Abstract
An efficiency analysis of basic types of reusable aerospace launchers is made. The criteria used are the ratio of payload mass to launch mass of the vehicle as well as the ratio of mechanical energy acquired by the payload to fuel chemical energy. The second criterion correlates well with payload launch cost as it is followed from estimates performed. It is shown that two-stage aerospace planes with a high stage-separation speed ( M = 12–12.5), which incorporate novel technologies based on using aerothermodynamic properties of hypersonic flow, are several times more effective than other known reusable launchers. In addition, such vehicles may ensure qualitatively higher flexibility of the space transportation system permitting offset launches to be performed with flight ranges of 3000–6500 km. Single-stage aerospace planes of the comparable technological level cannot be created at all.
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