Abstract
Current Space Launch Vehicles use chemical reactions (solid and liquid propellants) to achieve suffi cient thrust to launch artifacts and humans into space. Propulsion technologies can be framed in three different categories: “escape propulsion”, “in-space propulsion”, and “deep space propulsion”. The launch vehicles currently used for “escape propulsion” rely on mature technologies, which experienced only small incremental improvements over the last fi ve decades, and breakthroughs for this kind of propulsion are not foreseen for the next two decades. This research gathered information on the main operational heavy-lift space launch vehicles with capacity over 5,000 kg that are used to reach GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit) by the United States, Russia, Europe, China, Japan and India and compared their thrust capability. The results show that performance was improved mainly by adding boosters, increasing gross propellant weight, with larger diameter rocket motors and using more effi cient liquid propellant pairs. Information regarding the frequency of published scientifi c articles and patents on Space Vehicles Propulsion Systems since the 1960s was also gathered, which demonstrates some progress in the last years, mainly in USA and Europe. “In-space” and “Deep space” spacecraft were also briefl y examined in this article, resuming the main features of some new promising developments, mainly regarding the latter, which present prospects of signifi cant technological advances; however, real progress in interplanetary missions will be possible only when technological breakthroughs towards other propulsion types become possible and feasible. So, two questions motivated the authors: why space propulsion development seems stagnant? Are there prospects for progress?
Highlights
ABsTracT: Current Space Launch Vehicles use chemical reactions to achieve sufficient thrust to launch artifacts and humans into space
Today there are few thousand satellites in orbit that form the backbone of Earth communications system; space probes have visited every planet of the solar system, as well as some asteroids and comets, and some were even sent outside the solar system
Modern literature of space technology often distinguishes the spacecraft propulsion according to the region of space foreseen for their movement, and more frequently, we find the following terms that represent these space regions, such as “In-Space”, “Deep Space” and “Outer Space”
Summary
Johnson et al (2013) have shown a roadmap with the top ten technical challenges for “in space” propulsion systems identified and prioritized by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) based on perceived mission needs or potential impact on future “in-space” transportation systems These challenges were categorized into near (present to 2016), mid (2017-2022), and long-term (2023-2028) time frames, as presented, representing the point at which Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL-6) is expected to be achieved. These changes include: replacing the aluminum structure of Vehicle Equipment Bay (VEB) with a lighter composite version; a new separation system for VEB and main stage to reduce the separation shock; new electrical equipment and components. Since 2003, Ariane 5 has been upgraded for increased reliability and liftoff capability, and is expected to remain one of the world’s principal launch vehicles in the foreseeable future
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