Space launching has always been one of the trickiest challenges. Precise calculations and tricky designs are to be dealt with and weight and cost reduction has been one of the primary targets. One way to reduce both of these is to reduce the number of stages a rocket possesses and using Single Stage to Orbit vehicles. These vehicles, although posing many challenges, can prove to be one of the most efficient methods of launching payload into orbit. This paper represents the studies done on various Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) vehicles to obtain a conceptual design of a SSTO vehicle and the selection of the most suitable propulsion system along with certain modifications.
In this paper, we have done a detailed case study on tested SSTOs including the DC-XA, Rotary Systems ROTON, ARCA Haas, Reaction Engines Ltd. Skylon C1 and Lockheed Martin VentureStar with our primary focus being the propulsion system. We have concluded by deciding on a propulsion system and completing vehicle sizing.
