ABSTRACT
Space launch is an essential element of any national space strategy. In order for civil, commercial, and national security users to achieve their goals in space, they need access to launch capabilities that meet their cost, schedule, and performance requirements. Placing a satellite into orbit is one of the most visible of space activities, by the nature of the launch itself; it is also one of the most technically challenging and unforgiving aspects of spaceflight, where minor errors or anomalies can result in the destruction of costly satellites or the loss of life.
