• LOW STRUCTURAL COEFFICIENT
• REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE
• SINGLE STAGE TO ORBIT
• TWO STAGE TO ORBIT

In this thesis, preliminary next generation launch vehicle reference architecture is explored in order to design reusable launch vehicle concept for small payloads (<500 kg) with low structural mass coefficient of about 7\%. Falcon 9 is studied as state of the art along with DLR's RETALT concept as academic state of the art. Formulations for both single stage to orbit and Two stage to orbit design architectures are explored. RETALT 2 single stage to orbit launch vehicle concept has been developed with detailed mass budget and trajectory study with different throttling sequence for improved performance is realized in MATLAB simulations. Preliminary Single Stage Reusable architecture designs (FERMI 1.1 and 1.2) with LH2/LOX combination, designed according to custom designed work flow algorithms to develop detailed mass budget. Shape optimization study with two popular geometry cross sections are performed using flow simulation in ANSYS, drag properties is calculated. Tank design for propellant storage and non-destructive means to determine critical loading conditions of the same is discussed, extended to reusability conditions. Materials for mass reduction in nozzle has been explored with the implementation of RD 0120/ BE-3 engine in the preliminary design. Overall trajectory design performance of RETALT 2, FERMI 1.1 and FERMI 1.2 are realized by implementing custom developed trajectory performance architecture.