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Ares(2017)4088744 - 18/08/2017

SMALL INNOVATIVE LAUNCHER FOR EUROPE

LAUNCHER SYSTEM CONC EPT DESIGN WP1

LAUNCHER SYSTEM CONCEPT

DESIGN REPORT (D1.8)

DOC ID: S M L- N L R - LS C D D - P U / 10 02
ISSUE: 2A
DATE: 1 8 . 08 . 20 17
DISSEMINATION: PUBLIC (PU) – FOR GENERAL PUBLIC

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT

Approved for public release.

“This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under
grant agreement No 687242”.

COPYRIGHT © 2016 Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR)

SMALL INNOVATIVE LAUNCHER FOR EUROPE PUBLIC
LAUNCHER SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN ISSUE 2A, 18.08.2017
REPORT (D1.8)

LAUNCHER SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN

REPORT (D1.8)

PUBLISHABLE SUMMARY

DOC ID: S M L- N L R - LS C D D - P U / 10 02
ISSUE: 2A
DATE: 1 8 . 08 . 20 17
D I S S E M I N A T I O N : C O N F I D E N T I A L (C O ) – FOR PROJECT PARTNERS ONLY

Prepared by Reviewed by Approved by

Arnaud van Kleef Bertil Oving Bertil Oving

NLR NLR NLR

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LAUNCHER SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN ISSUE 2A, 18.08.2017
REPORT (D1.8)

Publishable Summary
This report presents the system concept baseline design for a small satellite launch vehicle. It
describes the technical solutions for serving the lower end of the launcher market up to 70 kg class
satellites as described by the business development plan. The solutions include a three-stage hybrid
and a three-stage liquid configuration for which the design approach is mainly bottom-up driven
rather than purely focussing on performance.

The selection for the three-stage hybrid configuration is based on “Get it Working” due to the higher
TRL of the hybrid engines in combination with lower expected costs to provide a feasible and earliest
to market business scenario. Starting with this configuration could provide early commercial revenue
generation for the launch service. Consequently, to move on to “Get it Right” and even “Get it
Optimised” to improve the competitiveness of the launch service, a transition towards a three-stage
liquid configuration is foreseen for which the stages of the two different configurations could be
interchanged by standardising geometry and interchanging structural and avionics components. Such
a variety of launcher configurations supports for a family of launchers to serve both the lower end of
the launcher market as well as the higher end (from 70 kg) up to 200 kg class satellites.

The total length of the three-stage hybrid launcher is about 18.6 m with a varying inner diameter
between 1.8 m/1.6 m /1.4m for the first stage and 1.4 m for the second and third stage. The total
mass of the three-stage hybrid launcher is about 19.7 tons.

The total length of the three-stage liquid launcher is about 18.4 m with inner diameter of 1.4 m for
all stages based on the selection for the hybrid case and to support re-use of components and
manufacturing. The total mass of the three-stage hybrid launcher is about 15.4 tons. Recovery of the
first stage is not taken into account for its design, but a concept feasibility study in terms of system
design and costs has been assessed.

The geometry and mass breakdown of both configurations define the concept design and are a result
of multiple design iterations in coherence with the subsystem level design for engines, structures,
and avionics. These provide the concept design on subsystem level as input for the launcher system
mass breakdown.

The launcher payload capacity for various Sun Synchronous orbit (SSO) altitudes is supported by
trajectory optimisation calculations and provides input to the business development plan.

The payload capacity for a three-stage hybrid varies between 45 kg and 113 kg for respectively 800
km and 300 km. A payload capacity of 69 kg corresponds to a 600 km SSO.

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LAUNCHER SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN ISSUE 2A, 18.08.2017
REPORT (D1.8)

The payload capacity for a three-stage liquid varies between 92 kg and 169 kg for respectively 800
km and 300 km. A payload capacity of 115 kg corresponds to a 600 km SSO.

The effect of introducing uncertainty fractions (±5%, ±10%, ±15%) for the dry mass on the launcher
payload capacity is assessed with respect to the baseline cases. The effect has a major impact on
assessing the launcher’s economic viability so the level of detail needs to be substantial during the
launcher design. For the baseline this level of detail for the hybrid engine dry mass estimation is
expected higher compared with the liquid engine considering a higher Technology Readiness Level
(TRL) for the hybrid engine at this stage of the project. However, liquid engine firing tests as well as
hardware demonstrations for engines, structures and avionics components at a later stage will
improve the overall level of detail for the upcoming design iterations.

Safety on launcher level is assessed by reflecting on the overflight of individual launcher stages,
potential launcher failures, and de-orbit strategy for the upper stage.

For the SSO trajectory of individual stages after separation potential impact point locations are
determined. Thereby, several impact points for the upper stage are determined for fractions of the
burn time to verify whether the impact point is on land or water.

An overview is provided for launcher failure cases caused by hardware, launch, humans and external
events including options to enhance safety.

An indirect de-orbit strategy for the upper stage using multiple burns provides a controllable re-entry
zone over safe regions.

Although recovery is not taken into account for the liquid launcher concept design approach,
potential options for first liquid stage recovery are assessed using retro-propulsion by the main
engines or usage of parachutes in combination with air bag/bed landing systems or mid-air capture
by helicopter. The introduction of a recovery system has impact on the design of the first stage by
requiring additional mass for propellant (i.e. deceleration burns), avionics (i.e. introduction of RCS for
attitude control) and structures (i.e. larger tanks). A cost – benefit estimation concludes that
recovery becomes cost-beneficial if the first stage is used at least five times per year. Recovery can
lead to a cost reduction of the first stage of about 50% if the first stage is re-used for ten times.

For a next design iteration of both launcher configurations a transition towards an integrated
cylindrical tank approach and fairing based on composite sandwich material selection is
recommended to lower the dry mass of the stages and to increase the payload capacity.

For the liquid configuration it is recommended to assess the impact on design and payload capacity
by introducing a turbopump for the second stage instead of a heavier pressure fed system.

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LAUNCHER SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN ISSUE 2A, 18.08.2017
REPORT (D1.8)

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LAUNCHER SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN ISSUE 2A, 18.08.2017
REPORT (D1.8)

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LAUNCHER SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN REPORT (D1.8) ISSUE 2A, 18.08.2017

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