(RLV) Literature suggestions?

[tap_sa]

What space tech literature fill your bookshelves? What would you suggest to someone whose general interest is in RLVs and would like to test how much more detailed, professional level information on the subject he can pack into his head before it saturates.<br /><br />I've all but decided to order copy of Rocket Propulsion Elements by Sutton,Ross,Biblarz after snooping around and feeling consensus it is the bible of propulsion. Amazon suggests Spacecraft Systems Engineering by Fortescue,Stark with it. You pros out there, is this a good couple to start with?<br /><br />Also a broader gallup, what magazines and websites you follow? My bookshelf is empty, SDC, HobbySpace, SpaceDaily, Spaceflightnow .. that's about it.<br />

 

[propforce]

Depending on your background and objective, there are a lot of materials to be studied. Rocket engine design is only a small (though a very important) part of RLV design.<br /><br />But first I would start with some understanding of Orbital Mechanics, in order to understand where and why you want to get there and what will it takes to get there (the concept of delta-v and Isp). <br /><br />Second, I would recommend some reading and understanding on Trajectory Analysis - the concept of using 6 DOF (degree-of-freedom) optimization code to design and "shape" a trajectory that can result in either a minimum propellant consumption or a maximum payload placement. <br /><br />Third, I'd recommend doing some survey of existing launch vehicles and/or major ELV/RLV studied to understand 1) existing state-of-art technologies and why they are the way they are today, and 2) identify the key limiting or "break-through" technologies that, if available, can improve the payload by X%, etc. <br /><br />Fourth, understand the economics of launch vehicle design. Is this a "price-is-no-object" approach, or a "price-drives-technical-design" approach? Understand the concept of initial investment (non-recurring cost) vs. operational/maintenance (recurring) cost, and decision drivers. Understand the concept of "payback" and "break-even analysis".<br /><br />Fifth, understand the concept and application of reliability analysis and flow down of reliability allocations and requirements. Understand the difference in reliability between expendable, reusable and man-rated requirements. Understand the concept of redundancy and it's use in reliability calculation.<br /><br />By doing #3 above, one can develop some pretty handy design "rule-of-thumb" for your vehicle design. For example you'll notice that for vertical launches, a majority of LV has an initial thrust-to-weight somewhere between 1.2 to 1.4, this should size your booster engine thrust requirement somewhere between 1.2 ~ 1.4X of your gros <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[tap_sa]

Great analysis, thanks! I did order the two books I mentioned as a first salvo but I'll keep an eye open especially for books on cost/reliability analysis. Found a few promising but they had delivery time of several weeks compared to one day the ones coming now.<br /><br />My background is too many years playing with computers, first for fun and now for the money, have studied in helsinki university of technology so the math and such shouldn't be a problem. Objective is to gather enough information that I could at least try to do actual technical designing without making obvious gross mistakes. I don't consider myself as a RLV zealot but do think it will be important way in the future so would like to know how to get something from orbit back down to earth, preferably intact.

 

[mrmorris]

If you have a University nearby, you might check out their library. he following list available at UCF. I haven't checked any out yet, but plan to:<br /><br />Space vehicle mechanisms : elements of successful design / <br />edited by Peter Conley ; editorial associates, Douglas Packard, William Purdy. <br />ISBN: 047112141X <br />CALL NUMBER: TL875 .C663 1998 <br /><br />Spacecraft systems engineering<br />edited by Peter Fortescue and John Stark. <br />CALL NUMBER: TL875 .S68 1995 <br /><br />Spacecraft structures and mechanisms--from concept to launch <br />General Collection TL910 .S673 1995<br /><br />Design methodologies for space transportation systems<br /> Walter E. Hammond. <br />CALL NUMBER: TL870 .H36 2001 <br /><br />Elements of spacecraft design<br />Charles D. Brown. <br />CALL NUMBER: TL875 .B76 2002 <br /><br />Technologies of manned space systems <br />Bond, Aleck C.; 1966 <br />General Collection TL873 .B6<br /><br />Project Nero; near-earth rescue and operations. 1967 <br />General Collection TL875 .P7<br />