Reusable Launch Vehicle Landing Gear Mechanism Technologies: A Review

As one of the key technologies for reusable launch vehicles, the landing support mechanism plays a crucial role in ensuring safe rocket recovery, reducing costs, and promoting the sustainable development of space transportation. This research systematically reviews the development history of reusable launch vehicles, with a particular focus on the design, theoretical modeling, performance analysis, and thermal protection technologies of landing support mechanisms. The study discusses various structural configurations of landing gear deployment, locking, and shock absorption technologies, summarizing the modeling methods for deployment and landing dynamics. Additionally, by integrating both static and dynamic testing techniques, the reliability of landing leg deployment, load-bearing capacity, and buffering performance are systematically analyzed. The research also explores the thermal protection requirements and relevant solutions for landing legs under reentry thermal environments. Furthermore, the study presents typical engineering applications from Space-X and Blue Origin, analyzing their experiences and innovations in landing support mechanism design and technical implementation. Based on existing research progress, this review summarizes the future development directions for reusable launch vehicle landing support mechanisms.