A major objective of next generation reusable launch vehicle (RLV) programs includes significant improvements in vehicle safety, reliability, and operational costs. In this paper, trajectory generation on approach/landing (A&L) for RLVs using motion primitives (MPs) and neighboring optimal control (NOC) is discussed. The proposed trajectory generation approach at A&L phase is based on an MP sch...

portunity to reduce launch costs, and improve safety and reliability was to develop a fully reusable single-stage-to-orbit vehicle capable of delivering 25,000 lb to the International Space Station. The study identified many technologies that had to be matured before a commitment could be made to build such a vehicle. NASA accepted the recommendation and the need for new technology as the key t...

A number of inventors and entrepreneurs are currently attempting to develop and commercially operate reusable launch vehicles to carry voluntary participants into space. To reduce the risk to the public in the operation of these vehicles, a launch vehicle operator typically performs analyses to identify safety measures and develop safety requirements. The focus of these safety efforts has histo...

It is generally assumed by the community that reusable launch vehicles will dramatically reduce launch costs because you don’t “throw away the vehicle” every time it is used. However, this is usually taken as an element of faith, without any substantive analysis to support the conclusion. The example of the Space Shuttle, originally sold to Congress on the basis of dramatically cutting launch c...

* Graduate Research Assistant. Student Member AIAA. † Professor. Fellow AIAA. ‡ Lockheed Martin Assistant Professor of Avionics Integration. Member AIAA. Future reusable launch vehicles must be designed to fly a wide spectrum of missions and survive numerous types of failures. The X-33 Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator is used as a simulation platform for testing a neural network-...

Two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO) hypersonic vehicle is considered one of the most promising next-generation reusable launch (RLV) systems for its efficiency and reliability, but safe separation two-body system determines success TSTO missions. Hypersonic flows around a TSTO-like are studied by CFD (computational fluid dynamics) dynamic simulations at Mach 7. The model, which consists two three-dimensi...