Sea Dragon Sketches (Aerojet - 1962)

Bell NozzleAerospike Nozzle

Sea Dragon Derived 7 Element Launcher

Element38,000 propellant9,000 structure

20,000 payload7 Elements

349,000 TOW152,000 propellant

0.436 u1 dV2.573 dV1 2.573

161,000 S276,000 structure0.472 u22.874 dV2 5.448

67,000 S338,000 structure0.567 u33.768 dV3 9.216

A pressure fed LOX/LH2 only launcher consisting of seven flight elements is considered here. Each flight element is shaped like an enlarged ET with similar structure and tank volumes. Despite a resemblance to the ET, these tanks are built simply according to the standards established by the Sea Dragon program from readily available and easily worked materials. This structure when empty instead of weighing 1,372 tonnes as would be the case if the lightest weight technology were used, instead weigh a massive 9,000 tonnes when empty. The entire vehicle masses 63,000 tonnes when empty. Each 31.3 meter diameter by 174.8 meter long tank carries 38,000 tonnes of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen when fully loaded.

Seven pressure fed elements equipped with cross feeding are launched at sea along the lines described for Sea Dragon. Each element is towed to the launch site separately after being serviced from separate piers. The elements are rotated into vertical position at the launch site and azimuth thrusters built into each element floatation unit guide the joining of the elements using GPS enabled network creating a 7 element launcher.

At launch seven massive engines fire producing 79,400 tonnes force each, a total of 555,800 tonnes force of thrust at lift off is created. 152,000 tonnes of propellant are consumed from four of the seven elements - feeding all seven engines. Those elements are dropped when empty and three elements continue as a second stage. The three elements burn through 76,000 tonnes of propellant in contained in two outboard elements which fee all three remaining engines. When these are empty they too drop away. A final flight element continues on to orbit attaining a speed of 7.5 km/sec. The payload masses 20,000 tonnes, while the empty orbital vehicle masses 9,000 tonnes.

Sea Dragon Derived 7 Element Launcher

Sea Touchdown