The Alpha™ Project is a fully reusable two stage vehicle being
development by Universal Aerospace, Inc. The upper stage, dubbed
the Alpha™ A-1A SRV (Space Reusable Vehicle) is a three-person
spaceplane designed to take one pilot and two mission specialists into
space. Intended to use off-the-shelf technology where possible, the A-1A
may also be launched from the ground as a suborbital spacecraft.
Three potential configurations for the lower stage (or launch vehicle) are
being evaluated as development proceeds:
The first is a Air Launched Horizontal Landing (ALHL) solid rocket
booster RLV (Reusable Launch Vehicle) derived from the Pegasus by
Orbital Sciences Corporation. This vehicle carried the A-1A upper
stage for the flight test phase.
The second is a Horizontal Takeoff Horizontal Landing (HTHL) liquid
rocket FlyBack™ booster RLV. This vehicle will carry the A-1A in the
piggyback configuration and is ultimately expected to evolve into the final
RLV lower stage as the design matures.
The third is a Vertical Takeoff Horizontal Landing (VTHL) rocket
booster option. In this configuration the A-1A will be launched atop
currently available commercial launch vehicles such as our RamRocket™
the Boeing Delta IV-M, the LMCO Atlas V 500, and a RLV based on the
Thor (a former USAF ICBM)
Universal Aerospace, Inc. is targeting the Alpha™ Series of
spaceplanes for SubOrbital and Orbital RocketRides™, as well as
Crew Transfer, Small Satellite Launches, and Emergency Rescue.
General
Length: 28 ft.
Width: 15 ft. 6 in.
Height: 11 ft. 1 in.
Diameter: 5 ft.
GTOW: 10,000 lbs.
Propulsion
Rocket Engine: 1 - AJ-10 Regenerative @ 10,000 lbs. thrust
Fuel and Oxidizer Propellant: Kerosene/LOX
Cabin
Payload Capacity: 1 - Pilot, 1 - Co-Pilot, and 1 - Crew/Tourists
Pressure: 10 psi
"The World's First Civilian Manned Reusable Spacecraft!"™
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Wanna try your hand at flying the A-1A?
Download the original test simulation for FS95!
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Alpha Development - History!
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