Jupiter (DIRECT v3.0) 130 Cargo 8.4m

DIRECT v3.0 Jupiter-130

Mission Profile

The Jupiter-130 Cargo 8.4m was a DIRECT v3.0 concept for a crew and cargo launch vehicle based on the Jupiter-130 two-stage configuration fitted with an 8.4 m diameter payload fairing matching the full Jupiter-246 infrastructure. Standing 94 m tall with an 8.4 m diameter core and projected to deliver 70,000 kg to LEO, it was proposed as a direct, cost-effective replacement for NASA's Ares I for crew rotation missions. The DIRECT team argued that designing to the larger 8.4 m fairing from the outset would allow the same rocket to later serve as a cargo launcher, eliminating the need for separate crewed and cargo launch vehicle development.