Standard Spacecraft Economic Analysis

Vol. 2, Final Report of Findings and Conclusions

Elwyn Harris, Joseph P. Large

ResearchPublished 1976

Compares program costs for various standardized spacecraft for Air Force Space Test Program missions to be flown on the space shuttle during 1980-1990. During the first phase of the study, an evaluation was made of a variety of procurement mixes composed of two NASA spacecraft designs (the AEM and MMS) and a new Air Force standard spacecraft (the STPSS). During the second phase, additional procurement options were examined using an upgraded version of the NASA-designed AEM (designated as the L-AEM). Sensitivity testing showed that: (1) Program cost does not provide a basis for selection among the first three designs. (2) The use of the L-AEM minimizes the Air Force Space Test Program cost; it can be used with the AEM and/or MMS. (3) Increasing maximum payloads per launch from six to 13 would lower program costs by 30 percent. (4) Launch costs, allocated by several formulas, did not affect the procurement option choice.

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Document Details

  • Copyright: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Web Only
  • Year: 1976
  • Pages: 124
  • Document Number: R-2099/2-NASA

Citation

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Harris, Elwyn and Joseph P. Large, Standard Spacecraft Economic Analysis: Vol. 2, Final Report of Findings and Conclusions. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1976. https://www.rand.org/pubs/reports/R2099z2.html.
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