Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science

Re-usable Launch Vehicles: a wrong "good idea" ?
Raoul — (archived)

None of the next generation rockets planned are ELVs....(expendable)

Most of the costs of a space system involve the equipments, their integration and verifications.
The equipments are meant for a short life. Extending their lifespan will render them more expensive and less performing.
Re-use means increasing verifications. Only structural components could be envisaged for re-use, but they are a small fraction of a launch cost. For re-use, an important item is the thermal protection and that turned out to be the Shuttle's weakest link.
Recovering, cleaning, checking, refurbishing a launcher is more expensive than building an expendable one by the dozen.
Besides, recovering means wings, wheels, parachutes that all reduce the launcher's performances.

We're still years away from a true RLV...If one will ever exist.

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