Rocket propulsion systems and associated methods

The system of 1, claim wherein the propellant injector includes:

• cooling flow orifices positioned to direct a first portion fuel tangentially relative to a curved inner wall of the combustion chamber;
• a fuel flow outlet positioned to direct a second portion of fuel axially into the combustion chamber;
• and
• an oxidizer outlet positioned to direct oxidizer outwardly into the combustion chamber, transverse to the second portion of fuel.

A reusable space vehicle system, comprising:

• a reusable horizontal takeoff/horizontal landing (HTHL), ground-assisted single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) spaceplane;
• and
• a rocket propulsion system, carried by the spaceplane, and including:
• a combustion chamber having a curved, inwardly-facing chamber wall enclosing a combustion zone, the chamber having a generally spherical shape with the curved, inwardly-facing chamber wall exposed to the combustion zone;
• and
• a propellant injector coupled to the combustion chamber and having at least one fuel injector nozzle positioned to direct a flow of cooling fuel tangentially relative to the curved, inwardly-facing chamber wall;
• a fuel tank coupled to the propellant injector;
• a check valve coupled to the fuel tank and being configured to close at a preselected pressure corresponding to a non-zero altitude;
• and
• an entry vent coupled to the fuel tank and configured to release at a selected pressure differential to permit air entry into the fuel tank during vehicle descent.

A reusable space vehicle system, comprising:

• a reusable horizontal takeoff/horizontal landing (HTHL), ground-assisted single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) spaceplane;
• a rocket propulsion system, carried by the spaceplane, and including:
• a combustion chamber having an inwardly-facing chamber wall enclosing a combustion zone, the chamber having a generally spherical shape with the inwardly-facing chamber wall exposed to the combustion zone;
• and
• a propellant injector coupled to the combustion chamber and having at least one fuel injector nozzle positioned to direct a flow of cooling fuel outwardly along the inwardly-facing chamber wall;
• a fuel tank coupled to the propellant injector;
• a check valve coupled to the fuel tank and being configured to close at a preselected pressure corresponding to a non-zero altitude;
• and
• an entry vent coupled to the fuel tank and configured to release at a selected pressure differential to permit air entry into the fuel tank during vehicle descent.