WASHINGTON, August 22, 2011 - SpaceWorks Commercial (a division of SpaceWorks Enterprises, Inc.) announces availability of a paper summarizing the Japanese Air Launch System Enabling Technologies (ALSET) air-launch research and development project. SpaceWorks Commercial is supporting ALSET by facilitating and managing U.S. based activities. The Japanese project leadership recently presented a paper entitled "ALSET - Air Launch System Enabling Technology R&D program" at the 25th Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites that was held from August 8-11 in Logan, Utah. The paper and presentation are available on the SpaceWorks website.
Support from SpaceWorks Commercial for ALSET is part of its "Global Assist" line of services, wherein the firm facilitates global aerospace projects. The firm provides aerospace project management, agent, and broker services that are compliant with United States export control regulations.
The Air Launch System Enabling Technology (ALSET) project is a Japanese government Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) funded project to examine air launch orbital payload delivery systems and related technologies as a first step toward an operational commercial air launch system. The operational system is envisioned to feature air-launch of a multi-stage solid rocket from an existing large carrier aircraft (C-130 class) for delivery of small payloads on the order of 100 to 200 kilograms to low earth orbit. A team led by the Institute for Unmanned Space Experiment Free Flyer (USEF), and including IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. (IA) and CSP Japan, Inc. (CSP-J), was selected by METI to carry out the ALSET project. The ALSET program seeks to demonstrate the technologies necessary for air-launch as part of a Japanese civil space small air-launch vehicle technology development roadmap.
One of the main initial tests of technical feasibility for the ALSET project will be a drop test from a representative carrier aircraft. A drop test of an instrumented full-scale inert test article ("dummy" mass simulator) is currently planned for 2013. USEF, IA, and its partners desire to conduct this initial drop test in the United States for reasons of carrier aircraft availability, test site accessibility, and an established regulatory environment. SpaceWorks Commercial is providing assistance to the Japanese ALSET team with evaluation of alternatives, planning, and program management of US-based activities.
"SpaceWorks Commercial, through its Global Assist services, is proud to be supporting our Japanese friends from USEF, IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. (IA), and CSP Japan on the ALSET project," stated Mr. Dominic DePasquale, Director of Washington D.C. Operations for SpaceWorks Commercial and its ALSET Project Manager. "We are pleased to facilitate access to the world-class test facilities, range services, and other air drop services available in the United States. We look forward to providing valuable, efficient, and ITAR-compliant engineering and management services to help our Japanese partners develop novel commercial space industry solutions."
News and information can be found on the Internet at www.sei.aero/com.
Media Contact: Dominic DePasquale
SpaceWorks Commercial
telephone: 1+202-503-1753 (office)
e-mail: dominic.depasquale@sei.aero