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Reusable spacecraft

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After the spacecraft lands, it may need to be refurbished to prepare it for its next flight. This process may be lengthy and expensive, taking up to a year. And the spacecraft may not be able to be recertified as human-rated after refurbishment. There is eventually a limit on how many times a
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that have been designed with repeated launch, orbit, deorbit and atmospheric reentry in mind. This contrasts with conventional spacecraft which are designed to be expended (thrown away, allowed to burn during reentry) after use. Examples of reusable spacecraft are
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Spacecraft that land horizontally on a runway require wings and undercarriage. These typically consume about 9-12% of the spacecraft mass, which either reduces the payload or increases the size of the spacecraft. Concepts such as
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heat tiles like those used on the Space Shuttle are fragile, and this was proved on the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Making a resistant yet lightweight and effective heat tile poses a challenge. The
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included its own engines, used for deorbiting. Deorbiting slows the spacecraft down, lowering its perigee to inside the atmosphere where the vehicle descends to Earth.
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spacecraft can be refurbished before it has to be retired, but how often a spacecraft can be reused differs significantly between the various spacecraft designs.
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coatings that can withstand multiple thermal cycles constitutes a key requirement in the development of new reusable spacecraft. Current materials for such high
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As a rough rule of thumb, around 15% of the landed weight of an atmospheric reentry vehicle is
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Ablative heat shields are reliable, but they can only be used once, and are heavy.
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High emissivity coatings on fibrous ceramics for reusable space systems
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Comparison of Soyuz, Starliner, Crew Dragon, Orion, and Susie.
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can be accomplished either with parachutes or propulsively.
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requirements. In particular the need for durable high
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Reusable spacecraft include mechanisms to deorbit and
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Spacecraft designed for repeated use and reusability
1368: 168:offer some reduction in wing mass, as does the 143:coatings include transition metal disilicides. 94:in a controlled fashion. For this purpose, the 201: 716: 190:with parachute reusability. Its derivative, 158: 723: 709: 489:Chinese next-generation crewed spacecraft 1133:Chinese reusable experimental spacecraft 494:Chinese reusable experimental spacecraft 260: 155:material was used on the Space Shuttle. 33: 623: 1369: 555:"Dragon – Spacecraft & Satellites" 1109: 746: 704: 598:Chung, Winchell D. Jr. (2011-05-30). 597: 653: 85: 591: 504: 453: 13: 747: 624:Johnson, Sylvia (September 2012). 14: 1393: 398: 256: 206: 19:This article is about reusable 1110: 672: 647: 635: 617: 567: 547: 1: 540: 516: 465: 631:. NASA Ames Research Center. 7: 1267:Ya Guidao Gainian Feixingqi 528: 381: 202:List of reusable spacecraft 10: 1398: 287: 117:Thermal Protection Systems 18: 1349: 1281: 1249: 1203: 1152: 1120: 1116: 1105: 966: 940: 815: 786: 757: 753: 742: 482: 211: 159:Landing and refurbishment 80: 148:Reinforced carbon-carbon 121:reinforced carbon-carbon 1059:Reusable Booster System 1049:Liquid Fly-back Booster 732:Reusable launch systems 1262:Goodyear Meteor Junior 796:(orbiter and boosters) 644:Corrosion Science 2019 535:Reusable launch system 266: 92:reenter the atmosphere 63:Space Shuttle orbiters 45: 41:landing from orbit on 29:Reusable launch system 1189:Space Shuttle orbiter 388:Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar 351:(never flew in space) 311:Space Shuttle orbiter 264: 174:Space Shuttle orbiter 39:Space Shuttle orbiter 37: 1377:Reusable spacecraft 1160:Buran-class orbiter 1001:Energia II (Uragan) 341:Destroyed in flight 329:Destroyed in flight 294:North American X-15 50:reusable spacecraft 898:Rocket Lab Neutron 267: 186:was an example of 125:ablative materials 46: 1364: 1363: 1345: 1344: 1341: 1340: 1228:Orel (spacecraft) 1101: 1100: 1097: 1096: 909:Starship (SpaceX) 654:Thompson, Loren. 180:Vertical landings 86:Atmospheric entry 1389: 1211:Boeing Starliner 1118: 1117: 1107: 1106: 914:Stoke Space Nova 863:8R (first stage) 860:6X (first stage) 755: 754: 744: 743: 725: 718: 711: 702: 701: 695: 694: 692: 691: 676: 670: 669: 667: 666: 651: 645: 639: 633: 632: 630: 621: 615: 614: 612: 611: 606:. 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For distinct 17: 12: 11: 5: 1395: 1385: 1384: 1379: 1362: 1361: 1359: 1358: 1350: 1347: 1346: 1343: 1342: 1339: 1338: 1336: 1335: 1332:SpaceShipThree 1329: 1323: 1317: 1312: 1307: 1302: 1296: 1291: 1285: 1283: 1279: 1278: 1276: 1275: 1270: 1264: 1259: 1253: 1251: 1247: 1246: 1244: 1243: 1237: 1231: 1225: 1219: 1214: 1207: 1205: 1204:In development 1201: 1200: 1198: 1197: 1191: 1186: 1180: 1174: 1168: 1162: 1156: 1154: 1150: 1149: 1147: 1146: 1141: 1136: 1130: 1124: 1122: 1114: 1113: 1103: 1102: 1099: 1098: 1095: 1094: 1092: 1091: 1086: 1081: 1076: 1071: 1066: 1061: 1056: 1051: 1046: 1041: 1036: 1028: 1023: 1018: 1013: 1008: 1003: 998: 993: 987: 981: 976: 970: 968: 964: 963: 961: 960: 958:Saturn-Shuttle 955: 950: 944: 942: 938: 937: 935: 934: 928: 922: 916: 911: 906: 901: 895: 890: 884: 878: 872: 866: 865: 864: 861: 853: 847: 841: 836: 831: 826: 819: 817: 816:In development 813: 812: 810: 809: 803: 797: 790: 788: 784: 783: 781: 780: 774: 768: 761: 759: 751: 750: 748:Launch systems 740: 739: 728: 727: 720: 713: 705: 697: 696: 671: 646: 634: 616: 604:Atomic Rockets 600:"Basic Design" 590: 579:blogs.nasa.gov 566: 545: 544: 542: 539: 538: 537: 530: 527: 526: 525: 518: 515: 514: 513: 506: 505:In development 503: 502: 501: 496: 491: 484: 481: 480: 479: 474: 467: 464: 463: 462: 455: 454:In development 452: 451: 450: 449: 448: 442: 436: 430: 422: 407: 400: 399:Russian/Soviet 397: 396: 395: 390: 383: 380: 379: 378: 373: 368: 367: 366: 359: 352: 344: 332: 320: 308: 307: 306: 296: 289: 286: 285: 284: 278: 273: 258: 257:In development 255: 254: 253: 248: 243: 238: 233: 228: 227: 226: 223: 213: 210: 208: 205: 203: 200: 166:lifting bodies 160: 157: 111:heat shielding 87: 84: 82: 79: 71:space capsules 52:is a class of 25:launch systems 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1394: 1383: 1380: 1378: 1375: 1374: 1372: 1356: 1352: 1351: 1348: 1333: 1330: 1327: 1324: 1321: 1318: 1316: 1313: 1311: 1308: 1306: 1303: 1300: 1297: 1295: 1292: 1290: 1287: 1286: 1284: 1280: 1274: 1271: 1268: 1265: 1263: 1260: 1258: 1255: 1254: 1252: 1248: 1241: 1238: 1235: 1232: 1229: 1226: 1223: 1220: 1218: 1215: 1212: 1209: 1208: 1206: 1202: 1195: 1192: 1190: 1187: 1184: 1181: 1178: 1175: 1172: 1169: 1166: 1163: 1161: 1158: 1157: 1155: 1151: 1145: 1142: 1140: 1137: 1134: 1131: 1129: 1126: 1125: 1123: 1119: 1115: 1108: 1104: 1090: 1087: 1085: 1082: 1080: 1077: 1075: 1072: 1070: 1067: 1065: 1062: 1060: 1057: 1055: 1052: 1050: 1047: 1045: 1042: 1040: 1037: 1035: 1034: 1029: 1027: 1024: 1022: 1019: 1017: 1014: 1012: 1009: 1007: 1004: 1002: 999: 997: 996:Chang Cheng-1 994: 991: 988: 986:(first stage) 985: 982: 980: 977: 975: 972: 971: 969: 965: 959: 956: 954: 951: 949: 946: 945: 943: 939: 932: 929: 927:(first stage) 926: 923: 921:(first stage) 920: 917: 915: 912: 910: 907: 905: 902: 900:(first stage) 899: 896: 894: 891: 889:(first stage) 888: 885: 883:(first stage) 882: 879: 877:(first stage) 876: 873: 871:(first stage) 870: 867: 862: 859: 858: 857: 854: 852:(first stage) 851: 848: 846:(first stage) 845: 842: 840: 837: 835: 832: 830: 827: 825:(first stage) 824: 821: 820: 818: 814: 807: 804: 801: 798: 795: 794:Space Shuttle 792: 791: 789: 785: 778: 775: 773:(core stages) 772: 769: 767:(first stage) 766: 763: 762: 760: 756: 752: 745: 741: 737: 733: 726: 721: 719: 714: 712: 707: 706: 703: 685: 684:SpaceNews.com 681: 675: 661: 657: 650: 643: 638: 627: 620: 605: 601: 594: 580: 576: 570: 556: 550: 546: 536: 533: 532: 524: 521: 520: 512: 509: 508: 500: 497: 495: 492: 490: 487: 486: 478: 475: 473: 470: 469: 461: 458: 457: 446: 443: 440: 437: 434: 431: 428: 427: 423: 421: 420: 416: 415: 413: 412: 408: 406: 405:VA spacecraft 403: 402: 394: 391: 389: 386: 385: 377: 374: 372: 369: 365: 364: 360: 358: 357: 353: 350: 349: 345: 342: 338: 337: 333: 330: 326: 325: 321: 319: 318: 314: 313: 312: 309: 305: 302: 301: 300: 297: 295: 292: 291: 282: 279: 277: 274: 272: 269: 268: 263: 252: 249: 247: 244: 242: 239: 237: 234: 232: 229: 224: 221: 220: 219: 216: 215: 199: 195: 193: 189: 188:space capsule 185: 184:SpaceX Dragon 181: 177: 175: 172:shape of the 171: 167: 156: 154: 149: 144: 142: 138: 134: 130: 126: 122: 118: 114: 112: 107: 105: 104:SpaceX Dragon 101: 97: 96:Space Shuttle 93: 78: 76: 75:SpaceX Dragon 72: 68: 64: 61:(such as the 60: 55: 51: 44: 40: 36: 30: 26: 22: 1353:* indicates 1217:Dream Chaser 1183:SpaceShipTwo 1177:SpaceShipOne 1032: 771:Falcon Heavy 735: 688:. 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Retrieved 549: 447:(never flew) 441:(never flew) 435:(never flew) 429:(never flew) 424: 417: 409: 376:SpaceShipTwo 362: 355: 347: 335: 323: 316: 241:Dream Chaser 225:Cargo Dragon 207:U.S. And ESA 196: 178: 162: 145: 115: 108: 89: 67:Dream Chaser 49: 47: 1310:Silver Dart 1242:upper stage 1171:Gemini SC-2 1128:Boeing X-37 1089:VentureStar 1021:Hyperbola-2 948:Kankoh-maru 881:Orbex Prime 850:Hyperbola-3 829:Ariane Next 808:* (booster) 802:* (booster) 777:New Shepard 276:Space Rider 236:Boeing X-37 231:New Shepard 222:Crew Dragon 133:heat shield 59:spaceplanes 1382:Spacecraft 1371:Categories 1355:suborbital 1111:Spacecraft 1074:Tianjiao-1 1069:Sea Dragon 992:(boosters) 925:Tianlong-3 856:Long March 736:spacecraft 690:2020-05-31 665:2020-05-31 610:2011-07-04 584:2020-05-31 560:2020-05-31 541:References 348:Enterprise 324:Challenger 283:(proposed) 170:delta wing 141:emissivity 137:emissivity 102:, and the 54:spacecraft 21:spacecraft 1320:X-30 NASP 1282:Cancelled 1250:Proposals 1236:(capsule) 1230:(capsule) 1224:(capsule) 1213:(capsule) 1167:(capsule) 1031:Hopper / 1006:Falcon 1e 941:Proposals 933:(engines) 875:New Glenn 363:Endeavour 317:Discovery 98:included 73:like the 1357:vehicles 1240:Starship 1222:Mengzhou 1144:Shenlong 1139:Dragon 2 1011:Falcon 5 967:Canceled 919:Terran R 887:Pallas-1 844:Electron 834:CALLISTO 765:Falcon 9 529:See also 517:Canceled 466:Canceled 414:orbiter 382:Canceled 356:Atlantis 336:Columbia 218:Dragon 2 192:Dragon 2 100:OMS pods 65:and the 1305:Mustard 1153:Retired 1135:(CSSHQ) 1033:Phoenix 974:Adeline 869:Miura 5 787:Retired 426:Ptichka 288:Retired 43:STS-126 1294:Kliper 1257:Avatar 1165:Dragon 1121:Active 1079:Spiral 1026:HOPE-X 990:Ares V 984:Ares I 979:Angara 953:SASSTO 931:Vulcan 904:Skylon 893:RLV-TD 839:CORONA 800:Petrel 758:Active 660:Forbes 523:HOPE-X 511:Avatar 499:RLV-TD 483:Others 472:Kliper 393:Hermes 299:Gemini 212:Active 153:LI-900 81:Design 69:) and 27:, see 1273:SUSIE 1234:Orion 1064:Roton 1039:HOTOL 1016:Nexus 629:(PDF) 419:Buran 411:Buran 281:SUSIE 251:Orion 129:MIRVs 1326:X-33 1315:SOAR 1299:Lynx 1194:X-15 1054:MAKS 823:Amur 806:Skua 734:and 477:MAKS 460:Orel 445:2.03 439:2.02 433:2.01 304:SC-2 123:and 1289:H-2 1084:V-2 1044:K-1 1373:: 682:. 658:. 602:. 577:. 176:. 113:. 48:A 1334:* 1328:* 1322:* 1301:* 1269:* 1196:* 1185:* 1179:* 1173:* 779:* 724:e 717:t 710:v 693:. 668:. 613:. 587:. 563:. 343:) 339:( 331:) 327:( 31:.

Index

spacecraft
launch systems
Reusable launch system

Space Shuttle orbiter
STS-126
spacecraft
spaceplanes
Space Shuttle orbiters
Dream Chaser
space capsules
SpaceX Dragon
reenter the atmosphere
Space Shuttle
OMS pods
SpaceX Dragon
heat shielding
Thermal Protection Systems
reinforced carbon-carbon
ablative materials
MIRVs
heat shield
emissivity
emissivity
Reinforced carbon-carbon
LI-900
lifting bodies
delta wing
Space Shuttle orbiter
Vertical landings

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