Near range safety analysis for a reusable launcher concept based on toss-back

Abstract The last decade saw the emergence of new private actors stiffening space launch market competition. In order to face this competition, in addition to the development of Ariane 6 low-cost launcher, European agencies and industry are investigating the introduction of low-cost propulsion technologies and partly-reusable launcher concepts. This paper deals with one of the concepts among those which are traded-off by CNES Launchers Directorate: a LOX/CH4 two-stage partially reusable vehicle, with a main stage return phase performed by a Toss-Back maneuver. In particular, this article provides an overview of the various flight safety issues associated with such a concept for the French Guiana protection. Then, considering that this is a new concept that has never before been operated from French Guiana, and without anticipating on any formal acceptability in terms of compliance to the French Space Operations Act, a list of possible risk reduction measures has been identified.