Review, Prospect and Technical Challenge of Launch Vehicle

Abstract

Following six decades of development, the technology of launch vehicle has progressed with respect to the dual action of demand traction and technical promotion, providing increasingly valuable high-tech services for society. Currently, the development of launch vehicle is progressing with respect to stronger capabilities, higher reliability, lowering costs, flexibility, and user convenience. Retrospectively, the global development history of the launch vehicle technology can be roughly categorized into four stages with distinct characteristics of the decades.