NEWS ARCHIVE

10 29 2008 The Jupiter Launch System - A Direct Derivative of the Space Transportation System (STS) - PDF


08 11 2008 NEW Space Review Article: Saving America’s Space Program


06 22 2008 The Orlando Sentinel article "NASA remains silent on rocket that could rescue the Cape"


05 20 2008
Stephen Metschan will be presenting an overview of the DIRECT Launcher proposal at this years International Space Development Conference (ISDC) to be held in Washington DC,
May 29, 2008 2:30-3:00 pm.

Title: "The Jupiter Launch System - A Direct Derivative of the Space Transportation System"
Link: http://www.isdc2008.org/
Media File: Jupiter120 Space Transportation System (WMV)


05 19 2008 NEW Space Review Article


02 17 2008 The Space Show presentation slideshow. Also available in PowerPoint Show and PDF


08 07 2007 Featured in the AIAA Houston online magazine, "Horizons"


05 10 2007 Version 2.0 Release & Complete Website Update


12 11 2006 Added Orbiter section.


12 08 2006 Updated DIRECT Video Launch Sequence demo.


12 03 2006 Added Manifest section.


11 27 2006 Updated DIRECT Proposal Release v1.1.2 now online.


11 07 2006 Updated DIRECT Proposal Release v1.1.1 now online.


11 06 2006 Updated DIRECT Proposal Release v1.1.0 now online.


11 01 2006 Updated DIRECT Proposal Release v1.0.5 now online.


11 01 2006 Updated website.


10 25 2006 Press Release:

For Release

Cape Canaveral, Florida
25th October 2006

A grass-roots effort, supported by many engineers and mid-level managers within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), is announcing its proposal today, targeted to influence NASA to review again its plans for the new "Ares" family of launch vehicles. If adopted, the new approach promises to save the agency $35 Billion over the next 20 years.

Called the "Direct Shuttle Derivative", or "DIRECT", the proposal calls for NASA to replace the separate "Ares-I" Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) and the massive "Ares-V" Cargo Launch Vehicle (CaLV) currently being designed to replace the Space Shuttle, with a single "Universal Launcher" system capable of performing both roles.

This would immediately cut in half the expected $40 Billion development cost of the two planned launchers, and would also halve the recurring fixed costs of operating two divergent launcher systems concurrently.

The proposal, available on www.directlauncher.com, approaches the problem of Lunar and Mars missions from an integrated perspective, dealing with the most important issues facing NASA today, such as multi-billion-dollar development costs, extensive infrastructure replacement, low vehicle performance, lower safety performance than planned, and long-term program risks.

Coming hot on the heels of recent Congressional Budget Office and Government Accounting Office criticisms that NASA must reassess its spending plans for the new "Vision for Space Exploration", and in the wake of much argument from inside NASA's own Science Community regarding recent mission and budget cuts made to fund the development of the new launchers and the Orion CEV spacecraft, this proposal seems to offer a particularly viable alternative path for NASA to consider.

The DIRECT approach calls for a single launch vehicle, based on the very reliable and already man-rated 4-segment Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) used on the Space Shuttle today, a Core Stage based very closely on the existing External Tank, but with two RS-68R engines, based on the engines used by the Delta-IV, mounted underneath. This configuration initially offers more than 70 tons of lift capability to orbit, compared to just 22 tons for the Ares-I. Add an Upper Stage, similar to the one Ares-V requires and this performance climbs to over 98 tons on every flight. Two flights of DIRECT exceed the combined payload performance of the Ares-I and Ares-V together, which are both required under current plans for each Lunar mission.

By reusing existing launcher elements, support infrastructure and current manufacturing facilities to the maximum possible degree, DIRECT requires only a fraction of the expensive changes required by the two Ares vehicles. This not only saves Billions, but would also reduce schedules considerably.

The idea itself is far from new, in fact it was originally proposed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in 1986, in the aftermath of the 1986 Challenger accident. However, DIRECT has evolved the concept into a modern integrated approach, which fits with NASA's mandate, workforce retention requirements , and performance needs, and neatly integrates into the current support structure which exists for Shuttle today.

The concept promises to allow NASA to spend an extra $35 Billion of its budget on making use of its new spacecraft, instead of using that money just building and operating the launch vehicles.

For more information, please visit: www.directlauncher.com

10 24 2006 DIRECT Presentation Release v1.0 now online.


10 23 2006 First "Alpha" version of the site online (WIP).