Location
Howard Johnson Plaza-Hotel, Atlantis/ Discovery Rooms
Start Date
23-4-1996 2:00 PM
End Date
23-4-1996 5:00 PM
Description
The Shuttle Program has experienced numerous launch delays over the 15-year history of launch operations. This paper presents a comprehensive tabulation of those delays along with descriptive data covering launch attempts, system/subsystem involved and a brief discussion of the cause of the each delay. This historical data has been audited against NASA/JSC flight history and current records at KSC. Both number of occurrences and magnitude of each launch delay are summarized in a database format allowing analysis, sorting by system o r Orbiter vehicle and chronological assessment. Trends in launch delays since return to flight and comparisons with expendable launch vehicle data are presented. A special sort is described summarizing the propulsion system delays over the history of the program. This particular analysis has application to the new X-33 / Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Program due to the universal selection of L02/LH2 engines for all RLV designs. Significant lessons learned from these launch delay data are presented for comparison with the optimistic turnaround projections for X-33 and RLV.
Paper Session I-A - Space Shuttle Launch Delays and Lessons Learned for RLV/X-33
Howard Johnson Plaza-Hotel, Atlantis/ Discovery Rooms
The Shuttle Program has experienced numerous launch delays over the 15-year history of launch operations. This paper presents a comprehensive tabulation of those delays along with descriptive data covering launch attempts, system/subsystem involved and a brief discussion of the cause of the each delay. This historical data has been audited against NASA/JSC flight history and current records at KSC. Both number of occurrences and magnitude of each launch delay are summarized in a database format allowing analysis, sorting by system o r Orbiter vehicle and chronological assessment. Trends in launch delays since return to flight and comparisons with expendable launch vehicle data are presented. A special sort is described summarizing the propulsion system delays over the history of the program. This particular analysis has application to the new X-33 / Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Program due to the universal selection of L02/LH2 engines for all RLV designs. Significant lessons learned from these launch delay data are presented for comparison with the optimistic turnaround projections for X-33 and RLV.
Comments
Current and Future Launch Vehicles and Facilities
Session Chairman: Jerry Cobb, Director, Business Development, Lockheed Launch Vehicle
Session Organizer: Tony Fresina