Two-stage-to-orbit

A two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO or DSTO - Double/Dual-Stage-To-Orbit) launch vehicle is a spacecraft in which two distinct stages provide propulsion consecutively in order to achieve orbital velocity. It is intermediate between a three-stage-to-orbit launcher and a hypothetical single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) launcher.

At liftoff the first stage is responsible for accelerating the vehicle. At some point the second stage detaches from the first stage and continues to orbit under its own power.

An advantage of such a system over single-stage-to-orbit is that the entire mass of the spacecraft is not carried into orbit. This reduces the cost involved in reaching orbital velocity as much of the structure and engine mass is ejected and a larger percentage of the orbited mass is payload mass.

An advantage over three or more stages is reduction in complexity and fewer separation events, each of which reduces cost and risk of failure.

It is not always clear when a vehicle is a DSTO. Many designs which use a very small boost at the beginning of their flight are referred to as single-stage-to-orbit. Some have also coined the expression 1.5STO for 'one-and-a-half-stage-to-orbit', e.g., the Atlas. Also, many launch vehicles have side-mounted booster rockets which are jettisoned early which are called "stage-0".

With reference to a reusable launch system this approach is often proposed as an alternative to single-stage-to-orbit (or SSTO). Its supporters argue that, since each stage may have a lower mass ratio than an SSTO launch system, such a system may be built without approaching as close to the limitations of its structural materials. It therefore should require less maintenance, less testing, experience fewer failures and have a longer working life.

Critics argue that the increased complexity of designing two separate stages that must interact, the logistics involved in returning the first stage to the launch site, and the difficulties of conducting incremental testing on a second stage will outweigh these benefits. In the case of airplane-like lower stages they also argue how difficult and expensive high speed aircraft (like the SR-71) are to develop and operate, and question performance claims. Many 'mini-shuttle' designs that use transport aircraft as first stages also face similar problems with ice/foam as the Space Shuttle due to the requirement they also carry a large external tank for their fuel.SpaceX is the only launch provider which achieved first-stage reuse of an orbital vehicle.

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Wikipedia