Session C7
Paper # 6256
Disclaimer — This paper partially fulfills a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the
University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. This paper is a student, not a professional, paper. This paper is
based on publicly available information and may not be provide complete analyses of all relevant data. If this paper is used
for any purpose other than these authors’ partial fulfillment of a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering
students at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, the user does so at his or her own risk.
REUSABLE ROCKETS: THE FUTURE OF SPACE ENDEAVORS
Ryan Edelson, rde13@pitt.edu, Mena 4:00, James O’Haire, jj040@pitt.edu, Vidic 2:00
Revised Proposal — Reusable rocket technology is one of the
most significant advancements in the space industry.
Reusable rocket technology is something that has only
recently been successful, thanks to SpaceX’s successful
launch, reentry, and soft landing of the Falcon 9 Rocket’s
first stage. SpaceX’s recent success is accredited to their
ability to perfect the three components necessary for a rocket
to land itself back on earth for reuse. These components are:
the gimbal rocket engines [1], the nitrogen gas thrusters, and
the associated hardware and software that allow these
components to work in unison [2]. These systems allow the
rocket to perform an about face, facing the gimbal engines in
the correct position, and then guiding the rocket towards the
landing destination so that it can softly touch down back to
earth. The ability to reuse the first stage of a rocket saves
millions, if not billions, of dollars, as well as the time and
man hours required to physically rebuild a rocket from
scratch. These implications give reusable rockets the chance
to revolutionize the space industry, making space travel
significantly more cost effective and increasing the frequency
of space missions.
Currently, SpaceX uses their Falcon 9 rockets mostly to
run resupply missions for NASA to the International Space
Station [3]. With reusable rocket technology, these missions
would cost significantly less and would happen more
frequently. This would allow astronauts in the ISS to more
frequently send down experimental data that can only be
acquired in the weightlessness of space. Since its debut in
1998, the International Space Station has fostered some of
the most groundbreaking discoveries in health, telemedicine,
solar system education and observation of Earth from space
[4]. These discoveries include bone loss mitigation, natural
disaster diagnostics, disease prevention and greater
understanding of how gravity affects human life [4].
Increasing the frequency and decreasing the cost of ISS
communication will not only promote more breakthroughs in
science and technology, but it will also allow for faster
advancement aboard the ISS (replacing outdated systems,
replenishing supplies, etc.).
Our paper, though still in the developmental stage, will
consist of several segments, each pertaining to a different
element of reusable rockets. We will preface the paper with a
thorough thesis highlighting the importance and applications
of reusable rockets, then present our material in an
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering 1
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informative and concrete manner. We plan to focus on
connecting the different components of the paper as it
progresses, building upon old information with new. The
paper will clearly analyze the gimbaled rocket boosters, cold
nitrogen gas thrusters, and the associated hardware and
software used in reusable rockets and leave the reader wellinformed on the topic. To avoid bias and ensure accurate
information is used, a variety of different sources will be
utilized such as online articles, books, official publications
and databases.
REFERENCES
[1]T. Benson. (2014). “Gimbaled Thrust.” National
Aeronautics and Space Administration. (Online Article).
https://spaceflightsystems.grc.nasa.gov/education/rocket/gim
baled.html
[2]Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (2015). “Falcon 9
Launch Vehicle Payload User’s Guide.” SpaceX. (Online
Article).
http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/falcon_9_users_gui
de_rev_2.0.pdf
[3]NASA. (2015). “SpaceX CRS-6 Mission - Cargo
Resupply Services Mission.” National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
(Online
Article).
http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/spacex_nasa_crs6_presskit.pdf
[4]NASA. (2015). “ISS Benefits for Humanity.” National
Aeronautics and Space Administration. (Online Booklet).
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/benefits/
human_health_benefits
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
T. Benson. (2014). “Gimbaled Thrust.” National Aeronautics
and
Space
Administration.
(Online
Article).
https://spaceflightsystems.grc.nasa.gov/education/rocket/gim
baled.html
This online article, from NASA’s own website on space
flight education, details the workings of gimbaled engine
thrust. The article describes how gimbaled thrust is one of the
mechanisms in a rocket that allows it to control its trajectory
and correct for flight disturbances. Information from this
Ryan Edelson
James O’Haire
article will help us explain how reusable rockets are able to
do complex maneuvers and land back on Earth accurately.
avionics and guidance software that allow it to deliver its
payload with pinpoint accuracy.
C. Isadore, R. Crane. (2016). “Jeff Bezos' Rocket Lands
Safely After Space Flight.” CNNMoney. (Online Video).
http://money.cnn.com/2015/11/24/technology/jeff-bezosrocket-landing/
This video, from a professional world news outlet,
features an interview with the CEO of Blue Origin, Jeff
Bezos, immediately following his company’s successful
landing of a reusable rocket. In the video, Bezos shares his
follow-up plans for Blue Origin regarding an eventual tourist
spaceflight program. The content of this video helps us
understand how a successful reusable rocket mission is
performed and how the company behind it plans to build on
this success.
SpaceFlight101. (2016). “Falcon 9 v1.1 & F9R Launch
Vehicle Overview.” SpaceFlight101. (Online Article).
http://spaceflight101.com/spacerockets/falcon-9-v1-1-f9r/
This article, from a reputable spaceflight news outlet,
details the technical specifications of each component of a
standard solid rocket booster, a key part in reusable rocket
technology. These components include turbo pumps, thrust
vector control and the hydraulic landing system. The content
of this article helps us visualize and grasp exactly how each
element of reusable rockets plays a role in their functionality.
A. Vance. (2015). Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest
for a Fantastic Future. Broadway, New York: Harper
Collins. (Print Book).
This biography, written by the acclaimed Ashlee Vance,
provides valuable information on many aspects of SpaceX as
a company. The book describes things like the cost of one
Falcon 9 and how much money reusable rockets could save
the space industry. Information from this book will help us to
explain the importance of reusable rockets from a business
standpoint, as well as provide information on the vision of the
future for reusable rockets.
NASA. (2015). “ISS Benefits for Humanity.” National
Aeronautics and Space Administration. (Online Booklet).
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/benefits/
human_health_benefits
This booklet of articles, from NASA’s own website of
official ISS-sponsored editorials, highlights the most
significant benefits for humanity that the ISS has brought to
fruition. Specifically, it lists the ISS’ key impacts on
economic development of space, innovative technology,
human health, global education and Earth observation &
disaster response. Information from this booklet will help us
understand how far-reaching the benefits of ISS research
have become over the last decade.
M. Wall. (2015). “Launch, Land, Repeat. Reusable Rocket
Technology Taking Flight.” Space.com. (Online Article).
http://www.space.com/29131-reusable-rocket-technologyspacex-ula.html
This article, from an accredited space exploration
syndicate, examines the recent successes and failures of
reusable rocket missions by SpaceX and Blue Origin, the
current frontrunners in reusable rocket technology. The
article details just how each company is experimenting with
rocket technology through trial and error. The content of this
article helps us to understand how the advancement of
reusable rockets has not come easy but nonetheless has been
a steady process.
NASA. (2015). “SpaceX CRS-6 Mission - Cargo Resupply
Services Mission.” National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
(Online
Article).
http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/spacex_nasa_crs6_presskit.pdf
This press kit, provided by NASA, gives a detailed
summary of the resupply missions for the ISS completed by
the Falcon 9. The press kit provides information on how the
Dragon Capsule is able to reach the ISS, as well as the
importance of the resupply missions to the ISS. This
information will allow us to give a detailed explanation of the
importance of the ISS’ work and why reusable rockets are so
valuable.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (2015). “Falcon 9
Launch Vehicle Payload User’s Guide.” SpaceX. (Online
Article).
http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/falcon_9_users_gui
de_rev_2.0.pdf
This user’s guide, released to the public by SpaceX,
details the structures, capabilities, and uses of the Falcon 9.
The guide describes everything from the physical systems of
the vehicle to the orbit insertion accuracy. Information from
this article will not only help us to explain the different
physical systems in a reusable rocket, but the complex
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