Standard Electric Interface for Payload and Launch Vehicle Enabling Secondary Rideshare

Access to space for Small Satellites is enabled by the use of excess launch capacity. An integration process that minimizes risk to the primary, allows parallel integration and predictable cost/schedule for the secondary enables use of that capacity. Design_Net has developed and flown a Falcon 1 RideShare Adapter (RSA) and is developing a RSA for the Minotaur IV, EELVs and Falcon 9. An RSA is more than structure, it must have electronics to provide a single simple interface to the launch vehicle (constant from mission to mission), yet provide a standard set of services to Payloads. DNet has leveraged work on the Falcon RSA, work on advanced AFRL Plug and Play avionics and commercial investments to develop a modular Secondary Payload Support Unit (SPSU). SPSU provides deployment, power distribution, and telemetry services for secondaries. We propose building on that work by adding video capability to verify and evaluate payload deployment. During Phase 1 we develop the video to PDR level (Begin TRL 3; End TRL 4) and during Phase 2 carry development of that module coupled with the rest of the SPSU (currently at TRL 6) to TRL 8 and have a system ready for flight in 2012 timeframe.

Design_Net Engineering is working with a customer base of over 50 commercial and university class payloads, and rideshare launch opportunities. With the right hardware, the right integration flow, and for the appropriate price point, a business can indeed be developed around this principle. We are bringing primary customers and LV providers into the process early, and developing fixed and affordable cost points, with regular flight opportunities, our SPSU was developed based on customer needs. A number of Launch Vehicles and payload customers have already expressed interest in the SPSU with video. These include ULA, SpaceX, ORS, NRO, and NASA Ames.

NASA centers have different needs for rideshare launch. These include P-POD class missions for education and technology; biological missions and even potential Lunar missions. SPSU allows NASA better use of the Launch Vehicle inventory and efficient use of lift mass. Video capability is critical in risk management of deployments and builds confidence in the secondary rideshare solution. Use of SPSU with video monitoring provides NASA a near term solution, already accepted by the launch vehicle community, which provides robust and standard services for the secondaries.