GTO Spent upper stage as science probe and deployer 2.5

Con Ops

Spent stage in GTO or in super synchronous orbit after payload deployment

equipped with;

wrap around solar array

station keeping thrusters(also Ion powered)

Argon/Xenon ullage gas to pressurize empty propellent tanks***

Ion engine

GPS transponder

Electra or Electra light interplanetary radio

NEO Scout and/or Cubesat type payloads integrated into spent stage but also can deploy same

(A)(1)Removes all GTO spent stages into heliocentric or cis lunar orbits(A)(2)GPS transponders demonstrates and sells data from cislunar and DRO(A)(3)Argon/Xenon Ullage gas/pressurent allows spent stage to become long-lived Ion tug***(A)(4)Electra radio allows for a fleet of NEO scouts and cubesats to relay with “spent stage” mother ship(A)(5) GTO spent stage as mini-me ARM mission?(A)(6)GTO spent stage with GPS lowered with Ion engine to GPS fleet orbits(A)(7)GTO spent stage ion engine lowers a secondary payload to internet fleet orbits(A)(8) other hosted payloads on spent GTO stages

SpaceX GTO stage manufactured in Seattle

Centaur GTO with LCROSS becomes standard Heliocentric disposal model with ion engines and secondary payloads

An earlier post describes the fact it takes less Delta V to raise a spent stage to a lunar orbit/flyby apogee from GTO  then to deorbit from GTO***

https://yellowdragonblog.com/2014/12/18/ula-ivf-h2-o2-thruster-system-program-implications-for-deep-space-cubesat-missions/

***This coupled with an ion powered Spent GTO stage sets the stage for the business model of selling data from NEO’s and even Deimos and Phobos,selling data relay services to

seeking Mentor protegé

Veteran small business set aside

Steven Torry Rappolee
Terrestrial & Cislunar Exploration technologies
A Post 9/11 Veteran owned concern
810 334 4374
Fax 810 449 5484
UM Flint Student Business Incubator, #207
423 North Saginaw Street,Flint, Michigan, 48502