Faster, Smaller, Cheaper: Exploiting the Imminent Low-cost Launch Era

The 1990s initiated the era of “Faster, Better, Cheaper” for small spacecraft, and met with mixed success. However, even under the best of circumstances, “Faster, Better, Cheaper” faces the hurdle of high launch costs. In programs with typical launch costs of $20 - 50M or more, spacecraft capabilities are pushed to the limit in order to extract maximum value from the overall system. This drive for high performance results in complex systems, which require significant engineering to address relatively minor changes. However, new launch vehicles offer the potential to reduce launch costs to under $10M and will change the economics of small spacecraft design and production. The US Army Space and Missile Defense Command is developing a series of spacecraft and payloads with modest performance and dramatically lower cost for use as a technology testbed. The program uses a capabilities-driven approach rather than requirements-driven approach, which enables significant cost savings. The first spacecraft and payload will support the Missile Defense Agency airborne testbed by providing an exo-atmospheric IR calibration source. The bus is designed for a 50 kg class satellite with a recurring cost target of $1M. A future system will be used as a testbed for advanced sensors and will target a 150 kg class satellite with a recurring cost of $3M. The concept design for each satellite class is discussed, including anticipated capabilities