Editing Reusable launch vehicle (section)

{{Short description|Vehicles that can go to space and return}}
[[File:Falcon 9 first stage at LZ-1(two).jpg|alt=Booster hooked up on a crane|thumb|300x300px|Recovery of [[Falcon 9]] first-stage booster after its [[Falcon 9 flight 20|first landing]]]]
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A '''reusable launch vehicle''' has parts that can be recovered and reflown, while carrying [[payload]]s from the surface to [[outer space]]. [[Rocket stage]]s are the most common [[launch vehicle]] parts aimed for reuse. Smaller parts such as [[payload fairing|fairings]], [[Booster (rocketry)|boosters]] or [[rocket engine]]s can also be reused, though [[reusable spacecraft]] may be launched on top of an expendable launch vehicle. Reusable launch vehicles do not need to make these parts for each launch, therefore reducing its [[launch cost]] significantly. However, these benefits are diminished by the cost of recovery and refurbishment.

Reusable launch vehicles may contain additional [[avionics]] and [[propellant]], making them heavier than their expendable counterparts. Reused parts may need to [[Atmospheric entry|enter the atmosphere]] and navigate through it, so they are often equipped with [[heat shield]]s, [[grid fin]]s, and other [[flight control surfaces]]. By modifying their shape, [[spaceplane]]s can leverage [[aviation]] mechanics to aid in its recovery, such as [[gliding]] or [[Lift (force)|lift]]. In the atmosphere, [[parachute]]s or [[retrorocket]]s may also be needed to slow it down further. Reusable parts may also need specialized recovery facilities such as [[runway]]s or [[autonomous spaceport drone ship]]s. Some concepts rely on ground infrastructures such as [[mass driver]]s to accelerate the launch vehicle beforehand.

Since at least in the early 20th century, [[single-stage-to-orbit]] reusable launch vehicles have existed in [[science fiction]]. In the 1970s, the first reusable launch vehicle, the [[Space Shuttle]], was developed. However, in the 1990s, due to the program's failure to meet expectations, reusable launch vehicle concepts were reduced to prototype testing. The rise of [[private spaceflight]] companies in the 2000s and 2010s lead to a resurgence of their development, such as in [[SpaceShipOne]], [[New Shepard]], [[Rocket Lab Electron|Electron]], [[Falcon 9]], and [[Falcon Heavy]]. Many launch vehicles are now expected to debut with reusability in the 2020s, such as [[SpaceX Starship|Starship]], [[New Glenn]], [[Rocket Lab Neutron|Neutron]], [[Soyuz-7 (rocket family)|Soyuz-7]], [[Ariane Next]], [[Long March (rocket family)|Long March]], [[Terran R]], [[Stoke Space Nova]], and the Dawn Mk-II Aurora.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dawn Aerospace unveils the Mk II Aurora suborbital space plane, capable of multiple same-day flights |url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/28/dawn-aerospace-unveils-the-mk-ii-aurora-suborbital-space-plane-capable-of-multiple-same-day-flights/ |access-date=2022-08-19 |website=TechCrunch |date=28 July 2020 |language=en-US }}</ref>

The impact of reusability in launch vehicles has been foundational in the space flight industry. So much so that in 2024, the [[Cape Canaveral Space Force Station]] initiated a 50 year forward looking plan for the Cape that involved major infrastructure upgrades (including to [[Port Canaveral]]) to support a higher anticipated launch cadence and landing sites for the new generation of vehicles.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Davenport |first=Justin |date=2024-05-09 |title=Space Coast looks toward the future with port and factory expansions |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2024/05/cape-flyover-may-2024/ |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=NASASpaceFlight.com |language=en-US}}</ref>