Cira Usv - Unmanned Space Vehicle

The Unmanned Space Vehicles (USV) program is a science and technology knowledge development program, whose strategic target is the development of a multi-purpose flying laboratory able to execute atmospheric re-entry from low earth orbit (LEO).

The scientific and technological developments associated with this target are focused on the evolution of reusable space transportation systems, and are oriented towards the aerospaceplane -- a single stage to orbit with horizontal take-off and horizontal landing capabilities -- identified as the long term future generation reference RLV concept.

Reusability will determine a substantial cost reduction and an easier and quicker access to space and, furthermore, will significantly contribute to reduce "space debris". These autonomous and highly reliable new systems will minimize risks as well as maintenance costs. They will “fly” all along the flight path realizing innovative re-entry trajectories that will enable landing on any spaceport on the earth surface. Characterising technology features of the future vehicle will be:

• more aerodynamically efficient configuration, as compared to past and present spacecrafts;
• fully autonomous guidance, navigation and control capability, based on a robust and rapid prototyping design approach, allowing maximum down and cross-range flexibility;
• hot structures based on innovative architectures and very high performance materials, allowing to withstand the very high temperatures and large thermal loads during the re-entry phase into the atmosphere.

Compared with the existing spacecrafts, such as Space Shuttle, the aerospaceplane operational capabilities will be more similar to those of modern civil aviation. They will take off like ordinary airplanes from any airport, will reach space outposts at Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and fly back 25 times faster than the speed of sound. Thanks to atmospheric aerodynamic drag, these space vehicles will have the capability to reduce speed and land like a common civil airplane.

System and technology targets that are needed to achieve the final re-entry capability, are grouped in two mission classes following a complexity criterion related to flight regimes, technologies and launch systems:

• Atmospheric Flight Missions
  • DTFT, Dropped Transonic Flight Test, maximum Mach in the range [0.8÷1.4]; three missions
  • DSFT, Dropped Supersonic Flight Test, maximum Mach in the range [1.8÷2.5]; one mission
• Re-entry Flight Missions
  • Intermediate missions like Sub-orbital Reentry Test (SRT)
  • ORT, Orbital Reentry Test