Conceptual Fundamentals for Developing Experimental Technologies for Cryogenic Propellant Tank Thermal Strength Assurance of Future Competitive Launch Vehicles
The author describes the development tendencies of experimental methods for development testing of the thermal strength of new-generation SLV cryogenic propellant tanks taking into consideration the competitive launch vehicle market environment which makes it necessary to reduce the launch cost as much as possible with an obligatory safety factors assurance. In particular, to do that it is proposed to transfer to the pressure moulding of cryogenic propellant tanks under normal temperatures, use of gaseous helium as a coolant during cryogenic static tests of a large hydrogen tank stack and to build benches for testing technologically representative cryogenic propellant tank stacks for reusable spacecraft.