A launch vehicle employing flexible winged water landing for waterborne recovery and method of use

Abstract

The application provides a launch vehicle with flexible umbrella wing water sliding recovery, and belongs to the technical field of launch vehicles.The launch vehicle comprises a rocket body, a rocket engine, an attitude control engine, a rudder, an umbrella wing cabin, an umbrella wing, an airbag cabin and an airbag.The attitude control engine and the rudder are arranged at a position axially away from the center of mass of the rocket body.The umbrella wing cabin and the airbag cabin are symmetrically arranged at both sides of the middle section of the rocket body and used for accommodating the umbrella wing and the airbag.The airbag is connected with a pressurized gas storage container in the rocket body through a gas guide pipe, and the airbag is constrained by a cable with the rocket body.The umbrella wing comprises umbrella wing arms, stay cables, a canopy and wing ribs.The root of the umbrella wing arm is hinged to the rocket body through a mounting shaft, the canopy is triangular after being unfolded, one side of the canopy is fixed to the umbrella wing arm, the other side of the canopy is fixed in the umbrella wing cabin, and the long side of the canopy is fixed with the stay cables.The wing ribs are radially distributed between the umbrella wing arms and the inner wall of the umbrella wing cabin.The application also provides a use method, and solves the problems of low load coefficient and poor economy of the existing recovery mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a reusable launch vehicle, specifically to a launch vehicle and its method of use that employs a flexible paraglider for water-based recovery, belonging to the field of launch vehicle technology. Background Technology

[0002] To reduce spacecraft launch costs, most rockets currently recover their booster stages and / or core stage. For example, the Falcon 9 recovers its first stage, while the Falcon 9 Heavy can recover both boosters and the core stage. In terms of cost breakdown, the first stage accounts for approximately 60% of the Falcon 9's cost, and the second stage accounts for approximately 20%. However, due to the long flight distance and high speed of the second stage, using its water-based recovery platform / land-based launch site for vertical recovery would consume excessive fuel during the return flight and smooth deceleration, resulting in a low payload coefficient and ultimately a significant reduction in maximum payload, making it counterproductive. Therefore, SpaceX has abandoned second-stage rocket recovery for both the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy.

[0003] Furthermore, there are several constraints on the choice of technical approaches for second-stage rocket recovery: First, the additional dry weight constraints on the recovery device are further strengthened. The mass of the second-stage rocket is much lower than that of the booster stage and the first stage. For example, the dry weight of the first-stage rocket of the Falcon 9 is 22 tons, and the designed dry weight of the recovery device is 5 tons. The dry weight of the second-stage rocket is only 4.5 tons. To ensure a high load factor, the allowable dry weight of the recovery device structure for the second-stage rocket must be controlled within several hundred kilograms. Second, drag reduction and high-temperature ablation prevention design are required for harsh operating conditions. The maximum operating speed of the first-stage rocket is usually 2.5 km / s, while the maximum operating speed of the second-stage rocket is often greater than 7 km / s. The huge speed leads to significant drag and aerodynamic heating effects of the second-stage rocket flying in the atmosphere. Recovery methods such as exposed rigid folding wings have a large structural mass and are susceptible to aerodynamic heating and ablation in ultra-high-speed environments. The second-stage rocket recovery device needs to be completely embedded to reduce aerodynamic drag and aerodynamic ablation caused by non-streamlined structures, which further increases the design difficulty of structural mass control.

[0004] Given the high cost of the second stage rocket, achieving second stage rocket recovery in a more economical manner without significantly sacrificing the payload coefficient would further reduce launch costs. This invention proposes a flexible paraglider-style water-based recovery launch vehicle with a lightweight, low aerodynamic drag, and good thermal protection recovery device. It is primarily designed for recovering rockets with a maximum flight speed exceeding 7 km / s, but can also be used for recovering lightweight rockets with speeds below this.

[0005] The information disclosed in this background section is intended only to enhance the understanding of the overall background of the present invention and should not be construed as an admission or in any way implying that the information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the technical problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a launch vehicle and a method for its use that employs a flexible paraglider for water-based gliding and recovery.

[0007] A launch vehicle that uses a flexible paraglider for water-based gliding recovery includes a rocket body, attitude control engine, rudder, rocket engine, and also a paraglider compartment, paraglider, airbag compartment, and airbag.

[0008] The rocket engine is installed at the tail of the rocket body and is a liquid rocket engine with multiple start-stop functions; the attitude control engine and rudder are located on the radial side of the rocket body away from the center of mass and are distributed and installed on the outer side of the radial side for controlling the attitude and flight direction of the rocket body.

[0009] Two parachute compartments are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the upper middle section of the rocket body, and two airbag compartments are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the belly of the middle section of the rocket body. Each parachute compartment contains a folded parachute, and each airbag compartment contains a folded, uninflated airbag. The airbags are connected to the pressurized gas storage container inside the rocket body through gas guide tubes. The airbags are constrained to the rocket body by cables to restrain the airbags to both sides of the rocket body.

[0010] The parachute consists of a wing support arm, a stay cable, a cover, and ribs. The root of the wing support arm is hinged to the rocket body via a mounting shaft, with the hinge point near the tail or head. The cover, when unfolded, forms a triangle, with one short side parallel to the extension direction of the wing support arm and fixed to it, and the other short side parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rocket body and fixed inside the wing compartment. The long side coincides with and is fixed to the stay cable. The ribs are radially distributed between the wing support arm and the inner wall of the wing compartment. The beginning of the rib and the root of the wing support arm are coaxially hinged to the rocket body inside the wing compartment via a mounting shaft. The end of the rib is fixedly connected to the stay cable. The cover covers the rib and is fixedly connected to it. The beginning of the stay cable is fixed inside the wing compartment and sequentially connects to the ends of each rib. The end of the stay cable is fixedly connected to the end of the wing support arm.

[0011] Both the parachute compartment and the airbag compartment are equipped with sealed and heat-insulated doors to withstand the temperature and pressure during the rocket launch and recovery phases. The sealed and heat-insulated doors are closed during the launch and flight phases, and are opened in a timely manner according to instructions during the rocket recovery phase to deploy the parachute and release the airbag.

[0012] Based on the same technical concept, this invention also proposes a method for using a launch vehicle that employs a flexible paraglider for water-based gliding and recovery. Using the aforementioned launch vehicle, the method includes the following steps:

[0013] S1. The launch vehicle's parachute, airbags, and rudders are in a folded and stowed state. It is launched from the launch site and lifts off into the air. The rocket engine propels the launch vehicle carrying the payload away from the ground / water surface. During the flight, the attitude control engine adjusts the launch vehicle's attitude and flight direction.

[0014] S2. When the payload reaches the predetermined flight altitude and speed, the launch vehicle separates from the payload. If the launch vehicle has remaining fuel, and it is determined from the launch vehicle's re-entry speed that subsequent conventional gliding aerodynamic deceleration cannot guarantee that aerodynamic friction heating will not cause serious ablation to the launch vehicle, the attitude control engine is used to control the launch vehicle to adjust the pitch angle so that the nose of the rocket body points in the opposite direction of the current flight speed. The rocket engine is used for reverse thrust to decelerate the launch vehicle until the fuel allocated to the rocket engine is exhausted or the launch vehicle reaches a controllable speed below which the rocket engine shuts down.

[0015] S3. When the launch vehicle is in the thin atmosphere above 20km, the attitude and flight direction of the launch vehicle are adjusted by the attitude control engine, so that the launch vehicle can hover and glide in the thin atmosphere, and rely on air resistance to decelerate the launch vehicle and gradually reduce its altitude.

[0016] S4. When the launch vehicle speed and aerodynamic heating are reduced to a level that the parachute can withstand, the launch vehicle angle of attack is reduced by controlling the attitude control engine. The sealed and heat-insulated door of the parachute compartment opens as instructed, and the parachute deploys.

[0017] S5. When the launch vehicle's flight altitude drops below 20km, the rudders deploy and the launch vehicle's attitude and flight direction are controlled by rudder deflection and / or attitude control engine control. During the deceleration process, the launch vehicle flies toward a wide water surface or sea surface and continues to hover and glide over the water surface or sea surface, gradually decreasing its altitude until it approaches the minimum stall speed.

[0018] S6. When the launch vehicle approaches the water / sea surface, select the direction of approach against the wind according to the wind direction and speed at the scene, and control the launch vehicle to glide and land on the water or sea surface through the rudder and / or attitude control engine.

[0019] S7. When the gliding speed of the launch vehicle on the water or sea surface drops to less than 10m / s, the airbag compartment opens the sealed heat-insulating door, ejects the airbag, and inflates the airbag through the pressurized gas storage container inside the rocket until the airbag is completely full.

[0020] S8. Using large ships, the launch vehicle is hoisted from the water or sea surface onto the deck. After returning to port, the launch vehicle is maintained and repaired, inflated, and fueled. The parachute, airbag, and rudder are restored to their folded state, and the sealed and heat-insulated doors of the parachute and airbag compartments are resealed in preparation for the next launch.

[0021] The beneficial technical effects achieved by this invention are:

[0022] The launch vehicle described in this invention adopts a flexible paraglider structure and a water-based gliding recovery method. The recovery device is lightweight, ensuring that the launch vehicle maintains low aerodynamic drag and good thermal protection performance during the hypersonic launch flight phase. During the recovery phase, it can decelerate and slowly descend altitude through aerodynamic drag and lift, autonomously returning to its starting point and gliding to a landing on the water surface. This effectively reduces the amount of reserved fuel, reduces the complexity of the control system while maintaining a high load factor, and utilizes the vast water surface to rationally select an appropriate landing course. This enhances the safety and reliability of rocket recovery under various complex weather conditions, improves the overall cost-effectiveness, and has outstanding substantive features and significant progress.

[0023] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the structures particularly pointed out in the written description, claims, and drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of one specific embodiment of the present invention in its fully unfolded state;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the folded storage and launch flight state according to one specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the deployed and recovered flight state according to one specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Reference numerals: 1. Rocket body; 2. Parachute pod; 3. Parachute wing; 31. Parachute wing support arm; 32. Cable stay; 33. Covering fabric; 34. Wing rib; 4. Airbag pod; 5. Airbag; 6. Attitude control engine; 7. Rudder; 8. Rocket engine. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Specific details such as particular system structures, models, and technical parameters mentioned in the following description are merely illustrative of the specific embodiments and not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Furthermore, content that should be known and understood by those skilled in the art will not be repeated here.

[0029] like Figures 1-3 As shown, a specific embodiment of a launch vehicle that uses a flexible paraglider for water-based gliding and recovery includes a rocket body 1, an attitude control engine 6, a rudder 7, a rocket engine 8, a paraglider compartment 2, a paraglider 3, an airbag compartment 4, and an airbag 5.

[0030] The rocket body 1 is designed according to the aerodynamic shape required for surface navigation and aerial flight. It serves as the load-bearing structure of the launch vehicle, provides storage space for the rocket engine 8, attitude control engine 6, and the required propellant and oxidizer, and provides installation space for various navigation, control, energy supply, and other electromechanical equipment, as well as pressurized gas storage containers. In this specific embodiment, the rocket body 1 has a rotating shape, with a conical head and a cylindrical main body.

[0031] Rocket engine 8 is installed at the tail of rocket body 1. There is one rocket engine 8, which is a liquid fuel engine. It can be based on existing technology or be redeveloped. It needs to be a model that can start and stop multiple times to achieve intermittent operation.

[0032] In this specific embodiment, the rudder 7 is a grid rudder, with a total of 4 locations, evenly distributed along the circumference at the tail of the rocket body 1, positioned away from the center of mass. Corresponding clearance grooves are provided on the outer wall of the rocket body 1. The grid rudder design allows it to fold close to the outer wall of the rocket body 1, reducing air resistance during launch and flight. During rocket recovery, the rudder 7 unfolds and deflects in a controlled manner for attitude and flight direction control of the rocket body 1.

[0033] In this specific embodiment, the attitude control engine 6 is located between the rudder 7 and the parachute pod 2, away from the center of gravity. This can be achieved by making adaptive modifications to the existing technology, and will not be described in detail here.

[0034] Two parachute compartments 2 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the upper middle section of the rocket body 1, and two airbag compartments 4 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the belly of the middle section of the rocket body 1. Each parachute compartment 2 contains a folded parachute 3, and each airbag compartment 4 contains a folded, uninflated airbag 5.

[0035] The airbag 5 possesses excellent airtight and watertight characteristics. It is connected to the pressurized gas storage container inside the rocket body 1 via a gas guide tube. During storage, it is sealed by a hatch. The hatch remains closed during the launch and flight phases of the launch vehicle. During recovery, it opens upon command, ejecting the airbag 5 from the airbag compartment 4. Pressurized gas then fills the airbag 5. The airbag 5 is secured to the rocket body 1 by cables, which fix it to both sides of the rocket body 1 after inflation. The buoyancy generated by the rocket body 1 and the inflated airbag 5 allows the launch vehicle to float on the water for an extended period, providing sufficient time for ship salvage.

[0036] In this specific embodiment, the parachute 3 includes a parachute arm 31, a stay cable 32, a cover 33, and a rib 34.

[0037] The parachute support arm 31 is a long strip structure, hinged at its root to the rocket body 1 via a mounting shaft, with the hinge point near the tail side. The parachute support arm 31 is made of high-strength, high-rigidity, high-temperature resistant, and lightweight materials; in this specific embodiment, it is a carbon fiber composite material coated with ceramic material. The function of the parachute support arm 31 is controlled deployment. Driven by spring force, it rotates relative to the rocket body 1 around the mounting shaft, causing the other structures of the parachute 3 to deploy from front to back and lock, forming a stable load-bearing structure. This structure generates the main lift and drag required for the rocket's slow deceleration and altitude reduction during recovery, and can withstand the high temperature and dynamic pressure impact during the rocket's return.

[0038] It should be noted that the lift and drag generated by the parachute 3 mainly depend on the area after deployment. Depending on actual needs, the hinge point can also be set near the nose of the rocket body 1, and the deployment method of the parachute 3 can be changed from front to back to front.

[0039] When unfolded, the cover 33 forms a triangle. One short side is parallel to the extension direction of the parachute support arm 31 and fixed to the parachute support arm 31, while the other short side is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rocket body 1 and fixed inside the parachute compartment 2. The long side coincides with and is fixed to the inclined cable 32. The cover 33 is made of high-strength, high-temperature resistant, flexible, and lightweight composite material. In this specific embodiment, it is a carbon fiber cloth with a ceramic coating.

[0040] There are multiple wing ribs 34, the specific number of which is determined according to actual needs, and they are radially distributed between the inner wall of the parachute wing support arm 31 and the parachute wing compartment 2. The beginning of the wing rib 34 and the root of the parachute wing support arm 31 are coaxially hinged to the arrow body 1 through a mounting shaft, and the end of the wing rib 34 is fixedly connected to the inclined cable 32. The cover cloth 33 covers the wing rib 34 and is fixedly connected to the wing rib 34, forming a structure like parachute ribs supporting the parachute cloth. The wing rib 34 is made of high-strength, high-rigidity, high-temperature resistant, and lightweight materials. In this specific embodiment, it is a carbon fiber reinforced aluminum alloy rod.

[0041] The first end of the stay cable 32 is fixed inside the parachute wing compartment 2. The end furthest from the hinge point of the parachute wing support arm 31 is sequentially connected to the ends of the aforementioned wing ribs 34. The end of the stay cable 32 is fixedly connected to the end of the parachute wing support arm 31. The stay cable 32 is made of high-strength, high-temperature resistant, flexible, and lightweight materials. In this specific embodiment, it is a high-strength steel cable.

[0042] During the launch and flight phase of the carrier rocket, the parachute 3 is folded along the axis of the rocket body 1 and stored in the parachute compartment 2 to reduce air resistance and prevent damage to the parachute 3 caused by high-speed airflow and aerodynamic heating during the launch phase.

[0043] When the launch vehicle is recovered, the parachute arm 31 rotates around the mounting axis under the drive of spring force, which drives the rib 34, the cover 33, and the cable 32 to rotate synchronously. This causes the two parachute wings 3 to unfold and lock symmetrically along the longitudinal direction of the rocket body 1 like folding fans, generating the lift and drag required to maintain the launch vehicle's hang time and slow deceleration and reduce altitude. The air lift and drag generated by the parachute wings 3 and the rocket body 1 are used to achieve the requirements of gliding descent. Combined with the use of the airbag compartment 3 to store and inflate the airbag 4, the launch vehicle can achieve low-impact landing on water and long-term floating, effectively reducing fuel reserve, landing gear system weight, and the complexity of the vertical take-off and landing control system.

[0044] Both the parachute compartment 2 and the airbag compartment 4 are equipped with sealed and heat-insulated doors that can withstand the temperature and pressure during the rocket launch and recovery phase. During the launch and flight phase of the carrier rocket, the sealed and heat-insulated doors are in a closed state to ensure that the high-speed airflow and high temperature will not damage the parachute 3 and the airbag 5. During the rocket recovery phase, the sealed and heat-insulated doors are opened in a timely manner according to the instructions to release the parachute 3 and the airbag 5.

[0045] A specific embodiment of a launch vehicle usage method employing a flexible paraglider for water-based gliding and recovery, using the aforementioned launch vehicle, with the launch and recovery process as follows:

[0046] S1, such as Figure 2 As shown, the launch vehicle's parachute 3, airbag 5, and rudder 7 are in a folded and stowed state. As a booster rocket, core stage rocket carrying spacecraft, aerospace vehicles, other launch vehicles or aircraft, etc., it is launched from a land launch site near the sea or a wide water surface. The rocket engine 8 propels the launch vehicle carrying the payload to fly off the ground / water surface. During the flight, the attitude control engine 6 controls the ejection of working propellant to form a torque on the center of mass of the rocket body 1, thereby adjusting the launch vehicle's attitude and flight direction.

[0047] S2. When the payload reaches the predetermined flight altitude and speed, the launch vehicle separates from the payload. If the launch vehicle has remaining fuel and its re-entry speed into the atmosphere is relatively high, and subsequent conventional gliding aerodynamic deceleration cannot guarantee that aerodynamic friction heating will not cause severe ablation to the launch vehicle, the attitude control engine 6 is used to control the launch vehicle to adjust its pitch angle by a large angle, so that the nose of the rocket body 1 points in the opposite direction to the current flight speed. The rocket engine 8 is used for reverse thrust to decelerate the launch vehicle until the fuel allocated to the rocket engine 8 is exhausted or the launch vehicle reaches a controllable speed, at which point the rocket engine 8 shuts down.

[0048] S3. When the launch vehicle is in the thin atmosphere above 20km altitude, the attitude control engine 6 adjusts the attitude and flight direction of the launch vehicle, so that the launch vehicle can hover and glide in the thin atmosphere at a large angle of attack, and rely on air resistance to decelerate the launch vehicle and gradually reduce its altitude.

[0049] S4. When the launch vehicle speed and external aerodynamic heating are reduced to a level that the parachute 3 can withstand, the launch vehicle angle of attack is moderately reduced by the attitude control engine 6, and the sealed heat-insulating door of the parachute 2 is opened according to the command, and the parachute 3 is deployed.

[0050] S5. When the launch vehicle's flight altitude drops below 20km, the rudder 7 deploys, and the launch vehicle's attitude and flight direction are controlled by the rudder 7 deflection and / or attitude control engine 6. During the deceleration process, the launch vehicle flies towards a wide water surface or sea surface and continues to hover and glide over the water surface or sea surface, gradually decreasing its altitude until it approaches the minimum stall speed.

[0051] S6. When the launch vehicle approaches the water / sea surface, select the direction of approach against the wind based on the wind direction and speed at the site, and control the launch vehicle to glide and land on the water or sea surface at a small angle of attack through the rudder 7 and / or attitude control engine 6.

[0052] S7, such as Figure 1 As shown, when the gliding speed of the launch vehicle on the water or sea surface drops to less than 10 m / s, the airbag compartment 4 opens the sealed heat-insulating door, ejects the folded airbag 5, and inflates the airbag 5 through the pressurized gas storage container inside the rocket body 1 until the airbag 5 is completely full, so that the launch vehicle relies on the buoyancy of the airbag 5 to detach from the water or sea surface and maintain contact for a long time.

[0053] S8. Use a large ship to hoist the launch vehicle from the water or sea surface onto the deck. After returning to port, maintain and repair the launch vehicle, inflate it, load fuel, restore the parachute 3, airbag 5, and rudder 7 to the folded state, and reseal the sealed heat-insulating doors of the parachute 2 and airbag 4 to prepare for the next launch.

[0054] The beneficial technical effects achieved by this specific embodiment are:

[0055] The launch vehicle described in this specific embodiment combines the advantages of winged recovery and water-based glide recovery, resulting in low energy consumption during recovery, simple recovery control, and minimal impact of strong crosswinds on safe landing. It also effectively reduces the structural mass of the recovery device by utilizing parachute wings, and reduces aerodynamic drag during high-speed flight of the launch vehicle by designing a sealed parachute compartment and folding the parachute wings, thus avoiding high-temperature ablation of the parachute wings due to aerodynamic heating. It can be applied to the recovery and reuse of launch vehicles and upper stages. Compared with existing mainstream launch vehicle recovery methods, it can ensure a high load factor, and the recovery device has low design complexity, low cost, and high reliability and safety.

[0056] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A launch vehicle employing a flexible paraglider for water-based gliding and recovery, comprising a rocket body (1), an attitude control engine (6), rudders (7), and a rocket engine (8), characterized in that, It also includes a parachute compartment (2), a parachute (3), an airbag compartment (4), and an airbag (5); The rocket engine (8) is installed at the tail of the rocket body (1) and is a liquid rocket engine with multiple start-stop functions; the attitude control engine (6) and the rudder (7) are located on the axial direction of the rocket body (1) away from the center of mass and are distributed and installed on the radial outer side of the rocket body (1) for attitude and flight direction control of the rocket body (1). Two parachute compartments (2) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the upper middle section of the arrow body (1), and two airbag compartments (4) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the belly of the middle section of the arrow body (1). Each parachute compartment (2) contains a folded parachute wing (3), and each airbag compartment (4) contains a folded, uninflated airbag (5). The airbag (5) is connected to the pressurized gas storage container inside the arrow body (1) through a gas guide tube. The airbag (5) is constrained to the arrow body (1) by a cable to constrain the airbag (5) to both sides of the arrow body (1). The parachute (3) includes a parachute arm (31), a stay cable (32), a cover (33), and ribs (34); the root of the parachute arm (31) is hinged to the rocket body (1) via a mounting shaft; the cover (33) unfolds into a triangle, with one short side fixed parallel to the extension direction of the parachute arm (31) on the parachute arm (31), and the other short side fixed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rocket body (1) inside the parachute compartment (2), and the long side coinciding with and fixed to the stay cable (32); the ribs (34) are radially distributed on the parachute. Between the wing arm (31) and the inner wall of the parachute wing compartment (2); the beginning of the wing rib (34) and the root of the parachute wing arm (31) are coaxially hinged to the arrow body (1) in the parachute wing compartment (2) through the mounting shaft, the end of the wing rib (34) is fixedly connected to the inclined cable (32), the covering cloth (33) covers the wing rib (34) and is fixedly connected to the wing rib (34); the beginning of the inclined cable (32) is fixed in the parachute wing compartment (2), and is connected to the end of each wing rib (34) in sequence, and the end of the inclined cable (32) is fixedly connected to the end of the parachute wing arm (31); Both the parachute compartment (2) and the airbag compartment (4) are equipped with sealed and heat-insulated doors to withstand the temperature and pressure during the rocket launch and recovery phase. The sealed and heat-insulated doors are closed during the launch and flight phase and are opened in a timely manner according to instructions during the rocket recovery phase to deploy the parachute (3) and release the airbag (5).

2. The launch vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rudder (7) is a grid rudder, with at least three pieces, which are evenly distributed and installed at the tail of the arrow body (1) along the circumference and set away from the center of mass.

3. The launch vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer wall of the arrow body (1) is provided with a clearance groove to avoid the rudder (7) in the folded state.

4. The launch vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The parachute wing arm (31) rotates around the mounting axis, causing the wing rib (34), the cover (33), and the cable (32) to rotate synchronously, so that the parachute wing (3) can be unfolded or folded. When the parachute wing (3) is folded, it is completely retracted into the parachute wing compartment (2).

5. The launch vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are two parachute wings (3), which are symmetrically installed along the longitudinal direction of the rocket body (1). During the launch flight phase of the carrier rocket, the parachute wings (3) are folded and stored in the parachute wing compartment (2) along the longitudinal direction of the rocket body (1). When the carrier rocket is recovered, the two parachute wings (3) are driven by the parachute wing support arm (31) to rotate around their respective installation axes, and are symmetrically deployed and locked along the longitudinal direction of the rocket body (1).

6. A method for using a launch vehicle that employs a flexible paraglider for water-based gliding and recovery, characterized in that, The launch vehicle of any one of claims 1 to 5 comprises the following steps: S1. The launch vehicle's parachute (3), airbag (5), and rudder (7) are in a folded and stowed state. It is launched from the launch site and lifts off into the air. The rocket engine (8) propels the launch vehicle to carry the load and fly off the ground / water surface. During the flight, the attitude control engine (6) adjusts the attitude and flight direction of the launch vehicle. S2. When the payload reaches the predetermined flight altitude and speed, the launch vehicle separates from the payload. If the launch vehicle has remaining fuel, and it is judged from the launch vehicle's re-entry speed that subsequent conventional gliding aerodynamic deceleration cannot guarantee that aerodynamic friction heating will not cause serious ablation of the launch vehicle, the attitude control engine (6) is used to control the launch vehicle to adjust the pitch angle so that the head of the rocket body (1) points in the opposite direction to the current flight speed. The rocket engine (8) is used to reverse thrust and decelerate the launch vehicle until the fuel allocated to the rocket engine (8) is exhausted or the launch vehicle reaches a controllable speed below the speed, and the rocket engine (8) shuts down. S3. When the launch vehicle is in the thin atmosphere above 20km altitude, the attitude and flight direction of the launch vehicle are adjusted by the attitude control engine (6) so that the launch vehicle can hover and glide in the thin atmosphere, and the air resistance is used to decelerate the launch vehicle and gradually reduce the altitude. S4. When the speed of the launch vehicle and the aerodynamic heating temperature are reduced to a level that the parachute (3) can withstand, the angle of attack of the launch vehicle is reduced by the attitude control engine (6), and the sealed heat-insulating door of the parachute compartment (2) is opened according to the command, and the parachute (3) is deployed. S5. When the launch vehicle's flight altitude drops below 20km, the rudder (7) is deployed. The launch vehicle's attitude and flight direction are controlled by the rudder (7) deflection and / or attitude control engine (6). During the deceleration process, the launch vehicle flies towards a wide water surface or sea surface and continues to hover and glide over the water surface or sea surface, gradually reducing its altitude until it approaches the minimum stall speed. S6. When the launch vehicle approaches the water / sea surface, select the direction of approach against the wind according to the wind direction and wind speed at the scene, and control the launch vehicle to glide and land on the water or sea surface through the rudder (7) and / or the attitude control engine (6). S7. When the gliding speed of the launch vehicle on the water or sea surface drops to less than 10m / s, the airbag compartment (4) opens the sealed heat-insulating door, ejects the airbag (5), and inflates the airbag (5) through the pressurized gas storage container in the rocket body (1) until the airbag (5) is completely filled. S8. Use a large ship to lift the launch vehicle from the water or sea surface onto the deck. After returning to port, maintain and repair the launch vehicle, inflate and load fuel, restore the parachute (3), airbag (5), and rudder (7) to the folded state, and reseal the sealed heat-insulating doors of the parachute compartment (2) and airbag compartment (4) to prepare for the next launch.

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