Reusable Launch Vehicle Design Implications for Regeneration Time

摘要

In last few years the Air Force Research Laboratory sponsored several research projects on Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLV) whose design, operation, and logistics requirements are intended to be much simpler than the Space Shuttle. Previous researchers developed a model that simulated the post- landing, ground maintenance and prelaunch operations of a RLV in order to evaluate how its design parameters affect the logistics operations. However, the next step was to investigate the effects and interactions of all the factors used in the existing simulation model in a single experiment that deals with the huge number of possible design characteristics. combinations discovered in previous studies and varying resources like manpower, ground support equipment and facilities. The goal of this research is to recommend to the AFRL a preferred design strategy that could minimize the resource requirements in terms of equipment and manpower as well as turnaround time of logistics operations.