PREREQUISITES FOR CREATING ULTRA-LIGHT LAUNCH VEHICLES WITH POLYMER BODIES

Abstract

The relevance of the problem of creating new light and ultra-light launch vehicles from the point of view of the development of the modern space industry is shown. First of all, this problem is related to the expansion of the market and the scope of use of small satellites, most of which are now launched into orbit as passing load by medium and heavy launch vehicles, which is not at all prompt and too expensive. The estimated forecast of the small satellite launch market, which is presented herein, indicates a growing demand for their launch services. A low-cost launch vehicle for the launch of small satellites would greatly expand their use, development, and production. This indicates the need for creation of special-purpose cheap transport vehicles for the operative decision of tasks of launching such satellites into orbit. It is shown that the main directions for increasing the efficiency and reducing the cost of launches are reducing the cost of making a transport space system, increasing of mass the payload, increasing the multiplicity of reusable uses, and reducing one-time costs per start. World trends in solving this problem are connected with the solution problem of creating ultra-light launch vehicles. The historical review of studies on prototype rockets that use the principle of reducing the mass of a launch vehicle during flight by burning spent structural elements indicates the possibility of creating launch vehicles on this principle by using complex hydrocarbon polymers as structural materials. It is shown that polymer materials, in particular polyethylene, can become the main material for the manufacture of fuel tanks for solid rockets, which use the new principle of burning the design during flight. The use of fuel tanks as fuel will give a possibility to reduce the cost of the propulsion system, which is one of the most expensive parts of the launch vehicle. The development of such launch vehicles and the commercialization of scientific research will allow domestic aerospace companies to occupy a niche in the market of small satellite launches.