Estimating the degree of disposal of a launch vehicle casing made from polyolefins in the earth’s atmosphere

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15587/1729-4061.2025.319437

Keywords:

disposal of the launch vehicle body made of polyolefins, mathematical model of deorbiting, influence of heat flows on the heating of the body, atmospheric section of trajectory, extra-atmospheric section of the trajectory

Abstract

The object of this study is the process of disposing of the upper stage body of a launch vehicle made of polyolefins by burning in the dense layers of the Earth’s atmosphere during removal from Earth orbit. The task addressed was to determine the possibility of disposal of the upper stage bodies of launch vehicles made of polyolefins during deorbiting.

The mathematical model built makes it possible to take into account the effect of ballistic and aerothermodynamic aspects at the same time. The application of this model makes it possible to estimate the degree of disposal of the upper stage bodies of launch vehicles made of polyolefins in the Earth’s atmosphere at the stage of scientific research. In turn, this makes it possible to rationally choose the design parameters of materials for launch vehicle bodies, taking into account the disposal phase in the dense layers of the atmosphere, as well as rationally select the initial parameters for deorbiting orbits. This makes it possible to maximize the level of disposal and minimize the probability of debris falling on uninhabited areas of the Earth.

The results of the study showed that launch vehicle bodies made of polymer materials such as polyethylene and polypropylene could burn up in the atmospheric part of the trajectory by 90–100 %, depending on the mass-dimensional characteristics and the type of orbit. In turn, increasing the ellipticity of the orbit makes it possible to increase the steepness of the entry of the upper body of the launch vehicle into the dense layers of the atmosphere, and hence, to increase the heat flows that contribute to the combustion of the body. With this in mind, methodological recommendations have been compiled for choosing orbits of the necessary ellipticity, taking into account the place of fall of fragments of the upper bodies of carrier rockets that did not burn up in the atmosphere

Author Biographies

Mykola Dron, Oles Honchar Dnipro National University

Doctor of Technocal Sciences, Professor

Department of Rocket and Space and Innovative Technologies

Erik Lapkhanov, Institute of Technical Mechanics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the State Space Agency of Ukraine

Doctor of Philosophy, Senior Researcher

Department of System Analysis and Control Problems

Aleksandr Golubek, Oles Honchar Dnipro National University

Doctor of Technocal Sciences, Professor

Department of Cyber Security and Computer-Integrated Technologies

Andrii Dreus, Promin Aerospace

Doctor of Technocal Sciences, Scientific Consultant

Olena Kositsyna, Oles Honchar Dnipro National University

PhD, Associate Professor

Department of Analytical Chemistry and Chemical Technology

Ludmila Dubovik, Research Institute of Energy Efficient Technologies and Materials Science

Senior Researcher

Research Institute of Energy Efficient Technologies and Materials Science

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Estimating the degree of disposal of a launch vehicle casing made from polyolefins in the earth’s atmosphere

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Published

2025-02-05

How to Cite

Dron, M., Lapkhanov, E., Golubek, A., Dreus, A., Kositsyna, O., & Dubovik, L. (2025). Estimating the degree of disposal of a launch vehicle casing made from polyolefins in the earth’s atmosphere. Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies, 1(1 (133), 33–43. https://doi.org/10.15587/1729-4061.2025.319437

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (133) (2025): Engineering technological systems

Section

Engineering technological systems

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Copyright (c) 2025 Aleksandr Golubek, Mykola Dron, Erik Lapkhanov, Andrii Dreus, Olena Kositsyna, Ludmila Dubovik

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