Rocket launchpads are so old-fashioned. In the future, if you want to send a payload into space, you might just take it to the nearest airport. Kelly Space & Technology Inc. of San Bernardino, California, aims to offer low-cost satellite delivery with the help of conventional airplanes. If everything works according to plan, cheaper satellite delivery will also translate into less expensive voice and Internet services.
KST recently signed a US$89 million contract with Motorola to deliver 20 satellites to replenish Iridium, the planned 66-satellite global cellular phone network, on an as-needed basis after 1999. KST's spaceship, the Eclipse Astroliner, is a reusable launch vehicle that will be towed behind a Boeing 747 from a standard airport runway. At 40,000 feet, Eclipse's rocket engine ignites and the towline is released. The ship climbs to an altitude of 80 miles, where the vehicle's nose opens to release satellites that use boosters to kick them into low earth orbit. Mission accomplished, the Eclipse returns to a runway on terra firma, ready to go again.
Founded in 1993 by former TRW employees, KST is testing launch vehicle prototypes. By eliminating the need for dedicated spaceports, KST chief operating officer Mike Gallo predicts Eclipse will deliver satellites "for one-half the cost" of conventional rockets, or about $9 million per launch. Besides Iridium, KST would also like to take a crack at delivering satellites for Teledesic's planned 840-satellite constellation designed for wireless Internet service.
According to Gallo, the Eclipse "could change the way satellites are designed," because they would no longer have to withstand the severe vibrations created by ground-launched spacecraft.Ted Kehl, launch manager at Motorola, says, "Iridium is a $3.5 billion, privately funded effort. We have well over a billion dollars going to launch providers. If we can obtain launch services at a much lower cost, that translates into reduced communications costs. We have an interest in seeing ideas like Eclipse succeed."
SCANS
From Airport to Orbit
