Launch Vehicles, Reusable

Launch Vehicles, Reusable

A reusable launch vehicle (RLV) is a craft designed to place payloads or crews into Earth orbit, and then return to Earth for subsequent launches. RLVs are designed to reduce launch costs by reusing the most expensive components of the vehicle rather than discarding them and building newones for each mission (as is the case with expendable launch vehicles, known as ELVs). The definition of RLVs does not include reusable craft launched from expendable launch vehicles. As of 2001, the only operational RLV was the U.S. space shuttle. A number of concepts were being developed or studied. Some were partially reusable. Most employed rockets, while others used jet engines, aircraft, or high-speed rail systems.

RLVs may be categorized by whether the vehicle takes off horizontally or vertically and whether it lands horizontally or vertically. An RLV may also be described as single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) or two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO). Vehicles such as the space shuttle, which takes off vertically using a two-stage system and lands horizontally, have the easiest design because horizontal takeoff involves more demanding flight loads, vertical landing requires the craft to carry enough propellants to land, and SSTO requires a higher ratio of propellant to vehicle weight.

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