UNIT - I

Launch and Launch Vehicles

 Contents
• Satellite block diagram
• Satellite Orbit
• Kepler’s law of Planetary motion
• Elliptical orbit in the circumscribed circle
• Right ascension and Declination
• Right ascension of the Ascending node and Inclination
• Argument of Perigee West
• Azimuth and Elevation Angle
• Launch and Launch Vehicles
Satellite Block Diagram
 Satellite Orbit
• Polar, Inclined, Equatorial, Geo-stationary and Geo-
synchronous Orbit
Kepler’s Law of Planetary Motion
 Location of Satellite in Orbit
• Elliptical Orbit in the CC
Location of the satellite w.r.t earth
RA of the ascending node and Inclination
…..
Azimuth and Elevation Angle
 Multi-stage Rocket Launchers

• A multistage (or multi-stage) rocket is a rocket that uses two or

more stages, each of which contains its own engines and propellant.
• A tandem or serial stage is mounted on top of another stage;
a parallel stage is attached alongside another stage.
• The result is effectively two or more rockets stacked on top of or
attached next to each other.
• Taken together these are sometimes called a launch vehicle.
• Two-stage rockets are quite common, but rockets with as many as
five separate stages have been successfully launched. By jettisoning
stages when they run out of propellant, the mass of the remaining
rocket is decreased.
• This staging allows the thrust of the remaining stages to more easily
accelerate the rocket to its final speed and height.
 …..
• In serial or tandem staging schemes, the first stage is at the bottom
and is usually the largest, the second stage and subsequent upper
stages are above it, usually decreasing in size.
• In parallel staging schemes solid or liquid rocket boosters are used
to assist with lift-off. These are sometimes referred to as "stage 0".
• In the typical case, the first-stage and booster engines fire to propel
the entire rocket upwards.
• The first stage then burns to completion and falls off.
• This leaves a smaller rocket, with the second stage on the bottom,
which then fires.
• Known in rocketry circles as staging, this process is repeated until
the final stage's motor burns to completion.
• In some cases with serial staging, the upper stage ignites before the
separation- the interstage ring is designed with this in mind, and the
thrust is used to help positively separate the two vehicles.
 Parameters to consider
• A satellite cannot be placed into a satellite orbit unless two
parameters named Velocity vector and Orbital height are coupled
together.
• For a GEO satellite, the orbit must be at a height of 35,786.06 km
above the surface of the earth, with zero inclination and ellipticity
with an angular velocity of 3074.7 m/s.
• Largest fraction of energy is spent to put the satellite to a height of
32 km above the earth.
• The excess mass from the launcher has to he shed off at it moves
upward further.
• A multistage launcher with the final stage at the desired trajectory
will expend and expel the other portions as each corresponding
stages are completed.
• Expendable Launch Vehicle (ELV)
• Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) – where the solid rocket boosters
expelled out are recovered and refurbished for future missions.
Launch Vehicle - stages
Launch Vehicle – Components
Schematic of Launch
 Launch Vehicle Selection Factors

Launch Vehicle Selection Factors Decision Making Factors

Price/cost Cost to Manufacturer
Reliability Performance, or throw-weight to
Dependable launch schedule orbit
Performance Reliability
Spacecraft fit to launcher Schedule Dependability
Flight proven Market forces
Safety Issues Insurance
Launch site location
Availability
Market Issues
 Placing Satellites into Geostationary Orbit
• It can be of:
– Geostationary Transfer Orbit and AKM
• AKM is used to circularize the orbit at GEO as well as to
remove any inclination error so that final orbit is close to GEO
– Geostationary Transfer Orbit with Slow Orbit Raising
• Spacecraft Thrusters are used here over large number of burns
• Two power level of Thrusters (powerful orbit raising maneuvers
and Low thrust (on orbit) maneuvers)
• The burns are typically 60 – 80 min long on successive with a
maximum of 6 orbits.
(The excess energy of the orbit due to the higher-than-necessary altitude
at apogee can be traded for energy required to raise the perigee. )
– Direct Insertion to GEO
GTO and AKM
GTO with Slow Orbit Raising
QUESTIONS