• CN: 11-2187/TH
  • ISSN: 0577-6686

Journal of Mechanical Engineering ›› 2026, Vol. 62 ›› Issue (1): 59-78.doi: 10.3901/JME.260004

Previous Articles    

Review and Prospect of Reuse Reliability Research on Non-pyrotechnic Separation Mechanism of Launch Vehicle

SA Guodong1,2,3, WANG Dong1,2, LIU Zhenyu1,2, SUN Jiacheng1,2, HOU Mingjie1,2, LI Zhinan1,2, TAN Jianrong1,2   

  1. 1. The State Key Laboratory of CAD&CG, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027;
    2. School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058;
    3. Ningbo Global Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Ningbo 315100
  • Received:2025-04-11 Revised:2025-07-23 Published:2026-02-13

Abstract: During the mission of the launch vehicle, the separation mechanism, as a key component, is responsible for effectively detaching various stages of the rocket structure, with its reliability directly influencing the mission success rate. In recent years, as reusability has become a fundamental requirement in rocket design, non-pyrotechnic separation mechanisms have attracted increasing attention for their high reliability and safety, creating an urgent need for comprehensive reliability analysis to fully leverage their advantages in repeated applications. The definition, types, and working principles of separation mechanisms are detailed, and a systematic review of existing methods and the significance of mechanism and structural reliability research is presented. Existing failure mode identification approaches and reliability analysis methods are examined, highlighting their limitations when applied to reusable non-pyrotechnic separation mechanisms. The future development trends of reliability research on reusable non-pyrotechnic separation mechanisms are also discussed, aiming to provide a reference for theoretical research and technological innovation in the system reliability analysis of these mechanisms.

Key words: launch vehicle, reuse, non-pyrotechnic separation mechanism, failure mode, reliability

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