Fuel Conservation for Launch Vehicles: Falcon Heavy Case Study

Primož Jozič, Aleksander Zidanšek and Robert Repnik
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Primož Jozič: Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Physics Department, University of Maribor, Koroška cesta 160, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Aleksander Zidanšek: Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Physics Department, University of Maribor, Koroška cesta 160, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Robert Repnik: Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Physics Department, University of Maribor, Koroška cesta 160, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-10

Abstract: Space exploration has recently been growing at an increasing pace and has caused a significant burden to the environment, in particular, during the launch of rockets, when a large amount of fuel is burned and the exhaust gases are released in the air. For this case study, we selected the SpaceX Falcon Heavy reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle, which is one of the most promising rockets for the low-cost lifting of heavy payloads into orbit and beyond. We evaluated several strategies for optimisation of fuel consumption and for minimisation of environmental impact during launch through the atmosphere for the case of its first launch on February 6, 2018, when the rocket carried a red Tesla Roadster with a “Starman” in the direction toward Mars. In addition to the flight plan and Newtonian equations of motion, we have taken into account the thermodynamic properties of the rocket engines. Results are similar but slightly different if one minimises the total fuel consumption for the desired flight plan or if one minimises the environmental pollution during the initial stage of the launch through the atmosphere. The same methodology can be extended for launches in other directions including the Earth orbit and the Moon.

Keywords: fuel conservation; heavy-lift launch vehicles; environmental impact (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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