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Multi-Role Recovery Capsule

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Multi-Role RC Multi-Role Recovery Capsule - BAe,1987. Credit: NASA via Marcus Lindroos

AKA: Manned Reusable Capsule;MRC. Status: Study 1987. Payload: 500 kg (1,100 lb). Thrust: 1.61 kN (361 lbf). Gross mass: 7,000 kg (15,400 lb). Unfuelled mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Specific impulse: 312 s. Height: 4.28 m (14.04 ft).

However, the British aerospace industry did propose some interesting alternatives, such as the $2-billion 'Multi-Role Recovery Capsule'.

British Aerospace Ltd. (BAe) regarded the French Hermes mini-Shuttle as too expensive and complicated. Instead, they felt a simple crew capsule would make more sense as an 8-man 'lifeboat' for Space Station Freedom (NASA issued a competitive request for proposals in late 1987). MRC was to be launched on the existing Ariane-40 rocket and the capsule could be flown manned or unmanned, for sensitive microgravity experiments in orbit.

Article by Marcus Lindroos

Unit Cost $: 183.000 million. Crew Size: 4. RCS total impulse: 2,142 kgf-sec. Spacecraft delta v: 157 m/s (515 ft/sec). Electric System: 84.00 kWh. Electric System: 0.70 average kW.