Materials Development Challenges for Reusable Launch Vehicle Structures: Perspective from New Glenn

The New Glenn system is a heavy-class launch vehicle with a reusable first stage, expendable second stage and a 7 meter diameter payload fairing, representing a step-change improvement in capability, economics and operational availability for demanding orbital payloads. The operating environments of stage reuse present a new design space for widely applied materials and processes with heritage in both aircraft and expendable launch vehicles, with opportunities for development and optimization. This paper explores the constraints that lead to the selection of materials and fabrication processes for large, reusable launch vehicles and reviews New Glenn’s applications of Constellium’s Al-Li Airware® plate products for cryogenic and non-cryogenic structure compared to legacy launch platforms. Also discussed are key areas for development in high-performance alloys at ultra-large scales, materials for extreme environments, advanced joining techniques, durability and corrosion resistance.