Ramstar Orbital Spaceplane (HTHL)
One of the first vehicle projects to fully utilize the Artificial Neural Membrane or ANM Technology is the Ramstar Orbital Spaceplane. The new technology supports health-monitoring of the Ramstar and its environment through the entire flight envelope. The Ramstar flying test bed is in its final stage of development and will be used to evaluate proprietary systems developed by Aerospace Research Systems, Inc.
The Ramstar Orbital Spaceplane is the first privately funded orbital launch system engineered to provide the greatest level of sustainability with the most cost effective operational systems.
Engineering development of the Ramstar has been advanced successfully through component and subsystem ground and flight testing. The real-time testing and simulation studies are unique to ARSI smart systems products that support continuous intelligent vehicle monitoring. The “smart systems” integration of materials and instrumentation coupled with innovative neural expert software offers advantages in vehicle engineering from the vehicle’s inception through flight testing and its entire operational life. “The exploitation of multifunctional smart structures in the integration of complex systems has proven to be efficient and reliable. The modular, open architecture approach to design creates a vehicle as an evolutionary work. The potential for changing the fundamental paradigm in vehicle engineering creates substantial opportunities for the development of intelligent systems and integrating technologies as a longitudinal process. Future spacecraft will no longer be obsolete by the time they enter service. Modular systems can be maintained, up-graded and re-manufactured to meet new mission requirements, improve payload integration, operations and safety.” Excerpt from chapter on “Emerging Technologies,” Space Systems and Infrastructures . Dr. P. A. Menges, (Under contract by Springer).
Current specifications based on design analysis and subsystems testing:
Length: 18.9 m [62 ft.] (Internal max. volume Mark 8)
Wingspan: 6.28 m/8 m (Model Mark 8/Model Mark 8.2)
Height: 7.0 m
Total payload: 36,000 kg/50,000kg (manned/unmanned)
Propulsion (two-stage): Reusable booster, 3 models in development; 2 turbojet engines;
Orbital maneuvering system rear pods with 4 thrusters each, 4 front thrusters and 2 vectoring thrusters
Power: Two APUs, solar panels and one fuel cell
Maximum orbit: 1287 kl/800 mi.
Launch: Horizontal-take-off-and-horizontal-landing (HTHL) |
