A Case Study in NASA-DoD - The Black Vault

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Table 8
SPACECRAFT NONRECURRING COSTS
(In millions of 1976 dollars)
Estimates Based
on SAMSO Model
Estimates Based
on Boeing Study
Spacecraft STPSS L-AEM L-AEM
Spin 15.9 ....
Low-cost (baseline) 20.7 18.0 8.6
Precision 23.4 19.6 9.1
Spin + low-cost 25.3 ....
Spin + precision 28.1 23.0 11.3
Low-cost + precision 26.1 25.3 11.9
Spin + low-cost + precision 30.9 28.7 14.5
Launch Costs
The other major category of cost in the 10-year program considered
is the cost to launch spacecraft and place them in orbit at the specified
altitude and inclination. The basic launch vehicle is the space
shuttle, but at present neither the cost nor the guidelines for allocating
cost among users has been determined. Estimates of cost range
from $15 million to $30 million, of which the users may pay all or
nothing. The intent of the study was not to estimate launch costs but
to examine whether those costs could influence the choice of spacecraft.
Consequently, launch costs were assigned to each payload based on a
range of assumptions: Space shuttle launch cost was $15.4 million or
$30 million. Costs are allocated on a basis of weight or according
to either of two NASA-proposed tariff schedules, or are not allocated
at all, i.e., only a service charge is incurred.
In the initial phase of this study a NASA formula was suggested
as a basis for prorating launch cost; it considered weight, length,
inclination, and altitude as independent variables, i.e.:
SRU =
.00215 length + .0238 length 2 + .000203 weight
- .00000000169 weight - 000122 inclination
22
+ .00442 inclination + .00109 altitude + .000232 altitude 2