Orbital ATK unveils further details on Next Generation Launch System at 34th Space Symposium. Using the 34th annual Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado as its platform, Orbital ATK announced further details on its heavy-class rocket currently under development for Air Force contracts.
Officially unveiled Monday as Omega, the launch vehicle is comprised of technology that Orbital ATK has flight proven for decades. The first two stages of the three-stage vehicle, Castor 300 and 600 respectively, will comprise of a single-nozzle solid-fuel motor based off of the Castor 120 motor used on the company’s Antares medium-class launch vehicle. Orbital also announced at the symposium the selection of Aerojet Rocketdyne’s RL-10 engine as the third stage engine. Twin RL-10C engines will power the liquid-propellant upper stage and is capable of placing payloads in a variety of different orbits. Currently, the RL-10C is flying on the Centaur upper stage of the Atlas V and the Delta Cryogenic Second Stage of the Delta IV. Up to six GEM-63XL solid rocket motors can be attached to the first stage for additional thrust as mission requirements dictate. Orbital ATK currently uses GEM-60 motors on the Delta IV and Delta II vehicles, having flown over 1,000 times with 100% success.
Cutaway diagram of Orbital ATK’s newest launch vehicle, Omega. Credit: Orbital ATK.
Two variants of the rocket will be developed, the Omega 500 and Omega 500XL. Although Orbital did not specify exact launch specifics for each variant, they stated that Omega will be capable of launching up to 10,100 kilograms to Geostationary Transfer Orbit and 7,800 kilograms to Geostationary Equatorial Orbit. By comparison, the Atlas V can launch up to 8,900 kilograms to GTO, whereas SpaceX’s Falcon 9 can loft up to 8,300 kilograms. Orbital ATK spokesman Barron Beneski stated at the symposium that Omega is “on schedule to complete propulsion system ground tests in 2019 and to conduct its first launch in 2021. Omega will be certified for operational missions in 2022. Heavy configuration flights (Omega 500XL) would begin in 2024.”
Omega’s future will largely be determined by the outcome of the latest EELV contract which the Air Force will award in July 2018. Three vehicles will be chosen for continued development and ultimately missions. Orbital could still choose to develop Omega independently of the Air Force contract, as the company intends the vehicle to be a ‘book end’ of its launch service options. ULA’s Atlas V Delta IV, and Vulcan, SpaceX’s Falcon 9, and Blue Origin’s New Shepard are also under EELV contract consideration.
Orbital ATK’s launch vehicle family; from left to right, the small-class Pegasus, Minotaur 1, Minotaur V and Minotaur C, the medium-class Antares, and the heavy-class Omega 500 and Omega 500XL. Credit: Orbital ATK.
P/c: Orbital ATK.
