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Cygnus Space Transport System
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Created in 2013 as part of Polaris Aerospace's Advanced Crew Vehicle Program (ACVP) The Cygni Space Transport System (STS) is a next generation partially reusable launch system. The Cygni STS consists of 3 primary systems, the Cygni ACV, The Albireo Advanced Service Module, and the Deneb Launch Vehicle.
Cygni A.C.V
The Cygni A.C.V is a reusable lifting body capable of carrying a crew of 6 to Low Earth Orbit or a crew of 4 to Lunar Orbit when paired with the Albireo ASM. The Cygni A.C.V. is
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Crew Module:
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The Crew of the Cygni A.C.V. are seated within an Aluminum Pressure Vessel measuring roughly 2 meters around by just over 3 meters long. The pressure Vessel has an interior volume of roughly 13.5 cubic meters. The Crew are seated on either side of a central aisle in either 2 or 3 rows depending on the mission. The first row of seats are provided with a full set of flight controls with instrumentation displayed over 5 shared multifunction touch screen displays. The pressure vessel is entered via the top Entry/Egress Hatch while the vehicle is on the Launch Pad. In flight and at the end of the mission entry/exit is done via the aft hatch. The aft hatch is fitted with a Universal Docking ring and can dock with the Albireo Advanced Service Module or directly to a Space station.
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Airframe:
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The airframe is made up primarily of a Aluminum, however large portions of the aturcutre are made of Carbon composites for reduced mass.
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Thermal Protection:
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The Cygni ACV's heat shield is designed in as few sections both for safety and to minimize maintenance. The Heat-shield is separated into 5 sections. The main section is the primary heat-shield. The primary heat-shield protects the bulk of the underside of the capsule save for a few breaks needed for landing systems. The main heat-shield is designed to be easily removed and replaced between missions. The main break in the primary heat-shield is for the landing skid. The landing skid bay is covered by a separate eject-able panel. The next two portions are the control surfaces at the aft end of the vessel. Each control surface has its own panel. In addition to these panels. The nose cone is also a separate piece.
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Lifting body:
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In contrast to most other space capsules, the Cygni ACV is neither a true space plane nor a conventional blunt body capsule, instead the ACV is a pure lifting body with no wings or conventional control surfaces. Lift is provided solely via the capsule's shape. Instead of conventional control surfaces, the Cygni ACV utilizes two control flaps located on the lower aft portion of the heat shield. These two control flaps allow the capsule to roll and then pitch to control the path of it's descent.
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Landing System
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The lifting body shape of the ACV does not itself provide enough lift for the capsule to make a controlled landing at a safe speed. Due to this the capsule is fitted with a Rogallo wing. The Rogallo wing is an inflatable Delta wing which is deployed once the aircraft has passed peak reentry temperatures and is flying at subsonic speeds in the lower atmosphere. The Rogallo wing is anchored to the craft just in front of the upper hatch and two aft anchors for stability. Two tearaway strips connect the aft anchors to the main anchor to allow for the wing's support wires to deploy. After deployment the Rogallo wing allows the capsule to be flown to a controlled conventional landing. To save weight the capsule is not fitted with wheeled landing gear. In the place of landing gear a retractable skid is fitted. Prior to touchdown a panel in the heat-shield is jettisoned and the skid is lowered. For maximum crew safety this panel can jettisoned both via a combination of explosive bolts and springs or via gravity. The skid likewise has two deployment methods, a primary hydraulic system (which doubles as a shock absorber) and a backup system using explosive bolts and springs. After skid deployment the capsule can touch down on a suitable runway. In the event the Rogallo wing fails to properly deploy, an emergency backup parachute is also fitted, however this chute does not allow the capsule to be accurately guided and would result in a hard touch down possibly necessitating retirement of the capsule.
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Propulsion:
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The Cygni A.C.V is propelled by 4 x ACVRE-6 Hybrid Rocket Engines. The ACVRE-6 Engines utilize an Aluminum-Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene mixture propellant with High Test Hydrogen Peroxide as Oxidizer. The addition of Aluminum to the HTPB mixture, and the use of HTP as oxidizer provides for a much higher specific impulse than a more traditional N20-HTPB combination. The HTP for the engines is stored in a central tank just forward of the crew compartment and the ALumnium-HTBP mixture is contained within the engines. The ACVRE-6 engines can easily be shutdown and restarted in flight to allow for multiple maneuvers. In addition the pilot of the capsule has full throttle control over the engines. The ACVRE-6 Engines can be used for both Orbital Insertion and De-Orbit maneuvers or in an emergency act as the driving force for the Launch Escape System, propelling the capsule clear of the launch vehicle. The ACVRE-6 Engines are fully reusable and can easily be refurbished after each launch. Each ACVRE-6 is designed to be used on up to 10 missions. Secondary propulsion for docking and attitude control is provided by 12 Hydrogen-peroxide mono-propellant thrusters drawing from the same tank as the main propulsion system. The use of HTP for the attitude control system allows for increased crew safety and the ability to handle the craft immediately after touchdown without having to perform the lengthy decontamination procedures associated with other mono-propellants.
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Power:
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Electrical power for the capsule is provided by two hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells with a Lithium-Ion battery pack as an emergency backup.
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Computer Systems:
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The Cygni A.C.V. flight control system is a triple-redundant computer with an emergency backup. Three Independent computers perform each calculation and the results are compared, if the results of any computer fails to match the other two, the result is discarded. Continued failures will result in that computer being automatically locked out of the flight control system. The Emergency back system activates if all thee primary computers fail. The emergency back up provides for limited flight controls and reduced efficiency but is capable of providing the crew with enough control to safely return the spacecraft from orbit. To protect against critical bugs, the emergency backup system utilizes separate software from the primary system.
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Stats:
Width: 2.6 Meters
Length: 8.6 Meters
Height: 3.47 Meters (3.7 w/ Skid)
Interior Space: ~13.5 Meters^3
Mass: What a very rude question to ask of a lady! Shame on you. Probably around 3 - 4000kg.
Propulsion: 4 x ACVRE-6 Hybrid Rocket Engines 12 x Mono-propellant Thrusters
Crew: 4 - 6 Depending on Mission and Configuration
Endurance: Life support rated for 24 - Person-Days w/o Service Module. Up to 120 Person Days w/ Service Module
The Cygni A.C.V is a reusable lifting body capable of carrying a crew of 6 to Low Earth Orbit or a crew of 4 to Lunar Orbit when paired with the Albireo ASM. The Cygni A.C.V. is
[/hr]
Crew Module:
[/hr]
The Crew of the Cygni A.C.V. are seated within an Aluminum Pressure Vessel measuring roughly 2 meters around by just over 3 meters long. The pressure Vessel has an interior volume of roughly 13.5 cubic meters. The Crew are seated on either side of a central aisle in either 2 or 3 rows depending on the mission. The first row of seats are provided with a full set of flight controls with instrumentation displayed over 5 shared multifunction touch screen displays. The pressure vessel is entered via the top Entry/Egress Hatch while the vehicle is on the Launch Pad. In flight and at the end of the mission entry/exit is done via the aft hatch. The aft hatch is fitted with a Universal Docking ring and can dock with the Albireo Advanced Service Module or directly to a Space station.
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Airframe:
[/hr]
The airframe is made up primarily of a Aluminum, however large portions of the aturcutre are made of Carbon composites for reduced mass.
[/hr]
Thermal Protection:
[/hr]
The Cygni ACV's heat shield is designed in as few sections both for safety and to minimize maintenance. The Heat-shield is separated into 5 sections. The main section is the primary heat-shield. The primary heat-shield protects the bulk of the underside of the capsule save for a few breaks needed for landing systems. The main heat-shield is designed to be easily removed and replaced between missions. The main break in the primary heat-shield is for the landing skid. The landing skid bay is covered by a separate eject-able panel. The next two portions are the control surfaces at the aft end of the vessel. Each control surface has its own panel. In addition to these panels. The nose cone is also a separate piece.
[/hr]
Lifting body:
[/hr]
In contrast to most other space capsules, the Cygni ACV is neither a true space plane nor a conventional blunt body capsule, instead the ACV is a pure lifting body with no wings or conventional control surfaces. Lift is provided solely via the capsule's shape. Instead of conventional control surfaces, the Cygni ACV utilizes two control flaps located on the lower aft portion of the heat shield. These two control flaps allow the capsule to roll and then pitch to control the path of it's descent.
[/hr]
Landing System
[/hr]
The lifting body shape of the ACV does not itself provide enough lift for the capsule to make a controlled landing at a safe speed. Due to this the capsule is fitted with a Rogallo wing. The Rogallo wing is an inflatable Delta wing which is deployed once the aircraft has passed peak reentry temperatures and is flying at subsonic speeds in the lower atmosphere. The Rogallo wing is anchored to the craft just in front of the upper hatch and two aft anchors for stability. Two tearaway strips connect the aft anchors to the main anchor to allow for the wing's support wires to deploy. After deployment the Rogallo wing allows the capsule to be flown to a controlled conventional landing. To save weight the capsule is not fitted with wheeled landing gear. In the place of landing gear a retractable skid is fitted. Prior to touchdown a panel in the heat-shield is jettisoned and the skid is lowered. For maximum crew safety this panel can jettisoned both via a combination of explosive bolts and springs or via gravity. The skid likewise has two deployment methods, a primary hydraulic system (which doubles as a shock absorber) and a backup system using explosive bolts and springs. After skid deployment the capsule can touch down on a suitable runway. In the event the Rogallo wing fails to properly deploy, an emergency backup parachute is also fitted, however this chute does not allow the capsule to be accurately guided and would result in a hard touch down possibly necessitating retirement of the capsule.
[/hr]
Propulsion:
[/hr]
The Cygni A.C.V is propelled by 4 x ACVRE-6 Hybrid Rocket Engines. The ACVRE-6 Engines utilize an Aluminum-Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene mixture propellant with High Test Hydrogen Peroxide as Oxidizer. The addition of Aluminum to the HTPB mixture, and the use of HTP as oxidizer provides for a much higher specific impulse than a more traditional N20-HTPB combination. The HTP for the engines is stored in a central tank just forward of the crew compartment and the ALumnium-HTBP mixture is contained within the engines. The ACVRE-6 engines can easily be shutdown and restarted in flight to allow for multiple maneuvers. In addition the pilot of the capsule has full throttle control over the engines. The ACVRE-6 Engines can be used for both Orbital Insertion and De-Orbit maneuvers or in an emergency act as the driving force for the Launch Escape System, propelling the capsule clear of the launch vehicle. The ACVRE-6 Engines are fully reusable and can easily be refurbished after each launch. Each ACVRE-6 is designed to be used on up to 10 missions. Secondary propulsion for docking and attitude control is provided by 12 Hydrogen-peroxide mono-propellant thrusters drawing from the same tank as the main propulsion system. The use of HTP for the attitude control system allows for increased crew safety and the ability to handle the craft immediately after touchdown without having to perform the lengthy decontamination procedures associated with other mono-propellants.
[/hr]
Power:
[/hr]
Electrical power for the capsule is provided by two hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells with a Lithium-Ion battery pack as an emergency backup.
[/hr]
Computer Systems:
[/hr]
The Cygni A.C.V. flight control system is a triple-redundant computer with an emergency backup. Three Independent computers perform each calculation and the results are compared, if the results of any computer fails to match the other two, the result is discarded. Continued failures will result in that computer being automatically locked out of the flight control system. The Emergency back system activates if all thee primary computers fail. The emergency back up provides for limited flight controls and reduced efficiency but is capable of providing the crew with enough control to safely return the spacecraft from orbit. To protect against critical bugs, the emergency backup system utilizes separate software from the primary system.
[/hr]
Stats:
Width: 2.6 Meters
Length: 8.6 Meters
Height: 3.47 Meters (3.7 w/ Skid)
Interior Space: ~13.5 Meters^3
Mass: What a very rude question to ask of a lady! Shame on you. Probably around 3 - 4000kg.
Propulsion: 4 x ACVRE-6 Hybrid Rocket Engines 12 x Mono-propellant Thrusters
Crew: 4 - 6 Depending on Mission and Configuration
Endurance: Life support rated for 24 - Person-Days w/o Service Module. Up to 120 Person Days w/ Service Module
misc pictures:
[spoiler]Staging with Launch System:
Service Module views:
