Forums
L2 Sign Up
SLS/Orion
SpaceX
Commercial
ISS
International
Other
Shop
Home
Help
Tags
Calendar
Login
Register
Forums
»
SLS / Orion / Beyond-LEO HSF - Constellation
»
Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (HLV/SLS)
»
Can the SLS evolve into a reusable rocket?
4
Likes
Print
Pages: [
1
]
Go Down
Author
Topic: Can the SLS evolve into a reusable rocket? (Read 3357 times)
Tywin
Full Member
Posts: 1589
West Palm Beach...Space Coast
Liked: 539
Likes Given: 5618
Can the SLS evolve into a reusable rocket?
«
on:
12/10/2022 12:42 am »
In the future, can the SLS change its side boosters for liquid hydrogen rockets, or another propellant, and the RS-25 evolve in re-ignition like the Merlin?
Could the SLS do this in order to survive future decades?
«
Last Edit: 12/10/2022 12:42 am by Tywin
»
Logged
The knowledge is power...Everything is connected...
The Turtle continues at a steady pace ...
su27k
Senior Member
Posts: 6414
Liked: 9107
Likes Given: 885
Re: Can the SLS evolve into a reusable rocket?
«
Reply #1 on:
12/10/2022 01:54 am »
No.
Also already covered by other threads:
sls reusable possible?
Make SLS Reusable
Logged
Tommyboy
and
whitelancer64
like this
TomH
Senior Member
Posts: 3044
Vancouver, WA
Liked: 1983
Likes Given: 990
Re: Can the SLS evolve into a reusable rocket?
«
Reply #2 on:
12/24/2022 05:49 am »
The core climbs too high and fast to be recovered, almost to full orbital velocity. No way to jettison and recover the engines for the same reason.
Recoverable/reusable liquid boosters are theoretically possible, but hydrogen could not be the fuel. While hydrogen has higher energy per kilogram (ISP) than kerosene or methane, hydrogen is exceptionally light. To get much energy, the H2 tanks have to be immense. Due to VAB door width, boosters can be a maximum of 5.49 meters wide and only as high as the upper thrust beam in the core. Liquid boosters of that size could not hold enough hydrogen and also the booster base would not be wide enough to accommodate enough engines. While RP-1 and methane have lower ISP than H2, they have greater density in mass and energy. Reusable Methane or RP-1 boosters could be designed and built, but completely new engines might be required as well. For the low SLS flight rate, the investment in any part of this would not be worth it.
None of the rest of the vehicle could ever be recovered. Starship will stage low and slow for booster RTLS. As previously stated, the SLS core flies so high that it would require tiles, a bulbous nose, and aerodynamic surfaces to return. It would have to carry any upper stage and cargo internally. Make all those changes and you have what will soon fly, namely Starship.
In summary, reusable boosters are theoretically possible, but far too expensive for the flight rate. Nothing else could be reused under any circumstances.
Although NASA is now discussing production of 2 SLS per year at slightly reduced price, it never will come close to competing economically with SH/SS. IMHO, the political support for SLS will some day drop low enough that SLS is discontinued and only SS (and possibly New Armstrong) will fill the role of SHLV.
«
Last Edit: 12/24/2022 05:56 am by TomH
»
Logged
Hog
and
DIDAHO
like this
Print
Pages: [
1
]
Go Up
Tags:
Forums
»
SLS / Orion / Beyond-LEO HSF - Constellation
»
Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (HLV/SLS)
»
Can the SLS evolve into a reusable rocket?
Advertisement
Tweets by NASASpaceflight
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
0