Reusable upper stage rocket
OwnerAndrew Lapsa, Thomas Feldmaninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A reusable upper stage rocket or other atmospheric re-entry vehicle includes a nose, a base opposite the nose, and a propulsion engine toward the base. The propulsion engine includes a high pressure chamber and a nozzle configured to exhaust gas generated by the high pressure chamber. The nozzle includes an initial nozzle portion, a secondary nozzle portion downstream of the initial nozzle portion, and a nozzle exit at a downstream end of the secondary nozzle portion. The secondary nozzle portion includes an inner expansion surface, an outer expansion surface outboard of the inner expansion surface, and an expansion cavity defined between the inner expansion surface and the outer expansion surface.
Claims69
A multi-stage rocket, comprising:
- a lower stage rocket;
- and
- an upper stage rocket separable from the lower stage rocket, the upper stage rocket including:
- a nose;
- a base opposite the nose;
- and
- a propulsion engine toward the base, the propulsion engine including:
- a high pressure chamber;
- and
- an aerospike nozzle configured to exhaust gas generated by the high pressure chamber, the aerospike nozzle including:
- a converging-diverging nozzle portion;
- a secondary nozzle portion downstream of the converging-diverging nozzle portion, the secondary nozzle portion including an inner expansion surface, an outer expansion surface outboard of the inner expansion surface, and an expansion cavity defined between the inner expansion surface and the outer expansion surface;
- and
- a nozzle exit at a downstream end of the secondary nozzle portion.
An atmospheric re-entry vehicle, comprising:
- a nose;
- a base opposite the nose;
- and
- a propulsion engine toward the base, the propulsion engine including:
- a high pressure chamber;
- and
- an aerospike nozzle configured to exhaust gas generated by the high pressure chamber, the aerospike nozzle including:
- a converging-diverging nozzle portion;
- a secondary nozzle portion downstream of the converging-diverging nozzle portion, the secondary nozzle portion including an inner expansion surface, an outer expansion surface outboard of the inner expansion surface, and an expansion cavity defined between the inner expansion surface and the outer expansion surface;
- and
- a nozzle exit at a downstream end of the secondary nozzle portion.
An atmospheric re-entry vehicle, comprising:
- a nose;
- a base opposite the nose;
- and
- a propulsion engine toward the base, the propulsion engine including:
- a high pressure chamber;
- and
- a nozzle configured to exhaust gas generated by the high pressure chamber, the nozzle including:
- an initial nozzle portion;
- a secondary nozzle portion downstream of the initial nozzle portion, the secondary nozzle portion including an inner expansion surface, an outer expansion surface outboard of the inner expansion surface, and an expansion cavity defined between the inner expansion surface and the outer expansion surface;
- and
- a nozzle exit at a downstream end of the secondary nozzle portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.