The use of an ultra-light class rockets to launch payloads into high-energy orbits


Аuthors

Kuznetsov Y. L.*, Vladimirov A. V.

Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, 18, Novozavodskaya St., Moscow, 121087, Russia

*e-mail: kuznetsovyury@mail.ru

Abstract

The article is devoted to the substantiation of the design appearance of a universal ultra-light class rockets (ULCR), the class of small satellites (SmS) of mass under 1000 kg, which is designed to launch payloads (PL) into working orbits. The creation of a ULCR is important due to the deployment of multi-satellite space systems (SpS) on the base of SmS in near-Earth orbits up to 1000 km high. A special feature of the SmS is the limited time of active existence: up to 5-6 years. Therefore, in order to maintain the operational characteristics of the SpS, it will be necessary to regularly launch single SmS using the ULCR into specified orbital planes to replace failed SmS. According to the results of a systematic analysis of technical and economic indicators, the lower starting mass of a ULCR is, the higher unit cost of launching PL is. Moreover, the unit cost of launching ultra-light solid boosters is higher (in 2-2.2 times) than launching liquid ones, that is why the development of the latter is more preferable. Therefore, the rational use of the energy capabilities of a ULCR, due to the mass of the PL placed into a working orbit, takes a ULCR to be created in at least two versions with significantly different energy levels. The first version is intended for launching a “small-lift” class SmS of mass under 150-200 kg into working orbits, and the second one is for launching a “medium-lift” and “heavy-lift” classes SmS of mass under 500-900 kg.
We’ve considered the ways of improving the energy capabilities of a light vehicle (LV), including optimizing the launch scheme and the design parameters of the stages, as well as improving the accuracy of launching a SmS into a working orbit by adding to a ULCR a small-sized booster with a multistep firing propulsion operating on high-boiling fuel components. The possibility of launching a SmS into high-energy orbits, for example, into a 12-hour highly elliptical orbit, as well as into the orbit of an artificial lunar satellite (OALS) is justified to expand the scope of application of a ULCR. A multi-pulse scheme of an escape orbit is used for increasing the mass of the PL launching to the OALS, that scheme minimizes gravitational losses of characteristic velocity with a certain increase in flight time. It is proposed to integrate the equipment into a booster using its on-board systems to ensure the operation of the equipment on a working orbit, which will increase its mass by 1.5-1.7 times, in order to increase the efficiency of the SpS of the SmS on the OALS depending on the mass of the target equipment.
According to the results of the formation of the optimal design appearance of the LV and the layout of the PL, the possibility of creating a ULCR with expanded operational capabilities is shown, that should provide not only the launch of SmS of mass under 800 kg into circular polar orbits, but also the launching of SmS of mass under 200 kg into a 12-hour elliptical orbit, as well as the delivery of target equipment weighing 30 kg to the OALS. Thus, it becomes possible to use the ULCR in the lunar manned program for the near real-time deployment and maintenance of SpS, which provide monitoring of the lunar surface, navigation and telecommunications.

Keywords:

Small satellites, ultra-light class rockets, the design appearance of LV, high-energy orbit, energy and mass characteristics, the orbit of an artificial lunar satellite

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