Abstract
Earth-to-orbit vehicle studies of future replacements for the Space Shuttle are needed to guide technology development. Previous studies that have examined single-stage vehicles have shown advantages for dual-fuel propulsion. Previous two-stage system studies have assumed all-hydrogen fuel for the orbiters. The present study examined dual-fuel orbiters and found that the system dry mass could be reduced with this concept. The possibility of staging the booster at a staging velocity low enough to allow coastback to the launch site ts shown to be beneficial, particularly in combination with a dual-fuel orbiter. An engine evaluation indicated the same ranking of engines as a previous single-stage study. Propane and RP-1 fuels result in lower vehicle dry mass than methane, and staged-combustion engines are preferred over gas-generator engines. The sensitivity to the engine selection is less for two-stage systems than for single-stage systems.
Published Version
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