CONOPS Diagram - A summary of the flight events for the launch of the space plane.
JINA - A 360-degree view of the CAD model proposed space plane design. The basic design was heavily inspired by Virgin Galatic's SpaceShipTwo; however there were some changes to the wing design due to the failure of SpaceShipTwo's 'feathered' wing design.
Some basic specifications for the space plane:
- Main body material: Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP)
- Minor body material: Al 6061, Al 2024, or Ti 6-4
- Thermal plating: Toughened Uni-piece Fibrous Reinforced Oxidation Resistant Composite (TUFROC)
- Window material: Fused silica for the outer layer and alumino-silicate for the inner layer
- Main rocket engine: Two Orion 50XL rocket engines using QDL-1 HTPB solid fuel
- Roll thrusters: One Rocketdyne LR101 bipropellant rocket motor per wing using LOX-Kerosene fuel
All decals and logos on the plane were custom made.
The model was created with SolidWorks.
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Conceptual Vehicle Design for Commercial Space Tourism
In 1996, the Ansari X Prize was created to spark interest in the development of a commercial market for space tourism. The award was given to SpaceShipOne and its mothership White Knight in 2004. Despite this, a viable space tourism business has not been established.
In collaboration with three other students, the team conceptualized and analyzed a design to address this issue. The proposed design must be: made from proven and available technologies, single-purpose, and reusable.
The proposed design is a mag-lev launched, rocket-powered space plane that could carry four passengers and two pilots into sub-orbital flight of 100 km.
