Investigation of the landing dynamics of a reusable launch vehicle and derivation of dimension loading for the landing leg

Abstract

The EU has deemed it crucial to maintain its own independent access to space. To foster the European industry competitiveness, the cost of the European launch systems needs to be reduced and flexibility needs to be improved. The development of reusable launch vehicle (RLV) is currently changing the global market of space transportation systems and is promising immense cost savings. Within this context, MT Aerospace has been investigating the configurations and possible solutions for landing structures at touch-down in the European Funded H2020 project RETALT. This includes the down-selection of previous designs to the current configuration for RETALT1 (Marwege et al. in System definition report, 2022) and the corresponding architecture of the structural landing leg. A screening of the overall requirements down to driving parameters which have the most significant impact on the structural design is done. Landing events like “nominal” simultaneously four leg touch-down landings and critical single leg manoeuvres are analysed to evaluated safe configurations for landing. These investigations have a major influence on the specification of the launcher.