Two Year Delay in X-34 Flight Testing Being Considered by NASA
A major restructuring effort began earlier this year in the X-34 program prompted by a string of Mars mission failures. If changes recommended by an internal NASA X-34 review team are put into place the result could be delays of up to 2 years, additional costs, reduced test flights, and an elimination of NASA KSC’s role in the X-34 program.
According to NASA “the X-34 is a reusable technology testbed vehicle that is designed to demonstrate technologies that are essential to lowering the cost of access to space.” NASA signed a contract in August 1996 which is currently worth $85.7 million with Orbital Sciences Corporation for X-34 design, development and test flights. The 50-month contract includes three flight test vehicles. NASA MSFC manages the program.
A restructuring TIM (Technical Interchange Meeting) was held this Spring to discuss X-34 program options. Recommendations were presented to MSFC Center Director Art Stephenson on 9 June 2000. Among the recommendations were the adoption of a management philosophy with a primary focus on mission success and the addition of an “engineering insight team” that would lead to additional government involvement in contractor activities.
A significant amount of testing has been recommended with a focus on propulsion. Construction of a MPTA (main propulsion test article) was recommended so as to perform some of this additional testing. Avionics design changes were also recommended to add both redundancy and a “man-in-the-loop” control capability.
X-34 tow testing at NASA DFRC has been placed on hold after the completion of low speed tow tests. Whether or not tow testing will be resumed is still undecided. Captive carry testing using the A-1A airframe is scheduled to begin at NASA DFRC within the next few weeks. Unpowered flights at NASA WSTF are being planned for the planned for Spring 2001.
It is all but certain that these new activities will lead to a substantial increase in overall X-34 program cost and a significant delay in accomplishing its goals. NASA has yet to identify the scope of these costs but it is certain to be a prominent feature of the FY 2002 budget request next year.
Powered flight testing was originally set for mid-1999 and has been slipped several times since the program began. This testing had been rescheduled for this year but that is now rather unlikely. It is now expected that the first powered flight may be delayed by as much as 2 additional years – i.e 2002.
In addition, the NASA is considering a reduction in the number of powered flights from the currently planned 27 to perhaps as few as 2 to 6 flights. Moreover, the maximum speed would also be reduced from the planned speed of Mach 8 down to Mach 2.5. This is a reversal of NASA’s previous thinking process since it revised the original X-34 program plan to add an additional test vehicle and increased the number of test flights to 27.
All powered flights would now be done at DRFC with no flights to be performed at KSC. This would leave the $8 million RLV Support Complex at NASA KSC (paid for in part by Spaceport Florida funds) with no RLV to support. This will certainly not sit well with Florida’s Congressional delegation and state officials who have spent a lot of time pushing for and promoting KSC’s participation in next generation launch research.
Related Links
° X-34: Demonstrating Reusable Launch Vehicle Technologies, NASA MSFC
° Pathfinder; X-34, X-37, and Flight Experiments, NASA MSFC
° X-34 Reusable R0cket Plane, Orbital Scineces Corp
° Next Gen website, NASA KSC
