Evolvable propulsion module

A method of designing a spacecraft where the design evolves to different spacecraft having different intended space mission types, said method comprising the steps of:

• designing a first evolution spacecraft for one spacecraft mission, said step of designing a first spacecraft including the steps of:
• designing a first outer spacecraft housing, said first spacecraft housing including a housing cylinder and a housing end wall;
• designing an internal support structure within the first spacecraft housing, said internal support structure including a plurality of inner compartment wall members defining a plurality of compartments;
• designing the orientation of a plurality of spacecraft components within the compartments in the first spacecraft housing, said step of designing the orientation of spacecraft components including the steps of establishing the position of at least one propellant tank within at least one of the compartments in the spacecraft housing and establishing the position of at least one avionics module within one of the compartments in the spacecraft housing, said step of designing the orientation of a plurality of spacecraft components including positioning a crew tunnel extending through one of the compartments, said crew tunnel including a first docking interface at one end of the crew tunnel and a second docking interface at another end of the crew tunnel;
• designing a second evolution spacecraft based on the first evolution spacecraft for another spacecraft mission, said step of designing a second evolution spacecraft including using the internal support structure and including redesigning the orientation of spacecraft components by adding, exchanging and/or repositioning spacecraft components, wherein the other spacecraft mission is a different mission type and requires significant design differences and mission goals than the one spacecraft mission;
• designing a third evolution spacecraft based on the second evolution spacecraft for a different spacecraft mission, said step of designing a third evolution spacecraft including the steps of redesigning the orientation of spacecraft components by adding, exchanging and/or repositioning spacecraft components;
• and
• designing a fourth evolution spacecraft based on the third evolution spacecraft for a different spacecraft mission, said step of designing a fourth evolution spacecraft including the steps of redesigning the orientation of spacecraft components by adding, exchanging and/or repositioning spacecraft components.

A method for designing a spacecraft where the design evolves to a more complex spacecraft having a different intended space mission types, said method comprising the steps of:

• designing a first evolution spacecraft for one spacecraft mission, said step of designing a first spacecraft including the steps of:
• designing a first spacecraft housing;
• designing an internal support structure within the first spacecraft housing;
• designing the orientation of a plurality of spacecraft components within the first spacecraft housing;
• and
• designing a second evolution spacecraft based on the first evolution spacecraft for another spacecraft mission, said second spacecraft utilizing substantially the same spacecraft housing and internal support structure as the first spacecraft, said step of designing a second evolution spacecraft including redesigning the orientation of spacecraft components by adding, exchanging and/or repositioning spacecraft components within the spacecraft housing, wherein the other spacecraft mission is a different mission type and requires significant design differences and mission goals than the one spacecraft mission, said step of designing a second evolution spacecraft including designing the orientation of the plurality of spacecraft component to include a crew tunnel extending through the spacecraft housing, said crew tunnel including a first docking interface at one end of the crew tunnel and a second docking interface at another end of the crew tunnel.

A method of making a spacecraft, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing an outer spacecraft housing including a housing cylinder and a housing endwall;
• providing a spacecraft internal support structure within the spacecraft housing, said internal support structure including first and second wall members extending in a first direction and third and fourth wall members extending in a second direction so that both of the third and fourth wall members intersect with both of the first and second wall members to define five rectangular compartments in a cross configuration and four wedge-shaped compartments;
• and
• mounting a plurality of spacecraft components within the compartments in the housing, said step of mounting a plurality of spacecraft components including mounting three propellant tanks in three of the separate rectangular compartments in an in-line configuration.