ATK lunar lander structural optimization study proposal- ATK aerospace structures division proposes to conduct a fixed price best effort trade study focused on the lunar landor descent module. If…

ATK lunar lander structural optimization study proposal- ATK aerospace structures division proposes to conduct a fixed price best effort trade study focused on the lunar landor descent module. If the NASA contract element is funded - ATK will also commit to perform an IR and d program to advance the concept recommendations emerging from our contract and to a tailored preliminary design review (PDR) level of maturity. Our r and d effort is an independent follow-on activity and is not required in any way to meet the contractual efforts that ATK is proposing to perform under contract to NASA. ATK's proposal to NASA (see part 3 of this white paper) will address the lunar lander descent module configuration trades focusing on composite structure and weight optimization. The proposed effort includes systems requirement analysis (as a joint collaboration between NASA and ATK) - architecture trades focused on the integrated structure / functional partitioning within recommended architectures / and concept design trades to achieve a recommended configuration suitable for entry into the "preliminary design" phase. ATK is currently performing IR and d studies to quantify the weight savings advantage of designing space exploration vehicles using composites with secondary hardware or subsystems integral with the primary structure. ATK has selected the lunar lander as one of the configurations IT will evaluate as part of this IR and d effort. IT represents a unique configuration to explore configuration optimization of the descent module configuration by potentially integrating the propulsion tanks as part of the primary structure. The ATK preliminary design effort will build on the output of the proposed NASA funded study effort. ATK's IR and d effort will support concept evaluation from a safety and reliability perspective showing a composite solution to support evolution to a flyable design.