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CCDev | |
ULA was awarded up to $6.7 million via the Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) contract to develop a high-fidelity EDS testbed and demonstrate that system in the Atlas V LV systems integration laboratory (SIL). Over the past several years, ULA has expended significant efforts to ensure that the EELV fleet is compliant with human spaceflight requirements. EDS is the critical technology and key enabler to safe commercial human spaceflight using the mature, reliable EELV transportation system to Low Earth Orbit. In the unlikely event of a LV failure, the EDS provides the crewed spacecraft sufficient advance warning to safely abort, as well as safing the LV by shutting down the liquid rocket engines to terminate thrust and minimize danger to the crew during the abort maneuver. This development effort is a required step along the way to a fully human-rated EELV system, and it is part of an overall evolution plan that builds on today’s success to provide a safer and more capable crewed launch solution. ULA is working in partnership with NASA and several other CCDev partners to ensure that EDS capability on the flight-proven EELV fleet can support its unique crewed spacecraft designs.
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With three families of launch vehicles – Atlas V, Delta II, and Delta IV– ULA continues the tradition of supporting strategic U.S. space initiatives with advanced robust launch solutions to provide assured access to space and 100 percent mission success. |
SAA Milestones | |||
Milestone # |
Description |
Planned Date |
Approved |
1 |
EDS Demonstration Project Kick-off Meeting | Mar-10 |
COMPLETED |
2 |
Requirements Review | May-10 |
COMPLETED |
3 |
Design Review | Aug-10 |
COMPLETED |
4 |
EDS Demonstration Report and Review | Nov-10 |
COMPLETED |