A REVOLUTION IN ACCESS TO SPACE THROUGH SPINOFFS OF SDI TECHNOLOGY

The Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) has funded technology developments which may revolutionize our access to space in the coming decade. It is argued that such a revolution could come about through spinoffs of SDIO technology in two key areas. The first area is mass production of small, low cost payloads with miniaturized avionics through spinoffs of the Brilliant Pebble, LEAP, and other SDIO programs. The second is very low cost, frequent launch of such payloads through spinoffs of the SDIO hypervelocity gun (HVG) program. SDIO gun technology for launching small interceptors up to size of Brilliant Pebbles is shown to extrapolate to very low cost launch of Brilliant Pebbles and other small payloads in the 100-1000 kg class. Gun Launch to Space (GLTS) of mass produced low earth orbit satellites is shown to possibly result in the creation of $100B-$300B annual space communitions market. Low cost launch of fuel, water, and other expendibles to space station, the Moon, and Mars is shown to apply to a vigorous expansion of interplanetary missions within constrained budgets. The implications are explored of a new GLTS space launch infrastructure which allows launches on an hourly rather than a yearly basis, at costs of thousands of dollars per launch rather than many millions. This paper reviews the developments and issues in electromagnetic and thermal gun launch, payload technologies, rocket propulsion, and space launch demand which could shape and drive this revolution in access to space.