LAUSR

Purpose This activity dealt with the thermal analysis of the launch vehicle (LV) Vega C through a lumped parameter model. The Vega C is the upgrade of the actual LV Vega within the Vega Consolidation and Evolution Program (VECEP), whose objective is to develop a consolidated – hence the C – version of the Vega by 2020. The main goal of the investigation was verifying the thickness of the external thermal protection of the LV, such that the structure and equipment temperatures were kept within their operating ranges. Design/methodology/approach The analysis has been performed by means of ESATAN-TMS during a time-frame which included the stand-by on ground phase and a flight phase up to the separation of the second stage from the third one. Two operating conditions have been considered, i.e. the worst hot and worst cold cases. The study has been divided as follows: geometry definition through spatial discretization; application of materials and optical properties; application of thermal loads; thermal analy...