Chrysler’s Innovative Space Shuttle Concept Anticipated 50 Years Ahead

As subsequent space initiatives dwindled due to budget constraints, prompted by cuts during the Nixon era, Chrysler continued its aspiration to secure a portion of NASA’s funding. Leveraging its expertise in spacecraft manufacturing, Chrysler sought to persevere in this domain. The opportunity presented itself with the advent of the Shuttle Program in 1972.

Recognizing the need to compete with industry heavyweights such as Boeing, Grumman, and Lockheed, Chrysler embarked on designing its own concept for a space shuttle. The outcome was a spacecraft characterized by its extraordinary appearance and unique operational approach, featuring a single-stage configuration powered by unconventional aerospike engines, capable of ballistic self-landing back on Earth. 

Dubbed the SERV, this groundbreaking design, if realized, would have outpaced SpaceX by over five decades.

The start of Chrysler’s aerospace involvement coincided with the escalation of the Cold War in the early 1950s. As the U.S. government sought an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) in response to the heightened tensions, the U.S. Army’s Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA), led by Wernher Von Braun, enlisted one of its primary wartime collaborators, Chrysler, for the task. Within a short span, Chrysler delivered the Redstone missile family, primarily derived from German designs, marking a significant milestone for the U.S. These missiles were repurposed for the Mercury program, facilitating the inaugural manned missions to space.

Subsequently, Chrysler took on the task of constructing rockets for the Apollo program, culminating in the formidable Saturn V in 1961. Although equipped for the entire rocket assembly, Chrysler opted for subcontracting other manufacturers such as Boeing, North American, and Douglas to expedite the process by building the additional stages.

However, as the moon missions concluded, the budget allocated to NASA under the Nixon Administration dwindled. Public interest in space exploration waned, leading to a reduction in available funds for space projects, leaving the Shuttle Program as the sole venture supported by the remaining budget.

The acronym SERV represents Single-stage Earth-orbital Reusable Vehicle, and it was the booster concept by Chrysler for the Space Shuttle Program. MURP, on the other hand, stands for Manned Upper-stage Reusable Payload, which served as the cargo and passenger-carrying part of the system. The SERV was responsible for launching the MURP into space, similar to how the cargo-carrying space shuttle rode atop powerful rocket boosters.

Even though the initial design delivery from the Detroit automaker was in November of 1969, the Shuttle narrative had its origins six years earlier, in 1963, with NASA commissioning three studies on reusable spacecraft. A multitude of aerospace companies such as Lockheed, Grumman, and Boeing conducted extensive development work between 1963 and 1970, placing Chrysler at a developmental disadvantage. To compensate for this setback, Chrysler’s design took a futuristic and unconventional approach.

The SERV boasts an unconventional shape for a rocket, resembling a ballistic acorn. This distinct shape is attributed to its futuristic features, notably the aerospike engine.

The concept of the aerospike engine is not entirely novel. Rocketdyne had been experimenting with them since the 1960s, and they exhibit higher efficiency than traditional rocket engines. The standout feature is that regular bell-shaped rocket nozzles are optimized for specific altitudes, a limitation averted by the aerospike engine which leverages the atmosphere as a nozzle, ensuring optimal efficiency irrespective of altitude.

The primary hindrance to the utilization of aerospike engines today is simply the cost, not of the engines themselves but of their development. Reports indicate that over $500 million were invested by NASA and Rocketdyne into an engine that lacked the proven track record of traditional bell-nozzled rockets. For comparison, the total development cost of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle, inclusive of the engines, was around $390 million. This financial constraint is one of the reasons why Chrysler’s SERV remained a conceptual project. The annular aerospike engine would have demanded extensive resources and time for development at a period where NASA was already financially constrained. This factor also explains why contemporary companies like SpaceX opt for different engine technologies.

The acorn-like shape of the SERV holds significance as it was designed for reusability. This design aspect was inspired by the re-entry capsules of various other spacecraft, such as the Saturn V, Mercury, and Soyuz.

In the initial drawing of the SERV, an area labeled “Turbojet Lift Engines” can be observed. These conventional jet engines, totaling 28, were intended to decelerate the SERV during descent, facilitating a gentle landing. Jet engines, devoid of the need for a liquid oxidizer like rocket engines, were chosen to reduce weight. Adequate air supply was essential for