Multi-Role RC - Multi-Role Recovery Capsule - BAe,1987. Credit: NASA via Marcus Lindroos. 22,097 bytes. 319 x 321 pixels.

Britain was the only European Space Agency member opposed to ESA's ambitious man-in-space plan, and the British conservative government refused to approve the November 1987 plan. However, the British aerospace industry did propose some interesting alternatives, such as the $2-billion 'Multi-Role Recovery Capsule'.

British Aerospace Ltd. (BAe) regarded the French Herm�s mini-Shuttle as too expensive and complicated. Instead, they felt a simple crew capsule would make more sense as an 8-man 'lifeboat' for Space Station Freedom (NASA issued a competitive request for proposals in late 1987). MRC was to be launched on the existing Ariane-40 rocket and the capsule could be flown manned or unmanned, for sensitive microgravity experiments in orbit.

Article by Marcus Lindroos

Unit Price $ : 183.00 million. Craft.Crew Size: 4. Total Length: 1.0 m. Maximum Diameter: 4.0 m. Total Mass: 7,000 kg. Total Payload: 500 kg. Total Propellants: 700 kg. Total RCS Impulse: 218,400.00 kgf-sec. Primary Engine Thrust: 164 kgf. Main Engine Propellants: N2O4/MMH. Main Engine Isp: 312 sec. Total spacecraft delta v: 157 m/s. Electric system: 0.70 total average kW. Electric System: 84.00 total kWh. Electrical System: Solar Panels.

• 149 - Hempsell, C M and Hannigan, R J, Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, "Multi-Role Capsule System Description", 1989, Volume 42, page 67.