The primary considerations in the design and development of a recovery system applicable to present expendable first stage launch vehicles are discussed. The general requirements that define the essential characteristics of a feasible recovery system are derived from three critical phases during flight. The degree of criticalness is primarily influenced by the conditions at stage cutoff and separation. The three critical phses of flight are broken down into the following: (1) conditions and requirements between stage separation to re-entry; (2) re-entry; and (3) terminal descent and landing.
