Difference between revisions of "Aerospace Logistics"

Revision as of 01:13, 29 October 2006

Aerospace Logistics Corporation, generally known as either just Aerospace Logistics or ALC, is an international corporation, with headquarters and major development centers based in Vault 10, which works both constructs aircraft and spacecraft, and operates a civilian and military air fleets, providing transportation of passengers, cargoes and military payloads.

The Company

Aerospace Logistics is considered the largest corporation in Vault 10, directly employing about 10% of the nation's population, which accounts for about 20% of total population being or supporting ALC employees and their families. The potential rival in size might be Symmetriad/VaultTec Consortium, which employs only 8% of the population directly, but together with massive supporting industries ranging from mining, and the extensive service team is expected to involve about 30% of Vault 10. This figure is disputed, however, as it includes all personnel servicing vaults and surface cities built by the companies, from train drivers to cooks, and intersects with other companies. It is also frequently pointed that it is still only a consortium, with companies being separated, and their subcontractors not tied to the head company as with ALC.

Aerospace Logistics employs individuals of all ages, some being as young as 6 years old - however, not doing any work, but rather studying in schools and training centers run by ALC to later fill in positions of fighter pilots, space workers, command center operators and some othere where early training is needed. There is also no high age limit, and employees who spent more than ten years with ALC are entitled to a limited retirement benefits, although strongly encouraged to continue doing some part-time home job or work as consultants for a good pay increase. However, while some younger surface-born citizens have impressions that Aerospace Logistics can be a life service, no one has yet served in ALC since childhood till retirement, as the company formed only some time after the Vault was left.

Products and services

Products of Aerospace Logistics encompass not only aerospace, but a lot of related and derived equipment. These include a significant part of Vault's shipbuilding, ranging from boats to aircraft carriers, consumer products like high-end cars, and a lot of analog and digital electronics, up to professional audio equipment.

The services are performed by separate, somewhat independent departments. The major service is logistics, which gave the company its name. Among production- and transporting-related departments, ALC includes a massive Science Department, highly involved in fundamental science as well as applied, Consulting and Economy Science departments, which in practice perform administration of other companies and are largely responsible for the thriving economy of Vault 10, and, finally, the Military Department. Services of the latter are provided to countries far outside Vault 10, and include not only full-scale air campaigns accompanied by naval and land support, but also nuclear deterrence renting, which, under a strict no-first-use policy and control, rents submarine-launched ballistic missiles to non-nuclear states together with the space on a submarine. Since Aerospace Logistics is technically an independent international corporation and has divisions in these countries, this does not violate any international agreements. More peaceful services include space exploration, both providing equipment and launches

The major space products of Aerospace Logistics are V-series rockets, ranging from V-4 to V-9. Of these, V-4 to V-6 are phased out, although some customers retain a number of V-5 and V-6. The most mass-produced is V-7 solid fuel rocket with payload of 32 tonnes to the Low Earth Orbit, or 25 tonnes to 500-km orbit. V-7 is highly optimized for mass productions, using pressing for most of the components, using alloyed steel and polymers instead of more expensive alloys wherever possible, and built on highly automated assembly lines, with amount produced exceeding 200 per month. With unit cost about 9 million caps, V-7 allows delivery of any payloads to the orbit at a much lower price than existing expensive liquid fuel rockets.

Current liquid fuel rocket of ALC is V-8, carrying a payload of 290 tonnes, is currently used for lifting large or heavy loads. With price about 350 million caps, V-8 can compete with other manufacturers, but breaking anything into smaller loads that can be carried by V-7 still can save over 60% of launch expenditures.

V-9 heavy orbital launcher rocket, first in the V line to use a partially reentering launcher, is a new product entering the testing stage.

V-9

Aerospace Logistics V-9 is a two-stage orbital launcher rocket, built for the Freedom Hall Space Exploration Project. The launch cost is expected to be as low as 230 million caps, with full rocket cost below 1,1 billions, both decreasing as the technology is perfected. Carrying 820 tonnes of payload, this rocket makes space exploration more feasible than ever before.

The construction of V-9 includes:

• Main engine, which the rocket is built around. The fuel is burnt inside a passively safe low-pollution nuclear reactor, which increases the temperature of the gases. Ignition is provided by compression and heat. The main engine reenters and can be used for at least 40 launches. The engine weights 150 tonnes, and its cost comprises 80% of the rocket's total cost in the optimal configuration, while maintenance and recycling costs are expected to be up to 1.5 times higher. Being passively safe, the reactor is easily stopped for reentering. The engine is a long-term investment, and its use only accounts for 20% of the launch cost, unless a failure occurs, which quadruples the expenses.

• The first stage applies air-hydrogen system. Inexpensive hydrogen is fed to the main engine together with air from single-use compressor turbine. The compressor is built of low alloyed steel and driven by solid-fuel jets located on the blade tips. The inside of thin double-layer airframe is filled with water, which cools it, and the steam is vented into the engine. Air-hydrogen system receives one third of the power from the nuclear heater, which is efficient with its heavy exhaust. Constructed of welded and pressed steel sheets, up to 95% of its dry mass of 400 tonnes can be fully used for a new one with little reprocessing. This system has loose tolerances and can be built on reequipped naval shipyards, comprising only 8% of the rocket's cost if 80% of the returning mass is reused, and doubling if it is lost.

• Separation system is a part of the first stage. In high mesosphere air-hydrogen-water system becomes ineffective and its useless 400 tonnes are discarded, while the second stage continues the flight. It is still capable of producing thrust, which is used to soften the landing, using autorotation. Stabilization is provided by the heavy rotating compressor. With the reactor in the center, it falls onto the ground. The percentage of the steel airframe burnt depends on amount of water used and the payload. Fully loaded, the standart payload of Stage I is 1400 tonnes or 1650 with hydrazine, and 95% of the airframe return. If less water is used, the payload may be increased by up to 100 tonnes, but part of the airframe is lost. This may be used for overweight loads, at expense of 30% launch cost increase.

• The second stage lifts the payload to a high orbit and accelerates it to speeds of up to 12 km/s. It may use either water or hydrazine as the propellant, with all heat in the first case and 80% in the second provided by the nuclear heater. If water is used, the frame is built of light alloys and the hull of steel, the second stage comprises 12% of the rocket's cost. Use of hydrazine may add 250 more tonnes to the payload by increasing available power, but cost of the stage increases by 90%, with total launch cost up by 45%. Building all the frame and hull of steel and using cheaper heatshields makes the stage 30% and the launch 15% cheaper, but the dry weight increases from 150 to 260 tonnes, substracting 110 from the payload.

• Engine reentry system, being a part of the second stage, decelerates with remaining fuel and lands the engine, burning the second stage for cooling. Its cost is included in the engine cost. The reentry system at the rocket's last launch may be potentially removed, engine staying with the payload. This may save recycling costs and allow use of V-9 as a long-range rocket, if the issues with nuclear non-proliferation were lifted, as even worn engine is a working nuclear reactor. However, V-9 is not a dedicated long-range rocket, having excessive thrust and fuel use, and is only marginally better for this purpose than conventional hydrazine rockets.

• An alternative to the second stage is the Orbital Aircraft, now-developed concept. If an air-only system is used for the first stage, the resulting payload must either be decreased to 400 tonnes or the maximum attitude decreased to lower mesosphere. In the latter case the first stage may be returned intact, serving for over 1000 launches and the engine will be able to serve for 500 launches, with total expenses per launch below 0.3% of the full rocket cost. The second stage, however, will gain less altitude, restricting the system to Low Earth Orbit. Current proposals include:
  • Two-stage fully reuseable launcher with a 850-tonne orbital glider with 750-tonne payload;
  • Single-stage system with oxygen-hydrogen powered 1000-tonne orbital powered aircraft with 700-tonne payload;
  • A system retaining the main engine and carrying only water for propulsion, carrying all 1400 tonnes upwards and 1000-tonne payload;
  • Modification of the first stage to launch the 600-tonne glider, carrying about 500 tonnes, without the second stage at all.
  • Besides the single-glider solutions, multiple gliders or suborbital aircrafts can be used, with as much as 7 gliders, each carrying 60 tonnes.

The V-9 rocket is planned to replace all existing heavy rockets and become the mainstay of Aerospace Logistics orbital launch system, as well as form the foundation for hypersonic suborbital military and civilian transport.