Launcher Options for Europe in a World of Starship

Kurzfassung

SpaceX is flight testing its Starship&SuperHeavy launcher configuration and as soon being operationally available could bring a fundamental shift to space transportation. In a first step, the paper provides a thorough technical analysis of Starship's actual capabilities in its early operational phase, based on the latest openly available data. The main part of the paper is dedicated to the technical evaluation of European options in serving a roughly similar payload class approaching 50 Mg in single launch to LEO. A launcher system analysis looks into Ariane 6 evolution options and explores the technical limits based on the assumption of expendable stages. A significantly better performance perspective can be achieved through a completely new architecture based on building blocks that already exist or are under development. In case of the new architecture launchers, all first stages are designed reusable and exclusively liquid cryogenic propellants are chosen. Fully reusable configurations have been addressed in the small ESA-funded PROTEIN-study for which some complementary concepts are summarized. The paper concludes with a comparative evaluation of main technical characteristics of launch vehicle options and indication of promising development roadmaps.