Alexander V Nebylov
State University of Aerospace Instrumentation, Russia
Title: Performance and technological feasibility of aerospace plane horizontal launch and landing with ekranoplane assistance
Biography
Biography: Alexander V Nebylov
Abstract
Numerous attempts to reduce the cost of satellites launch into a low orbit that were taken in many countries, characterize the current trend to make space projects economically viable and less costly. Unfortunately, this process has not led to a sharp decrease in the specific launch cost. The promising idea to make the launch cheaper is the transition from the vertical to the horizontal launch, which uses an air breathing engine. A simple method of expanding the velocity range for them was being developed by the use of boosters, gives Aerospace Plane (ASP) the aviation speed at which the main air breathing jet engine begins to operate effectively. Researches in the field of satellites horizontal launch (HTHL) were carried out in different countries. We will consider the project of launch system with ekranoplane as a booster for ASP and a mobile landing strip. This project was offered by N Tomita, Y Ohkami and A Nebylov in 1996 and since that time it has been developed in a view of detailed reasoning and various feasibility studies. Ekranoplane can give ASP the primary speed of Mach 0.6 in needed direction which allows to lower the requirements to ASP wing area and its engines. Some other advantages are connected with possible use of ekranoplane for ASP landing. Heavy ekranoplane is the single vehicle for implementing the innovative idea of docking of the descending ASP in the specific stage allowing to expand opportunities of its landing. The technology of ASP horizontal landing without undercarriage by docking with ekranoplane at the last stage of descent and the requirements of control systems are discussed.
