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This paper describes air breathing reusable space launch vehicle concepts intended to provide very rapid response launch of 10,000 lb polar orbit payloads (or approximately 20,000 lbs Eastern). The vehicles are two-stage, with the first stage employing turboramjet propulsion and the second stage using rockets. Liquid oxygen (LOX) for the second stage is collected during first stage ascent using technologies from the original Aerospaceplane work along with recent improvements. No LOX is carried at takeoff, thus eliminating the need for LOX ground servicing facilities. A dual fuel approach, liquid hydrogen and ambient storable hydrocarbon fuel (LH2 and JP), uses JP fuel for first stage acceleration and second stage rocket ascent. LH2 in the amount just sufficient to condense and collect second stage LOX, is the only cryogenic fluid that is loaded on the vehicle at takeoff.

The Air Force has sponsored a program at the University of Kentucky which will lead to a better understanding of the thermal and fluid instabilities during blowdown of supercritical fluids at cryogenic temperatures. An integral part of that program is the design and construction of a hydrogen test facility. This paper describes the design specifications and construction of that hydrogen test facility. This facility will be capable of providing supercritical hydrogen at 30 bars and 35 K at a maximum flow rate of 0.1 kg/s for 90 seconds. Also presented here is an extension of this facility to accommodate the use of supercritical helium.