NASA, private firm may team up on Liberty rocket
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA and shuttle booster-maker Alliant Techsystems are expected to sign an agreement Tuesday to work on a new commercial rocket capable of launching astronauts to the International Space Station.
NASA will work alongside ATK and a European company developing the Liberty rocket, potentially speeding the post-shuttle era availability of commercial crew transportation systems.
With the shuttle fleet retired, NASA is investing in the development of commercial crew taxis that could ferry astronauts to and from the station. Four companies earlier this year split almost $300 million in seed money for the development of crew capsules and spaceplanes.
No money is expected to be awarded to ATK as part of its new partnership with NASA.
However, NASA likely will share its extensive expertise in human spaceflight with ATK and provide engineering consultation during the course of Liberty development.
The 33-story Liberty rocket would:
• Blast off from Kennedy Space Center atop a Mobile Launcher built for the canceled Project Constellation moon program.
• Minimize reliance on a Russian rocket that failed Aug. 24, grounding the only spacecraft capable of flying astronauts to the station.
• Speed development of a NASA heavy-lift rocket for human expeditions beyond Earth orbit. NASA intends to use Liberty's first stage on the super-sized rocket.NASA and ATK will hold a news briefing at KSC Tuesday. The European company providing Liberty's second-stage engine also will take part.
ATK spokesman George Torres deferred comment until after the briefing.
NASA signed a similar unfunded Space Act Agreement with United Launch Alliance in July. That agreement aims to certify the company's Atlas V rockets for launching astronauts aboard commercial space taxis.
ATK and the European company Astrium unveiled plans to develop the Liberty rocket in February.
A five-segment ATK solid rocket booster will power its first stage. It's an upgraded version of the four-segment ATK shuttle booster.
ATK staged a third successful test-firing of the five-segment booster last week.
Liberty's second stage would be powered by an air-lit version of a flight-proven European Ariane 5 engine.
Both propulsion systems were designed for human space flight.
The five-segment ATK booster was developed for shuttle and the Ares I moon program rocket. The Ariane 5 was designed to launch piloted European Hermes spaceplanes, but none ever were built.
ATK officials have said Liberty is being designed to be 10 times safer than shuttles.
Any commercial spacecraft now under development could fly on Liberty for about $180 million per flight, they added.
A NASA Inspector General report issued in February estimated the average cost of an Atlas V launch at $206 million.
Three commercial space taxis now under development already have signaled intentions to fly on Atlas V rockets:
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