Analysis of the influence of the scheme of flight of the stage with a reactive recovry system on the energy characteristics of a two-stage medium class launch vehicle

The paper presents various schemes of flight of a separated part of the first stage, equipped with the reactive recovery system taking a two-stage oxygen-kerosene medium class launch vehicle assembled on the basis of the results of ballistic design and similar to the“Falcon-9” launcher in its power mass characteristics. The results of assessing the change in the payload mass placed into the low-earth orbit by the launcher, estimating the change in the value of the mass ratio of the first-stage recovery system and limit values of aerodynamic and heat loads of the first stage in the phase of recovery depending on the flight scheme are presented. The values of the mass ratio of the recovery system depending on the flight scheme are compared with that of the mass ratio of an aircraft-type recovery system. The advantages of the reactive recovery system in comparison with the aircraft-type recovery system are pointed out. The necessity of using an additional retroburn by restarting the service propulsion system of the stage prior to the re-entry with the aim of reducing aerodynamic and heat loads. It is shown that the reactive way of recovery can be implemented with acceptable energy losses only by making an intermediate landing on the complex located along the flight course.