The CALLISTO and ReFEx flight experiments at DLR - Challenges and opportunities of a wholistic approach

Abstract

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is currently preparing two reusable launch vehicle (RLV) flight experiments for flight - a singularly unique and valuable position in Europe. While CALLISTO (Cooperative Action Leading to Launcher Innovation in Stage Toss back Operations) in cooperation with CNES and JAXA aims at investigating the challenges associated with propulsive vertical take-off, vertical landing, ReFEx (Reusability Flight Experiment) aims to investigate the other end of the RLV spectrum with a fully aerodynamic mode of return and horizontal landing. The goal of both experiments is to gain experience with designing, building, operating and flying RLVs, de-risk and mature the necessary technologies involved and gather data so as to provide a basis for future European RLV development and optimization. The paper will describe both projects and their status in detail as well as highlight some of the differences and similarities of the two approaches. This will lead to the identification of key applicational areas of the two.