Single stage launch vehicles, and the facility of reusuable systems as an alternative space shuttle were evaluated. The philosophy, design features, and flight operations of the BETA design concept, that combines features of Saturn, Apollo, and LM, and that is based on known technology, are presented. A design example for minimum possible size shows a payload of 2T for a 200 km/28.5 deg arc orbit with a 130T launch weight. For a 10T payload, the launch mass is 350T. It is shown that, from the point of view of development cost and operational simplicity, the single stage ballistic concept is superior to other solutions, and is therefore of special importance for European space transportation economics.
Ballistic Single Stage Carrier Vehicle (BETA): A Single Stage Reusable Ballistic Space Shuttle Concept
1987
4 pages
Report
No indication
English
Space Launch Vehicles & Support Equipment , Manned Spacecraft , Reusable launch vehicles , Reusable spacecraft , Single stage rocket vehicles , Space transportation system , Ballistic trajectories , Cost analysis , Economic analysis , Payload mass ratio , Product development , Reentry vehicles , Foreign technology