Eelv program wiki

Template:Short description. The LR's mission is "to acquire, operate and sustain affordable expendable launch and range capability providing percent mission success. The Delta II rocket was developed when the Air Force decided to return to a mixed fleet of expendable launch vehicles following the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and other launch failures.

The EELV program is designed to improve our nation's access to space by making space launch vehicles more affordable and reliable. EELV's operability improvements over current systems include a standard payload interface and increased off-pad processing. As the Air Force's space-lift modernization program, EELV was designed to reduce launch cost by at least 25 percent over heritage Atlas, Delta and Titan space launch systems.

There are two major efforts underway for the LTRS program: modernization and sustainment. Modernization efforts seek to revamp and recapitalize current systems in the Instrumentation, Control and Display and Network segments.

Depot support projects enhance the existing systems on the ranges to reduce the operations and sustainment costs. However, the Air Force has struggled with EELV program management and lack of oversight in the past, and removing the requirement for cost and performance data could leave it vulnerable to similar problems in the future. Also, the first competitive contracts will limit the Air Force's flexibility in modifying its launch schedule, and schedule changes resulting from satellite production delays may result in added costs.

Satellite delays have historically been an issue for the program, and the Air Force's ability to modify the launch schedule is an important component of the current acquisition approach with ULA. The Air Force plans to develop an acquisition strategy for the next phase of competitive launches before it has any actionable data from the first competitive launches. In addition, the Air Force views competition as crucial to the success of its new acquisition strategy, yet the viability of a competitive launch industry is uncertain.

The launch industry is undergoing changes, and the ability of the domestic industry to sustain two or more providers in the long-term, while desirable, is unclear. Aviation week. Retrieved April 24, March Spaceflight Now. Jun 15, Aviation Week. Aerospace Corporation. June Feb 2, Categories Expendable space launch systems Add category. Cancel Save. Fan Feed 1 Sunita Williams. Universal Conquest Wiki.