Liberty (rocket)

This rocket article contains payload capacity, but does not include orbital altitude or inclination, which greatly affects the capacity. Please help improve this article by adding the orbital altitude and inclination for the given payload. (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Liberty

Artist's conception
Manufacturer	Northrop Grumman Space Systems Airbus Defence and Space
Country of origin	United States Europe
Size
Height	300 ft (90.00 m)
Diameter	18 ft (5.40 m)
Stages	2
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Mass	44,500 lb (20,000 kg) [1]
Associated rockets
Family	Preceded by Ares I Followed by OmegA
First stage
Powered by	5-segment Shuttle-derived Solid Rocket Booster
Propellant	Solid
Second stage
Powered by	1 × Vulcain 2
Maximum thrust	301243 pounds (1,340 kN)[2]
Specific impulse	431 seconds (vacuum)[2]
Burn time	650 seconds[2]
Propellant	LOX/LH2
[edit on Wikidata]

Liberty was a 2011 launch vehicle concept proposed by ATK (now part of Northrop Grumman Space Systems via the acquisition of Orbital ATK) and Airbus Defence and Space (formerly Astrium) for phase 2 of the NASA Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program intended to stimulate development of privately operated crew vehicles to low Earth orbit.

Similar to the defunct Ares I project, which consisted of a five segment Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) and a new cryogenic second stage, Liberty would combine a five-segment SRB with the core stage of the European Ariane 5 as a second stage. It was intended to be launched from Kennedy Space Center.^[3][4]

Liberty was proposed as a vehicle to service the International Space Station for crew and cargo, but its capacities could potentially have allowed for government and commercial satellite launches, including to Geostationary transfer orbit.^[5]

The launcher was proposed to be 300 feet (91 m) in height, with an advertised price of $180 million per launch. Liberty had a projected payload of 44,500 lb (20,000 kg) to Low Earth orbit.^[4]