An Orbital Vehicle (OV) will be brought up with the propellant tanks filled and ready to go (Image 1). The Phase I Outpost spacecraft will oversee the testing procedures.
 |
| Image 1: the Orbital Vehicle (OV) |
The OV will be put through its paces, making sure that all the systems are nominal. Once the propellant tanks have been emptied, another OV will come up and replace it. The first OV will be thoroughly inspected for any abnormalities. Meanwhile, the second OV will attempt a high–altitude flight as a further demonstration of its capabilities.
Once all of these tests are complete, the OV may be classified as operational.
We now need to place our own Tracking and Data Relay System (TDRS) into place (we have been leasing time from other businesses all of this time). Each satellite has a mass of 3,454 kg (Image 2).
 |
| Image 2: A TDRS-K satellite stowed for launch |
A "kick motor" is needed to help place the satellite into the proper orbital altitude and inclination. The solid propellant kick motor will have a mass of 5,416 kg.
OV Payload = TDRS Mass + Kick Motor + Adapter
OV Payload = 3454 + 5327 + 89
OV Payload = 8,870 kg
Delta V Budget = Delta V There + Delta V Back
Delta V Budget = 2.283 + 2.283
Delta V Budget = 4.566 kps
Propellant Requirement = Propellant There + Propellant Back
Propellant Requirement = 8307 + 1548
Propellant Requirement = 9,855 kg
Propellant Requirement = 54.59% full
RV Launch Mass = OV + OV Propellant + OV Payload
RV Launch Mass = 2276 + 9855 + 8870
RV Launch Mass = 21,001 kg
One OV with 55% propellant with a kick motor attached plus one TDRS satellite will be brought up in one VentureStar flight. The Outpost crew will attach the satellite to the kick motor and send it on its way (Image 3). This TDRS "stack" will perform a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) burn where it will place the satellite/kick motor combo high enough to separate from the OV and the kick motor can do the change–of–plane and circularize burns, inserting the TDRS into a "Clarke Orbit," more commonly known as a Geostationary Orbit (GSO).
 |
| Image 3: TDRS with kick motor and adapter |
The OV will return back to be replaced by another OV, another TDRS satellite, and another kick motor. The same procedure will then be done on the other two satellite combinations. With three satellites placed 120 degrees apart at GSO, we will have full coverage of our own telemetry.
Once all three TDRS satellites are in place, the OV flight testing portion may be considered complete.
::