Application of a new economic analysis tool to a two-stage-to-orbit RBCC launch vehicle design (original) (raw)

As aerospace industries are forced to compete in an environment of declining federal budgets and increased competition, 'design for performance' is quickly giving way to 'design for cost.' Many modern launch vehicle programs are initiated with the goal of lowering the cost of delivering payloads to orbit while limiting investment costs and yielding a reasonable rate of return. Designers of new vehicles will need tools to quickly evaluate not only the costs, but also the revenue potential of various design options. To provide information that can be used to drive design decisions or an optimization process, these economic analysis tools must be fully integrated into the design environment.