Aspects of Earth-to-orbit delivery are discussed and a cost analysis of the logistic operation and the cost of orbital operations are presented. Probabilities of success of orbital delivery and the operational and economic aspects of establishing large orbital installations and maintaining a large transportation volume in the 1975/85 time period are compared for the two cases using a large number of Saturn V versus a smaller number of 1-stage chemical Post-Saturn launch vehicles. Performance parameters of chemical, chemonuclear and nuclear launch vehicles are compared. The concept of a blunt launch vehicle configuration referred to as NEXUS is presented in detail. Applications of this configuration to chemonuclear propulsion and to a 50 ft diameter version of Saturn V with recoverable first stage are discussed.
