Why Rockets do not glide back?
Why do not the rockets after stage separation, glide back to Earth with wings?
Is retro propulsion a better idea than gliding rockets back to 'Earth'? The way Energia-II was supposed to perform...
energia
asked 7 hours ago
Red Orbiter 10.1
141
add a comment |
Why do not the rockets after stage separation, glide back to Earth with wings?
Is retro propulsion a better idea than gliding rockets back to 'Earth'? The way Energia-II was supposed to perform...
energia
asked 7 hours ago
Red Orbiter 10.1
141
add a comment |
Why do not the rockets after stage separation, glide back to Earth with wings?
Is retro propulsion a better idea than gliding rockets back to 'Earth'? The way Energia-II was supposed to perform...
energia
asked 7 hours ago
Red Orbiter 10.1
141
Why do not the rockets after stage separation, glide back to Earth with wings?
Is retro propulsion a better idea than gliding rockets back to 'Earth'? The way Energia-II was supposed to perform...
energia
energia
asked 7 hours ago
Red Orbiter 10.1
141
asked 7 hours ago
Red Orbiter 10.1
141
asked 7 hours ago
Red Orbiter 10.1
141
asked 7 hours ago
Red Orbiter 10.1
141
asked 7 hours ago
Red Orbiter 10.1
141
141
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
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oldest
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As with most things space, it all comes down to tradeoffs. The most efficient rocket is one that is purely expendable and has no mass that does not contribute to getting the payload towards orbit.
If the aim is to reuse the rocket it needs a mechanism to achieve control in the upper atmosphere, a method to control decent rate and a method to achieve a landing that does not destroy the hardware(or just tough hardware). And do all of this without increasing the risk of the launch itself failing due to hardware for the return.
Wings are a partial option, they work well for achieving a controllable decent rate, but they do not do much useful at high altitude and need additional supporting hardware (wheels/runway/airbags etc) to achieve a soft touchdown and a fair bit of flight control smarts.
Using the existing rocket engine is less efficient than using wings, but it is something that is already there on the rocket and give you a system with extra capability in expendable mode.
So the final decision involves a lot of trade offs that often have much to do with seemingly minor details and less on perfection of a single aspect. For example SpaceX has ambitions on the moon and mars, and both of those require mastering powered descent rather than wings.
Related questions/answers
SpaceX decision making
Wings during ascent
Plans to have wings on SRBs
answered 6 hours ago
GremlinWranger
1,460112
You probably mean "descent rate" instead of "descent rate"
– Kakturus
10 mins ago
add a comment |
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
As with most things space, it all comes down to tradeoffs. The most efficient rocket is one that is purely expendable and has no mass that does not contribute to getting the payload towards orbit.
If the aim is to reuse the rocket it needs a mechanism to achieve control in the upper atmosphere, a method to control decent rate and a method to achieve a landing that does not destroy the hardware(or just tough hardware). And do all of this without increasing the risk of the launch itself failing due to hardware for the return.
Wings are a partial option, they work well for achieving a controllable decent rate, but they do not do much useful at high altitude and need additional supporting hardware (wheels/runway/airbags etc) to achieve a soft touchdown and a fair bit of flight control smarts.
Using the existing rocket engine is less efficient than using wings, but it is something that is already there on the rocket and give you a system with extra capability in expendable mode.
So the final decision involves a lot of trade offs that often have much to do with seemingly minor details and less on perfection of a single aspect. For example SpaceX has ambitions on the moon and mars, and both of those require mastering powered descent rather than wings.
Related questions/answers
SpaceX decision making
Wings during ascent
Plans to have wings on SRBs
answered 6 hours ago
GremlinWranger
1,460112
You probably mean "descent rate" instead of "descent rate"
– Kakturus
10 mins ago
add a comment |
As with most things space, it all comes down to tradeoffs. The most efficient rocket is one that is purely expendable and has no mass that does not contribute to getting the payload towards orbit.
If the aim is to reuse the rocket it needs a mechanism to achieve control in the upper atmosphere, a method to control decent rate and a method to achieve a landing that does not destroy the hardware(or just tough hardware). And do all of this without increasing the risk of the launch itself failing due to hardware for the return.
Wings are a partial option, they work well for achieving a controllable decent rate, but they do not do much useful at high altitude and need additional supporting hardware (wheels/runway/airbags etc) to achieve a soft touchdown and a fair bit of flight control smarts.
Using the existing rocket engine is less efficient than using wings, but it is something that is already there on the rocket and give you a system with extra capability in expendable mode.
So the final decision involves a lot of trade offs that often have much to do with seemingly minor details and less on perfection of a single aspect. For example SpaceX has ambitions on the moon and mars, and both of those require mastering powered descent rather than wings.
Related questions/answers
SpaceX decision making
Wings during ascent
Plans to have wings on SRBs
answered 6 hours ago
GremlinWranger
1,460112
You probably mean "descent rate" instead of "descent rate"
– Kakturus
10 mins ago
add a comment |
As with most things space, it all comes down to tradeoffs. The most efficient rocket is one that is purely expendable and has no mass that does not contribute to getting the payload towards orbit.
If the aim is to reuse the rocket it needs a mechanism to achieve control in the upper atmosphere, a method to control decent rate and a method to achieve a landing that does not destroy the hardware(or just tough hardware). And do all of this without increasing the risk of the launch itself failing due to hardware for the return.
Wings are a partial option, they work well for achieving a controllable decent rate, but they do not do much useful at high altitude and need additional supporting hardware (wheels/runway/airbags etc) to achieve a soft touchdown and a fair bit of flight control smarts.
Using the existing rocket engine is less efficient than using wings, but it is something that is already there on the rocket and give you a system with extra capability in expendable mode.
So the final decision involves a lot of trade offs that often have much to do with seemingly minor details and less on perfection of a single aspect. For example SpaceX has ambitions on the moon and mars, and both of those require mastering powered descent rather than wings.
Related questions/answers
SpaceX decision making
Wings during ascent
Plans to have wings on SRBs
answered 6 hours ago
GremlinWranger
1,460112
As with most things space, it all comes down to tradeoffs. The most efficient rocket is one that is purely expendable and has no mass that does not contribute to getting the payload towards orbit.
If the aim is to reuse the rocket it needs a mechanism to achieve control in the upper atmosphere, a method to control decent rate and a method to achieve a landing that does not destroy the hardware(or just tough hardware). And do all of this without increasing the risk of the launch itself failing due to hardware for the return.
Wings are a partial option, they work well for achieving a controllable decent rate, but they do not do much useful at high altitude and need additional supporting hardware (wheels/runway/airbags etc) to achieve a soft touchdown and a fair bit of flight control smarts.
Using the existing rocket engine is less efficient than using wings, but it is something that is already there on the rocket and give you a system with extra capability in expendable mode.
So the final decision involves a lot of trade offs that often have much to do with seemingly minor details and less on perfection of a single aspect. For example SpaceX has ambitions on the moon and mars, and both of those require mastering powered descent rather than wings.
Related questions/answers
SpaceX decision making
Wings during ascent
Plans to have wings on SRBs
answered 6 hours ago
GremlinWranger
1,460112
answered 6 hours ago
GremlinWranger
1,460112
answered 6 hours ago
GremlinWranger
1,460112
answered 6 hours ago
GremlinWranger
1,460112
1,460112
You probably mean "descent rate" instead of "descent rate"
– Kakturus
10 mins ago
add a comment |
You probably mean "descent rate" instead of "descent rate"
– Kakturus
10 mins ago
You probably mean "descent rate" instead of "descent rate"
– Kakturus
10 mins ago
You probably mean "descent rate" instead of "descent rate"
– Kakturus
10 mins ago
add a comment |
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