urin

g th

e en

gine

test

is b

y fa

r th

e la

rges

t am

ount

of d

ata

acqu

ired

for

aM

ach

10 s

cram

jet.

The

qua

ntity

, qua

lity,

and

type

of t

he d

ata

acqu

ired

is w

ell b

eyon

d w

hat

has

been

acq

uire

d in

win

d tu

nnel

s.

X-4

3A D

esce

nt:

•F

ollo

win

g th

e sc

ram

jet e

xper

imen

t, th

e ve

hicl

e re

mai

ned

cont

rolle

d du

ring

the

desc

ent a

ndsu

cces

sful

ly c

ompl

eted

a s

erie

s of

des

cent

man

euve

rs.

Ove

rall

Mis

sio

n C

om

men

ts:

•A

ll sy

stem

s on

bot

h th

e la

unch

veh

icle

and

X-4

3A p

erfo

rmed

wel

l and

ext

ensi

ve r

esea

rch

qual

ity d

ata

was

acq

uire

d th

roug

hout

the

boos

t and

des

cent

.

•B

est

Po

ssib

le O

utc

om

e: S

cram

jets

Wo

rk &

Flig

ht

Tes

tin

g Is

Nec

essa

ry–

In g

ener

al r

esul

ts w

ere

as e

xpec

ted

for

scra

mje

t tes

tco

nditi

ons

achi

eved

how

ever

, the

re a

re s

ome

“inte

rest

ing

thin

gs”

in th

e da

ta fo

r bo

th fl

ight

s.•

Pri

mar

y O

bje

ctiv

e M

et–

Veh

icle

and

eng

ine

data

sub

stan

tiate

s hy

pers

onic

vehi

cle

and

engi

ne d

esig

n to

ols

and

fligh

t sca

ling

met

hodo

logi

es.

–T

he q

uant

ity, q

ualit

y, a

nd ty

pe o

f the

dat

a ac

quire

ddu

ring

the

Mac

h 10

eng

ine

test

is w

ell b

eyon

d w

hat

has

been

acq

uire

d in

win

d tu

nnel

s.•

Su

cces

sfu

l Sep

arat

ion

–C

onfir

med

that

non

-sym

met

rical

hig

h-dy

nam

icpr

essu

re s

tage

sep

arat

ion

is fe

asib

le, l

eadi

ng th

e w

ayto

futu

re s

afe

stag

ed la

unch

sys

tem

s.

Con

clud

ing

Rem

arks

•W

hy

wer

e w

e su

cces

sfu

l?–

Rig

orou

s pr

oces

ses

for

desi

gn, d

evel

opm

ent,

test

ing,

and

valid

atio

n–

Str

ong

tech

nica

l exp

ertis

e an

d te

am w

ork

betw

een

NA

SA

, AT

KG

AS

L, B

oein

g &

Orb

ital S

cien

ces

Cor

pora

tion