Technical Paper
Configuration and Design of Mobile Checkout System for Ground Testing of Winged Body Reusable Launch Vehicle
2024-06-01
2024-26-0454
Abstract Unlike conventional launch vehicles the winged body reusable launch vehicle needs to be tested and evaluated for its functionality during the pre-flight preparation at the runway. The ground based checkout systems for the avionics and actuators performance testing during pre-flight evaluation and actuation are not designed for rapid movement. The new kind of launch vehicle with conventional rocket motor first-stage and winged body upper-stage demands the system testing at Launchpad and at runway. In the developmental flights of the winged body part of the vehicle, the pre-flight testing needs to be carried out extensively at runway. The safety protocol forbids the permanent structure for hosting the checkout system near runway. The alternative is the development of a rapidly deployable and removable checkout system. A design methodology adopting conventional industrial instrumentation systems and maintaining mobility is presented.