Thermodynamic assessment of the possibility of using polymeric materials in promising launch vehicles

One of the ways to reduce the cost of space launches for the operational launch of constellations of satellites into the Earth's orbit is the creation of targeted launch vehicles based on light and ultralight class rockets. The solution to this problem lies, among other things, in the area of development and application of new structural materials. The presented work considers the possibility of using polymers on the one hand as a structural material for creating the hulls of launch vehicles, and on the other hand as solid fuel for rocket engines. Research is related to the development of a new type of ultralight launch vehicles: combustible or autophagic launch vehicles. A short historical excursion into the problem of creating polymer launch vehicles is given. The authors summarized the experience of their own research on the use of polymer materials for the creation of combustible rockets. The thermophysical and mechanical characteristics of various types of polymers were analyzed from the point of view of the possibility of their use as structural materials for the hulls of ultralight missile carriers. The results of theoretical and experimental studies of thermal destruction of polymer materials under aerodynamic heating conditions are presented. It is shown that polymer materials, in particular polyethylene, under certain conditions, can be used to make fuel tanks for solid-fuel rockets that use a new principle of burning the structure during flight. The development of such launch vehicles and the commercialization of scientific research in this area will allow domestic companies in the aerospace industry to occupy a niche in the market for launching small satellites.