Launch systems can be combined with reusable orbiters. Only the Space Shuttle has achieved a partial reuse of the orbital insertion stage, by using the engines of its orbiter. So far, launch systems achieve orbital insertion with multistaged rockets, particularly with the second and third stages. For suborbital flight the SpaceShipTwo uses for liftoff a carrier plane, its mothership the Scaled Composites White Knight Two. An example of this configuration is the Orbital Sciences Pegasus. Such aircraft can air launch expendable rockets and can because of that be considered partially reusable systems if the aircraft is thought of as the first stage of the launch vehicle. Existing examples are systems which employ winged horizontal jet-engine powered liftoff. Other than that a range of non-rocket liftoff systems have been proposed and explored over time as reusable systems for liftoff, from balloons to space elevators. Partial reusable launch systems, in the form of multiple stage to orbit systems have been so far the only reusable configurations in use.Įxisting reusable launch systems use rocket-propelled vertical liftoff. Įarlier plans to run tests of enhanced reusability on the second stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 were set aside in 2018. Blue Origin, with Project Jarvis, began development work by early 2021, but has announced no date for testing, nor even been public with their plans. Relativity Space, with their Terran R beginning development by 2021, is aiming to make an initial orbital launch test by 2024. SpaceX, with their SpaceX Starship, has been in development since 2016 and is aiming to make an initial test flight of a part of the system capabilities as early as 2022. Each of them is working on a two-stage-to-orbit system. Three companies are currently in development to achieve fully-reusable launch vehicles as of July 2021. Fully-reusable launch vehicles could theoretically be single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicles, as well as multi-stage-to orbit systems. Reusable launch systems may be either fully- or partially-reusable.Īs of June 2022, fully-reusable orbital systems have yet to be built and made operational. Many launch vehicles are now expected to debut with reusability in the 2020s, such as Starship, New Glenn, Amur, Ariane Next, and Long March rockets. The rise of private spaceflight companies in the 2000s and 2010s lead to a resurgence of their development, such as in SpaceShipOne, New Shepard, Electron, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy. However, in the 1990s, due to both programs' failure to meet expectations, reusable launch vehicle concepts were reduced to prototype testing. In the 1960s and 1970s, the first reusable launch vehicles were manufactured, named the Space Shuttle and Energia. Since at least in the early 20th century, single-stage-to-orbit reusable launch vehicles have existed in science fiction. Some concepts rely on ground infrastructures such as mass drivers to accelerate the launch vehicle beforehand. Reusable parts may also need specialized recovery facilities such as runways or autonomous spaceport drone ships. In the atmosphere, parachutes or retrorockets may also be needed to slow down it further. By modifying their shape, spaceplanes can leverage aviation mechanics to aid in its recovery, such as gliding or lift. Reused parts may need to enter the atmosphere and navigate through it, so they are often equipped with heat shields, grid fins, and other flight control surfaces. Reusable launch vehicles may contain additional avionics and propellant, making them heavier than their expendable counterparts. However, these benefits are diminished by the cost of recovery and refurbishment. Reusable launch vehicles do not need to make these parts for each launch, therefore reducing its launch cost significantly. Smaller parts such as rocket engines and boosters can also be reused, though reusable spacecraft may be launched on top of an expendable launch vehicle. Rocket stages are the most common launch vehicle parts aimed for reuse. A reusable launch vehicle have parts that can be recovered and reflown, while carrying payloads from the surface to outer space.
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