Improved Airbreathing Launch Vehicle Performance with the Use of Rocket Propulsion

An efficient performance analysis method is developed to evaluate potential airbreathing/rocket propulsion systems for advanced technology single-stage-to-orbit launch vehicles. Evaluated are tradeoffs between airbreathing, rocket, and concurrent airbreathing/rocket propulsion in maximizing payload delivery to orbit for a given ascent flight trajectory. With the analysis method, several modes of airbreathing/ rocket propulsion are compared to a baseline "airbreather alone" propulsion system in terms of fuel/propella nt required to attain orbital velocity. Concurrent airbreathing/rocket propulsion shows a reduction in fuel/propellant consumption over straight airbreather to rocket propulsion transition. The optimal switch point (staging) is identified for the transition from airbreathing to rocket propulsion.

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