ARCTUS (the "Advanced Research and Conventional Technology Utilization Spacecraft") was a proposed design by

Astrotech Corporation Astrotech Corporation, formerly Spacehab Inc., is a technology incubator headquartered in Austin, Texas. Astrotech uses technology sourced internally and from research institutions, government laboratories, and universities to fund, manage and ...

and developed with its partners Lockheed Martin, United Launch Alliance, Cimarron and Odyssey Space Research for a

robotic spacecraft A robotic spacecraft is an uncrewed spacecraft, usually under telerobotic control. A robotic spacecraft designed to make scientific research measurements is often called a space probe. Many space missions are more suited to telerobotic rathe ...

that would deliver cargo to the

International Space Station The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest Modular design, modular space station currently in low Earth orbit. It is a multinational collaborative project involving five participating space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos ( ...

, NASA COTS program. ARCTUS was planned to be launched by an

Atlas V Atlas V is an expendable launch system and the fifth major version in the Atlas launch vehicle family. It was originally designed by Lockheed Martin, now being operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between Lockheed Marti ...

rocket. Its pressurized cargo module would return to Earth and be recovered with a

mid-air retrieval Mid-air retrieval is a technique used in atmospheric reentry when the reentering vehicle is incapable of a satisfactory unassisted landing. The vehicle is slowed by means of parachutes, and then a specially-equipped aircraft matches the vehicle ...

operation.

Automated Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (ARPO) System

The ARPO system is designed to take the ARCTUS vehicle from the ISS stay-out zone to the ISS capture box. ARCTUS will then be grappled by the

Space Station Remote Manipulator System The Mobile Servicing System (MSS), is a robotic system on board the International Space Station (ISS). Launched to the ISS in 2001, it plays a key role in station assembly and maintenance; it moves equipment and supplies around the station, supp ...

(SSRMS) and berthed on an ISS port (nominally ISS

Harmony In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. Howev ...

Nadir port). ''

Avionics Avionics (a blend of ''aviation'' and ''electronics'') are the electronic systems used on aircraft. Avionic systems include communications, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems, and the hundreds of systems that are fitt ...

'' The brain of ARCTUS is derived from the flight proven

XSS-11 USA-165 or XSS-11 (Experimental Satellite System-11) is a small, washing-machine-sized, low-cost spacecraft developed by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate to test technology for proximity operations. In particul ...

avionics and consists of a spacecraft computer, communications and power systems, guidance and navigation system, and associated software. The majority of the avionics will be housed inside the PCM to allow for recovery and reuse for future missions. '' Payload Accommodations'' The ARCTUS payload accommodations are based on SPACEHAB's 20 years of experience in delivering

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeedi ...

ESA , owners = , headquarters = Paris, Île-de-France, France , coordinates = , spaceport = Guiana Space Centre , seal = File:ESA emblem seal.png , seal_size = 130px , image = Views in the Main Control Room (1 ...

JAXA The is the Japanese national air and space agency. Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on 1 October 2003. JAXA is responsible for research, technology development and launch of satellites into o ...

Roscosmos The State Space Corporation "Roscosmos" (russian: Государственная корпорация по космической деятельности «Роскосмос»), commonly known simply as Roscosmos (russian: Роскосмос) ...

, and commercial cargo to space. ''

Environmental Control and Life Support System A life-support system is the combination of equipment that allows survival in an environment or situation that would not support that life in its absence. It is generally applied to systems supporting human life in situations where the outsid ...

(ECLSS)'' The ECLSS will maintain the pressurized environment (temperature and pressure) within the cargo requirements during all flight phases, as well crew requirements, while docked. The system will utilize SPACEHAB and ISS heritage hardware and a design similar to other ISS modules in order to minimize crew training and procedure development.

References

External links

Astrotech Research & Conventional Technology Utilization Spacecraft

Parent Company SPACE HAB of the ARCTUS Spacecraft
{{Use American English, date=January 2014 Cargo spacecraft

Automated Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (ARPO) System

See also

References

External links