RETALT | Retro Propulsion Assisted Landing Technologies

Summary
For Europe’s non-dependence, access to space is crucial. To foster the European industry competitiveness, the costs of the European launch systems need to be reduced and flexibility needs to be improved. The development of reusable launch vehicle (RLV) is currently changing the global market of space transportation systems and is promising immense cost savings. The only operational approach of RLV to date is the Vertical Take-off Vertical Landing launcher (VTVL), which is decelerating by firing its engines against the velocity vector, the so called retro propulsion. The know-how in the technologies of retro propulsion assisted landing in Europe is spares. In this project we aim to investigate and developed these technologies.

Therefore, the two main scientific and technological objectives of the RETALT project are:
• To investigate the launch system reusability technology of VTVL TSTO (Vertical Take-off Vertical Landing - Two Stage To Orbit) by applying retro propulsion combined with aerodynamic control surfaces that is currently dominating the global market.
• To investigate the launch system reusability technology of VTVL SSTO RLV (Vertical Take-off Vertical Landing - Single Stage To Orbit) applying retro propulsion for future space transportation systems.

To meet these two main project objectives of the project, described above, two reference launch vehicle configurations will be defined:
• A configuration similar to the SpaceX rocket “Falcon 9” that will be the reference for the state-of-the-art TSTO RLV.
• A configuration similar to the DC-X that will serve as a reference for a VTVL SSTO.
Unfold all
/
Fold all
More information & hyperlinks
Web resources: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/821890
Start date: 01-03-2019
End date: 31-08-2022
Total budget - Public funding: 2 995 958,00 Euro - 2 995 958,00 Euro
Cordis data

Original description

For Europe’s non-dependence, access to space is crucial. To foster the European industry competitiveness, the costs of the European launch systems need to be reduced and flexibility needs to be improved. The development of reusable launch vehicle (RLV) is currently changing the global market of space transportation systems and is promising immense cost savings. The only operational approach of RLV to date is the Vertical Take-off Vertical Landing launcher (VTVL), which is decelerating by firing its engines against the velocity vector, the so called retro propulsion. The know-how in the technologies of retro propulsion assisted landing in Europe is spares. In this project we aim to investigate and developed these technologies.

Therefore, the two main scientific and technological objectives of the RETALT project are:
• To investigate the launch system reusability technology of VTVL TSTO (Vertical Take-off Vertical Landing - Two Stage To Orbit) by applying retro propulsion combined with aerodynamic control surfaces that is currently dominating the global market.
• To investigate the launch system reusability technology of VTVL SSTO RLV (Vertical Take-off Vertical Landing - Single Stage To Orbit) applying retro propulsion for future space transportation systems.

To meet these two main project objectives of the project, described above, two reference launch vehicle configurations will be defined:
• A configuration similar to the SpaceX rocket “Falcon 9” that will be the reference for the state-of-the-art TSTO RLV.
• A configuration similar to the DC-X that will serve as a reference for a VTVL SSTO.

Status

CLOSED

Call topic

SPACE-16-TEC-2018

Update Date

27-10-2022
Images
No images available.
Geographical location(s)
Structured mapping
Unfold all
/
Fold all
Horizon 2020
H2020-EU.2. INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP
H2020-EU.2.1. INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies
H2020-EU.2.1.6. INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Space
H2020-EU.2.1.6.1. Enabling European competitiveness, non-dependence and innovation of the European space sector
H2020-SPACE-2018
SPACE-16-TEC-2018 Access to space