Presentation - Responsive Space

Responsive Air Launch 

using 

F-15 Global Strike Eagle 

Timothy T. Chen, Preston W. Ferguson, 

David A. Deamer, and John Hensley 

The Boeing Company, Huntington Beach, CA 

Paper No. AIAA-RS4-2006-2001 1 

4 th Responsive Space Conference, Los Angeles, CA, April 24 th ~ 26 th , 2006

Acknowledgement 

Study Team Members 

• Tom Mead (Lead) 

• Billy Burroughs 

• Greg Larson 

• Richard Hora 

• Curt Wiler 

• Todd Magee 

• Peter Hartwich 



Need for On-Demand, Responsive Space Launch 

• Global Strike, Responsive Spacelift and Space Control Missions 

– Tactically responsive space and munitions launch 

• Micro and Nano satellites to supplant or augment large satellites 

– Augmentation of existing constellations during conflicts (C4ISR) 

– Defensive or Offensive counter-space 

– Low cost space technology testbed 

Mini-satellite Micro-satellite Nano-satellite 

>450 kg 50 - 449 kg 0.5 - 49 kg 

Globalstar, Quickbird, 

Iridium, StarBus, PegaSta 

XSS-10/11, OPAL, TacSat-1, 

JWS-2, Microsat-70/100, 

Minisat-400, Ofeq-3, 

MightySat I 

DARPA Picosat, 

FalconSat, EyeSat, 

MegSat, SNAP, 

ST-5, Microstar 



F-15 Air Launch Solution – A Conceptual Evaluation 

• Spiral capability for near-term operationally significant missions 

– F-15 C/D to F-15E 

– Payload class range from < 100 lbm to 600+ lbm to LEO 

• Improved performance 

– Up to 5,000 fps delta-V reduction for launch vehicle vs. ground launch 

– “All azimuth” launch capability 

• CONUS and non-CONUS launch 

– Not limited to existing Range assets 

• Mission flexibility 

– Covert launches 

• Look just like another F-15 

– Forward base options (can be based anywhere there’s US AFB) 

– Rapid response time 

– Recall capability 

– Blue suit operation 



Additional Benefit of F-15 Air Launch 

• Low system development cost, risk and schedule 

– Existing assets, infrastructure, maintenance personnel and training 

– Minimum modification to adapt F-15E to F-15GSE 

• maintain ability to return to service 

• Low risk platform for developing DARPA FALCON-like technologies 

– Hypersonic test bed for DARPA technologies 

– Separation demonstrator for Hybrid Launch Vehicle (HLV) concepts 

• Supporting Affordable Responsive Spacelift (ARES) 



Previous F-15 Launch Concepts 

ASAT (Anti-Satellite) missile system consisted of a modified 

Short Range Attack Missile (SRAM) first stage plus an 

ALTAIR III second stage with a Miniature Homing Vehicle 

(MHV) warhead. It was launched from an F-15 aircraft 

to destroy low earth orbiting satellites. 

ASAT program 

USAF Systems Command Space Division (1976~1988) 

Aerospace Corporation 

Launch-on-Demand Booster Study, April, 1999 

AFRL, Kirtland AFB 

“Responsive Space Launch The F-15 Microsatellite 

Launch Vehicle” Study, April, 2003 

• Focused on under-pylon LV carry 

– Limited LV size and weight capability 

– Limits to < 100 kg payload to orbit 

From: “RESPONSIVE SPACE LAUNCH THE F-15 MICROSATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE” 

By Lt Julia Rothman, Lt Erika Siegenthaler, Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles 

1st Responsive Space Conference, April 1–3, 2003, Redondo Beach, CA 



F-15GSE Concept for Higher Payload Capability 



F-15 Global Strike Eagle Specifications 

Boeing F-15 Global Strike Eagle Specifications 

Wingspan: 42 feet 9.75 inches Maximum Speed: 1650 MPH at 36,000 feet 

Length: 63 feet 9 inches Separation Speed: 890 MPH at 47,800 feet 

Height: 18 feet 5.5 inches Service Ceiling: 60,000 feet 

Empty Weight 31,700 pounds Range: TBD miles 

Maximum Weight 81,000 pounds Crew: No flight crew (launch), One (ferry) 

Global Strike Mission GTOW 75,000 pounds 

Power plant 

Two 29,000 pound thrust F-100-PW-229 afterburning turbofan engines 

Boeing Global Strike Missile Specifications (OSC Minotaur 3 upper stages) 

Wingspan: 10 feet 0 inches Maximum Dynamic Pressure: 1400 PSF at 29,900 feet (pre-separation) 

Length: 45 feet 0 inches Orbital Payload Capability 600 pounds (100 nmi x 28.5° inclination) 

Gross Separation Weight 29,700 pounds Ballistic Payload Capability ~1200 pounds (28.5° inclination) 

Solid Rocket Motors SR-19 (Stage 2)/Orion 50XL (Stage 3)/Orion 38 (Stage 4) 



Existing Off-the-Shelf SRM for F-15 GSE Launch Vehicle 

Orion 38 - Pegasus XL Stage 3 

Payload 

Fairing 

Orion 50XL - Pegasus XL Stage 2 

SR-19 - Minuteman II Stage 2 

Interstage 

Aft-Cone Body 

Aero Surface Fins 

Orion Orion 38 38 

Orion 

Orion 

50 

50 

XL 

XL 

SR-19 SR-19 



High Fidelity CFD Analyses Suggest F-15GSE is Devoid of 

Aerodynamics Show Stoppers 

F-15E with Missile in Proximity 

F-15E with 

Missile in 

Proximity 

Pressure Field in Crossplane at X=50 ft 

Surface Pressures 

(Top View) 

F-15E Alone 

BCFD Euler, M ∞ 

=2.25, α=1.47°, altitude=36.8 kft, engine mass flow corr 

= 156.9 lbm/sec 

F-15E Alone 

Change in angle-of-attack by ~1 degree will compensate for lift decrement 



High-Fidelity Analyses Show Favorable Flow Interactions 

Between F-15E and Launch Vehicle for Separation Release 

Surface Pressures & 

Centerplane Pressure Field 

F-15E with Missile in Proximity 

F-15E Alone 

Channel flow between 

missile and F-15E is 

devoid of low 

pressures that could 

lead to suction of 

missile toward F-15E 

High pressure pockets 

along keel of missile 

promote separation 

Compared to F-15Ealone, 

flow 

interactions in channel 

between missile and 

airframe increase 

pressure in expansion 

pockets over crown 

line 

BCFD Euler, M ∞ 

=2.25, α=1.47°, altitude=36.8 kft, engine mass flow corr 

= 156.9 lbm/sec 



4 Primary Bulkheads Provide 8 Robust Attach Points for 

Payload Attach-Distribution-Reaction 

FS595 

FS626 

FS558 

FS509 

FS626 

FS509 

FS558 

FS595 



F-15/ Launch Vehicle Altitude Profile 

F-15/LV Altitude Profile 

F-15 (Stage1)Pitch-up Maneuver 

Time: 270 sec 

Altitude: 27,700 ft 

M: 1.7, Alpha: 2.4°, Gamma: 0° 

Q: 1400 psf 

F-15/LV Separation 

Time: 309 sec 


M: 1.35, Alpha: 0.0°, Gamma: 40.4° 

Q: 345 psf 

LV Stage 1 Ignition 

Time: 313 sec 


M: 1.24 

Velocity: 1305 fps 

Alpha: 0.0°, Gamma: 34.7° 

Q: 240 psf 



Launch Vehicle Altitude Profile 

Launch Vehicle Altitude Profile 

LV Stage 3/Payload Separation 

Time: 671 sec 

Altitude: 620,500 ft (102 nmi.) 

M: 27.0 

Velocity : 24198 fps 

Alpha: -1.4°, Gamma: 0.0° 



Time: 313 sec 


M: 1.24 

Velocity: 1305 fps 

Alpha: 0.0°, Gamma: 34.7° 

Q: 240 psf 

LV Stage 1/2 Separation 

Stage 2 Ignition 

Time: 380 sec 

Altitude: 122,800ft 

M: 6.13 

Velocity : 6289 fps 

Alpha: 10.4°, Gamma: 14.7° 

Q: 220 psf 

LV Stage 2/3 Separation 

Stage 3 Coast 

Time: 451 sec 


M: 18.1 

Velocity : 16,158 fps 

Alpha: 8.4°, Gamma: 12.2° 

Q: 1.7 psf 

Time: 624 sec 

Altitude: 611,600 ft (100 nmi.) 

M: 17.7 

Velocity : 15,857 fps 

Alpha: 6.5°, Gamma: 1.6° 



Payload Performance Growth Options Exist for the Design 

• F-15GSE Enhancements 

– With “JATO” type propulsion boosters 

– MIPCC option 

• LV Booster Options 

– Liquid fuel stages 

– Optimized SRMs 

Payload Performance Growth with Liquid Boosters 

2,000 

Payload Weight to LEO (lbm) 

1,800 

1,600 

1,400 

1,200 

1,000 

800 

600 

400 

200 

DARPA FALCON Requirement 

0 

Baseline Solids (SRM) 

Pressure-Fed Liquids 

(NTO/AZ-50) 

Pressure-Fed Liquids 

(LO2/RP) 

Pump-Fed Liquids (LO2/RP) 



Low-Cost Liquid Booster Engines 

60K lbf Pump-Fed Engine 

Fastrack Engine Turbopump 

60K lbf Pressure-Fed Engine 

Bantam 

First Unit Actual Cost - $136K 

Final Weight - 579 lbs 

Recurring cost target - $86,000 



Conclusion 

• Conceptual evaluation of F-15 supports a spiral development of airlaunch 

capability 

– Initial limited capability using F-15 C/D 

• with under-wing or center-mount carry 

– Existing F-15E with OTS SRM provides 600 lbm payload to LEO 

– Growth path to over 1,000 lbm payload to LEO capability 

• Low cost micro- and nano- satellite technology test bed 

• Hypersonic test bed for DARPA technologies 

– HLV separation demonstrator

Presentation - Responsive Space

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