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Build an International Space Transport
by Mike Majeski
Russia has made it clear numerous times that it cannot run the station alone. Without the Space Shuttle, Russia has taken over all crew operations to and from the station. Though this is intended to be temporary, with the presidents new vision for space exploration, Russia could very well be left to handle crew operations to the ISS alone. Japan is working on possible designs to use for crew transport, and ESA has the unmanned ATV, which could me modified in the future to carry crews. Russia is also looking to retire the Soyuz for a new design called Klipper. Meanwhile NASA is working on the Crew Exploration Vehicle to return to the Moon and to travel to Mars.
Even though all of these agencies are building the ISS together, they all of have their own projects to develop a new spacecraft. Instead of each country spending millions of dollars, they should come together and develop one spacecraft together. They can build an International Space Transport Fleet, that each of the countries could use to transport crews to and from the ISS and for Moon and Mars exploration programs. Project Constellation is already becoming an international effort to begin the new era of space exploration. The countries involved in this new exploration, most likely the same countries involved in the ISS, should have the same spacecraft design.
What would this spacecraft look like? It is tough to say since NASA currently has the winged Space Shuttle, but is working on a capsule, Russia has the capsule Soyuz, but is working on a biconic, and ESA has the ATV, which is also a capsule. If all three agencies remain interested in a capsule design, a design that reflects Project Apollo should be the result. The Apollo CSM took us to the Moon during Project Apollo; it can take us there again during Project Constellation. This seems to be the belief of Boeing, who has revealed a capsule that is a modernized Apollo CSM. Another possible result of a capsule design might be the ESA ATV. Lockheed Martin is currently working on a CEV concept that closely resembles the ATV.
If a winged design is chosen, the agencies should look into previous designs for the space shuttle. There were many great ideas brought forward during the design phase of the space shuttle, but due to lack of funds, these designs never left the drawing board. One particular design that should be looked at again is the North American Rockwell Phase B High Cross Range Orbiter (see above), model number NAR-134-B, that North American Rockwell proposed for their Phase B STS mid term report in November 1970. This design was a Delta-winged spacecraft that was 192.3 feet long, 49.3 feet high; it had a wingspan of 126.6 feet, and a dry mass of 98,850 kilograms. It could have lifted a payload of 9,072 kilograms. Though its payload capabilities are less than the Space Shuttle, the International Space Shuttle would be for crew transport, rather than a heavy payload launcher. For crew transport to the ISS, the usual external tank and SRBs can be used. For a Moon and Mars mission, the International Space Shuttle could be launched using one of the shuttle-derived launch vehicles NASA is studying for its exploration program. Another possibility is a biconic design, which Russia and Lockheed Martin are studying. Back when NASAs focus was on the Orbital Space Plane, Lockheed Martin revealed a design that was nothing like the others, a biconic. Lockheed Martins biconic is now a possible design for the Crew Exploration Vehicle. Russia is now developing its own biconic, Klipper. Russia hopes to replace its Soyuz fleet with the new Klipper biconic. NASA, Lockheed Martin, and Russia should combine forces and develop one design.
While the final design of the International Space Transport is unknown, what is known is that if going to the Moon and to Mars is an international effort, the spacecraft that takes the astronauts there also must be too.
Author's note: Even though this article is about an "International Space Transport", the idea of an internationally built spacecraft could very well be used in the design of the Crew Exploration Vehicle.