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Reusable launch vehicle
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=== Partially reusable launch systems === Partial reusable launch systems, in the form of multiple stage to orbit systems have been so far the only reusable configurations in use. ==== Specific component reuse ==== The historic [[Space Shuttle]] reused its [[Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster|Solid Rocket Boosters]], its [[RS-25]] engines and the [[Space Shuttle orbiter]] that acted as an orbital insertion stage, but it did not reuse the [[External Tank]] that fed the RS-25 engines. This is an example of a reusable launch system which reuses specific components of rockets. [[United Launch Alliance|ULAβs]] [[Vulcan Centaur]] was originally designed to reuse the first stage engines, while the tank is expended. The engines would splashdown on an inflatable [[aeroshell]], then be recovered. On 23 February 2024, one of the nine Merlin engines a powering a [[Falcon 9 ]] launched for the 22nd time, making it the most reused liquid fuel engine used in an operational manner, having already surpassed [[Space Shuttle Main Engine]] number 2019's record of 19 flights. ==== Liftoff stages ==== As of 2024, [[Falcon 9]] and [[Falcon Heavy]] are the only orbital rockets to reuse their boosters, although multiple other systems are in development. All aircraft-launched rockets reuse the aircraft. Other than that a range of [[Non-rocket launch|non-rocket liftoff systems]] have been proposed and explored over time as reusable systems for liftoff, from balloons<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Reyes|first1=Tim|title=Balloon launcher Zero2Infinity Sets Its Sights to the Stars|journal=Universe Today|date=October 17, 2014|url=http://www.universetoday.com/115391/balloon-launcher-zero2infinity-sets-its-sights-to-the-stars/|access-date=9 July 2015|archive-date=13 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413123411/http://www.universetoday.com/115391/balloon-launcher-zero2infinity-sets-its-sights-to-the-stars/|url-status=live}}</ref>{{relevance inline|date=October 2020}}<!-- it is unclear about how this space launch technology relates to ''reusable'' launch vehicles. No work seems to be going on to build/test any "non-rocket spacelaunch" technologies to survive atmospheric reentry and thus become reusable. --> to [[space elevator]]s. Existing examples are systems which employ winged horizontal jet-engine powered liftoff. Such aircraft can [[air launch]] expendable rockets and can because of that be considered partially reusable systems if the aircraft is thought of as the first stage of the launch vehicle. An example of this configuration is the [[Orbital Sciences Pegasus]]. For suborbital flight the [[SpaceShipTwo]] uses for liftoff a carrier plane, its [[mothership]] the [[Scaled Composites White Knight Two]]. Rocket Lab is working on [[Rocket Lab Neutron|Neutron]], and the [[European Space Agency]] is working on [[Themis programme|Themis]]. Both vehicles are planned to recover the first stage.<ref>{{cite web |date=15 December 2020 |title=ESA plans demonstration of a reusable rocket stage |url=https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/ESA_plans_demonstration_of_a_reusable_rocket_stage}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=26 June 2023 |title=Everything you need to know about Themis |url=https://europeanspaceflight.substack.com/p/everything-you-need-to-know-about-ddb}}</ref> ==== Orbital insertion stages ==== So far, most launch systems achieve [[orbital insertion]] with at least partially expended [[multistaged rocket]]s, particularly with the second and third stages. Only the [[Space Shuttle]] has achieved a reuse of the orbital insertion stage, by using the engines and fuel tank of [[Space Shuttle orbiter|its orbiter]]. The [[Buran (spacecraft)|Buran spaceplane]] and [[Starship spacecraft]] are two other reusable spacecraft that were designed to be able to act as orbital insertion stages and have been produced, however the former only made one uncrewed test flight before the project was cancelled, and the latter is not yet operational, having completed [[List of Starship launches|eight suborbital test flights]], as of April 2025, which achieved all of its mission objectives at the fourth flight.
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