On selecting design parameters of advanced medium-capacity launch vehicle

The paper discusses the capability of increasing mass of a payload injected by an advanced two-stage launch vehicle to a low Earth orbit, by optimizing the second stage design parameters. By changing the initial mass and thrust of the second stage (with due regard to a relevant change of the structural mass) a relationship between the payload mass and initial mass and thrust of the second stage of the launch vehicle was determined, a maximum mass of the launched payload was found. The distance of the impact area of the separated first stage for a specified range of mass and thruster combinations of the second stage of the launch vehicle was analyzed. A possibility of the separated first stage to hit the specified impact area with an optimum option of the second stage was identified. The research is implemented through ballistic analysis.