The Cost-Optimal size of future reusable launch vehicles

摘要

the paper answers the question, what is the optimum vehicle size - in terms of LEO pay- load capability - for a future reusable launch vehicle? It is shown that there exists an optimum vehicle size that results in Minimum specific transportation cost, the optimum vehicle size depends on the total annual cargo mass (SEO equivalent) enviseaged, which defines at the same tie the optimum number of launches per year (lpa). Based on the TRANSCOST-Model algorithms a wide range of vehicle sizes - from 20 to 100 Mg payload in LEO, as well as launch rates - from 2 to 100 per year - have been investigated.