I-CONE® for rapid response and low cost access to space

I-CONE® is an innovative approach to providing payload launch opportunities while at the same time taking advantage of the excess launch vehicle performance available with the evolved expendable launch vehicle (EELV). The genesis of the I-CONE® concept is the integration of a standard set of space vehicle subsystems into a standard conical launch vehicle adapter, in effect creating an "intelligent cone" or I-CONE®. The I-CONE® is capable of providing payloads and small satellites a fast, frequent, flexible and affordable (F3A) access to space. The I-CONE® concept is designed for use with the Delta IV and Atlas V (EELV) and is compatible with Delta II and sea launch vehicles. The main I-CONE® structural components are derived from flight heritage payload adapters and separation systems, developed by Saab Ericsson (SE) Space, which minimizes the development risks and production costs. I-CONE® space vehicles can be essentially transparent to the primary payload of a typical EELV manifest. The launch site processing flow for an I-CONE® has a "no impact" approach on the standard EELV primary payload processing flow. The I-CONE® space vehicle concept is suited for a wide variety of technology demonstration and short-term operational missions. The baseline concept features typical payload resources of a 100 kg of mass, with 150 Watts of orbit average power, and a standard downlink data rate of 2.0 Mbps. The baseline I-CONE® space vehicle is capable of providing a pointing accuracy of 10-50 arcsec, a propulsion system with 90 kg of mono-propellant hydrazine, and a mission life exceeding 1 year. The use of I-CONE® for low earth orbit (LEO) missions is emphasized in this paper, although geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) launch opportunities are also presented. The modular approach to the I-CONE® space vehicle structure permits an extraordinary level of flexibility for meeting emerging specialized launch requirements. Micro-and nano-satellites can also be accommodated in an I-CONE® variation that incorporates a dispenser. Variations on the I-CONE® dispenser theme include a passive dispenser that provides additional propulsion and attitude control after separ- ation from the launch vehicle. The I-CONE® concept can argument the potential return on investment for any EELV launch as it provides a cost effective and flexible solution for national interests. This paper presents what needs the I-CONE® design addresses for access to space. This paper also provides the generic mission requirements for the I-CONE® design, describes baseline I-CONE® implementation architecture, discusses payload accommodations and generic integration and test flow. Finally this paper discusses potential mission designs which I-CONE® can be applied.