EELV Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA)

Despite growing worldwide interest in small satellites, launch costs continue to hinder the full exploitation of small satellite technology. In the United States, the Department of Defense (DoD), NASA, other government agencies, commercial companies, and many universities use small satellites to perform space experiments, demonstrate new technology, and test operational prototype hardware. In addition, the DoD continues to study the role of small satellites in fulfilling operational mission requirements. However, US government agencies are restricted to the use of US launch vehicles, which eliminates many affordable launch opportunities. Additionally, many small satellite users are faced with shrinking budgets, which limits the scope of what can be considered an affordable launch opportunity. In order to increase the number of space experiments that can be flown with a small, fixed budget, the Space Test Program (STP) has teamed with the Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate (AFRLNSD) to develop a low-cost solution for the small satellite launch problem. Our solution, which will be implemented on Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle-Medium (EEL V -M) boosters, is called the EEL V Secondary Pay load Adapter (ESPA). ESP A can potentially shrink the cost of launching a 180kg (or smaller) satellite to under $500,000, less than 5% of the cost of a dedicated launch vehicle