XUV Spectroheliograph Experiment is designed to
photographically record coronal images of the sun in

the extreme ultraviolet wavelengths between 150 and
625 Å.

DESCRIPTION

The optical subsystem, consisting primarily of a 3600
line per millimeter grating and film strip camera, is
used to focus and photograph full solar images. The
experiment provides four modes of operation, any one
of which may be selected by the astronaut for the
solar phenomena existing at a given time. Either

of two wavelength bands and three ranges of exposure
times are also controlled by the astronaut.

SIGNIFICANCE

MANNED SPACECRAFT CENTER HOUSTON, TEXAS

SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM OBJECTIVE

MARCH 27, 1971.

From a program standpoint, the NASA intends to develop an economical, earth orbital space transportation system that would be capable of reducing the operational costs by at least an order of magnitude over our present day operating system. We'd like, in addition, for the system to have the flexibility to encompass most of the mission that can be envisioned for the next decade. The Space Shuttle System will be capable of operating in a mode that approaches an airline-type of operation in the way that the cargo and the passengers are handled. The personnel carried to orbit and back should be handled in a fashion that is convenient to their physiological needs, low boost and reentry G loads and shirtsleeve environment. The system, of course, will be a reusable system and have the capability of being turned around rapidly and thus handling a high-launch rate with very few flight articles. Additionally, we would like to place emphasis on the fact that we are trying to define and follow a development mode that will achieve a balance between the design and development cost and the ultimate total program cost, that is, work a trade-off between the necessary development costs and the ultimate reduction in the operating costs that we are seeking. Our studies have established that there is a definite trade between these two costs aspects. We obviously cannot afford too expensive a program in the development phase and yet the prime objective of the program is to insure that we achieve the very significant reductions in operating costs, still keeping this development cost to a reasonable level.

The Space Shuttle System must be capable of performing for many potential using services. It is not going to be a NASA vehicle alone. The Air Force, Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture, and almost any major Governmental agency you can name, will be able to find a use for this vehicle. Therefore, we feel that the Space Shuttle System will provide the foundation for a National space flight program in the late seventies that will serve all potential users in an inexpensive and convenient fashion. Furthermore, the Space Shuttle System will replace a vast inventory of launch vehicles presently in the national stable and eliminate the problems that are associated with purchasing, operating, and providing logistic services to this varying inventory.

SPACE SHUTTLE CURRENT CONFIGURATION

The current North American and McDonnell-Douglas configurations shown in a mated launch configuration are compared to the Saturn V stack on this chart. It's apparent from the chart that these vehicles, in order to accomplish the objectives and operational requirements which have been set forth, are large vehicles, especially in their body dimensions. The vehicles in their mated configuration are approximately 100 feet shorter than the Saturn V stack due to the piggy-back arrangement of the orbiter on the booster. The primary geometric difference in the two orbiter vehicle configurations is that the North American configuration has a flatter and longer body with the engines arranged side by side in the wing plane of the vehicle, whereas the McDonnell-Douglas configuration has the engines arranged one over the other in the vertical plane of the vehicle, causing shorter but higher body dimensions. The booster configurations are very similar in size but the McDonnell-Douglas configuration has a swallowtailed rear wing rather than the delta wing configuration of the North American Rockwell booster concept, which has been designed by the General Dynamics Corporation as part of the North American team.

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GENERAL PURPOSE VEHICLE DESIGNED TO TRANSPORT PERSONNEL
AND PAYLOADS TO AND FROM NEAR EARTH ORBIT

REUSABLE VEHICLE PLANNED TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH
AIRLINE-TYPE OPERATIONS

FOUNDATION FOR THE NATIONS SPACE FLIGHT PROGRAM
STARTING IN THE LATE SEVENTIES