TABLE 2 SUMMARY OF L/V DESIGN CRITERIA four of the 12 engines. The landing site would be at the launch site — either off-shore or on an artificial lake. Also landing on ground with assistance of (retractable) legs could be considered — as demonstrated by the Lunar Landing Vehicle. The SSTO system includes an OTV under a deployable (and reusable) payload shroud which is carried back to Earth after remating in LEO. In later phases also a space-based OTV could be envisaged if it proves to be more cost-effective. The optimum size or payload capability depends on the transportation requirement: Fig. 4 illustrates the situation for a single 5 GW SPS: For transportation of 50 Gg (50,000 tons) into GEO and a construction period between 0.75 and 3 years a GEO payload capability of 150 to 700 Mg is required, with a launch rate of 20 to 200 per year. Figure 5 shows the related specific transportation cost for different vehicle sizes and transportation requirements: the differences in cost can be tremendous. If the
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