The proposed low cost, high efficiency, pressurization system will facilitate NASA vehicle launch operations and increase turnaround times by reducing the complexity of the ground-based processing system used to prepare the vehicle-based pressurization system for launch. The interoperability and ease-of-use of the system are such that all launch systems, including pump and pressure fed liquid engine systems will benefit. The proposed system will significantly reduce dependence on increasingly scarce helium, by up to 50% over current systems, thereby reducing mission risk as reliance on helium availability is reduced. In the same way that the proposed pressurization system will facilitate NASA vehicle launch operations and increase turnaround times, the proposed system will be applicable to non-NASA launch vehicle operators including the DOD and commercial providers, supporting multiple concurrent operations and de-coupling launch processing from other range users. Application of the concept to Non-NASA launch operations will decrease to an even greater extent dependence on helium.
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