Performance of air-breathing launch vehicles is investigated. A simple set of 'alpha-beta' relations are used at the core of some simple trajectory, propulsion and structural models, to obtain qualitative information about possible design directions. Only single-stage-to-orbit vehicles are discussed for reasons of brevity. Optimum vehicle types are suggested. For example, optimum air-breathing termination velocity emerges for a class of vehicles attempting to enter the high-hypersonic regime. Some propulsion systems and strategies are discussed. It is concluded that the 'alpha-beta' relations are useful and that with careful optimisation, performance gains over all-rocket SSTO vehicles could be reached.


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    Title :

    Optimum directions for air-breathing launch vehicle design


    Additional title:

    Optimale Entwicklungsrichtungen fuer die Konzipierung von luftansaugenden Raumfahrzeugen


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    AIAA-Papers ; Jul ; 1-9


    Publication date :

    1987


    Size :

    9 Seiten, 4 Bilder, 4 Tabellen, 16 Quellen


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English







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