Modular Launch Vehicle Configuration for Payload Adaptability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional launch vehicles are large, heavy, and costly to develop and operate, with limited adaptability to carry payloads of various sizes, leading to inefficiencies and high costs in launching satellites into orbit.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of modular configuration technology in launch vehicles, allowing for the optimization of the number of engines in the lower stage or the number of stages themselves, enabling efficient launches for a wide range of payloads by reducing mass and redesign time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If traditional launch vehicles use a large number of interdependent components and a single large-thrust engine, then the launch vehicle can achieve high thrust capability, but the device complexity and development cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The launch vehicle is divided into modular stages, each containing multiple independent engines instead of a single large engine. This segmentation allows each engine to be smaller and simpler, while the collective thrust of multiple engines achieves the required power level, reducing overall system complexity and interdependencies
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple independent engines are combined in parallel within each stage to achieve the required total thrust. This merging of multiple simple engine systems replaces the need for a single complex large-thrust engine, maintaining power capability while reducing device complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional launch vehicles are designed with fixed configuration, then the structural design is simplified, but the adaptability to carry payloads of various sizes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The launch vehicle is configured with modular stages that can be independently selected and combined. Each stage is a self-contained module with standardized interfaces, allowing the vehicle configuration to be segmented and reconfigured based on payload requirements without redesigning the entire system
Solution Approach 2:
The launch vehicle configuration is made dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed. The number of stages and engines per stage can be varied to match different payload sizes, enabling the system to adapt its complexity to the specific mission requirements
3Strength
If traditional launch vehicles use heavy and large structures, then the structural strength is sufficient, but the overall mass increases leading to higher launch costs
Solution Approach 1:
The structural system is segmented into modular stages with standardized components. This allows the structure to be optimized for each specific stage's requirements rather than over-engineering the entire vehicle, reducing unnecessary mass while maintaining sufficient strength through proper structural design in each module
Solution Approach 2:
The structural parameters such as material selection, cross-sectional dimensions, and structural configuration are optimized for each modular stage based on specific load requirements. This allows the structure to have sufficient strength while minimizing mass by avoiding over-design
4Productivity
If traditional launch vehicles are designed for specific payload ranges, then the design is simplified, but the productivity for launching various payloads decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The modular stage design with standardized interfaces creates a universal platform that can serve multiple payload types and mission requirements. The same basic stage modules can be combined in different configurations to launch various payloads, eliminating the need for separate dedicated designs for each payload category
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle is segmented into reusable standardized modules that can be rapidly reconfigured for different missions. This modular architecture allows quick assembly and deployment of appropriate configurations based on payload requirements, significantly reducing redesign time and increasing launch productivity
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a modular configuration of the launch vehicle system. More specifically, it relates to the modular configuration technology developed to optimise the launch vehicle with respect to the number of engines in the lower stage or the number of stages itself in order to get a most efficient launch possible for a particular payload being launched. In the present invention the vehicle is such that the modularity is passed down to sub-system level which thereby reduces the mass of unused components and the modifiable cluster can be used as a booster unit to carry heavier payloads to higher orbits. Depending upon the mass of the payload to be carried to a particular orbit, either the number of stages or the number of engines, are either attached or removed from the vehicle and thus increasing the efficiency of the trajectory. The present invention reduces the time and cost involved in reconfiguration as well.