Trajectory and mass analysis of RBCC-powered cruise vehicles

Rocket-based combined cycle (RBCC) systems, which combine the strong points of airbreathing propulsion and rocket propulsion, provide potential power for cruise vehicles that can fly with hypersonic speed and high trajectory. In the full paper, we explain in detail the trajectory and inert mass of the vehicles on the basis of their feasibility study. We established their mathematical models for trajectory analysis and mass analysis respectively. We calculated and analyzed the solutions for the cruise vehicles that require special technical parameters, and in doing so, we considered the restrictions of dynamic pressure and overload. Given that lift-off Mach number is 0.7, lift-off mass is 1500 kg, cruise Mach number is 6.0, cruise height is 25 km, range is over 1500 km, and the inert mass coefficient is controlled within 0.6, the propulsion system of RBCC-powered cruise vehicle is feasible and the vehicles have satisfactory performance; and when inert mass coefficient is 0.55, the payload mass is 152 kg and increases as the inert mass coefficient decreases.