Mixed mode rocket engine

A rocket engine for effectively utilizing different propellant combinations having different densities during different portions of a rocket flight, said engine comprising:

• a thrust chamber for receiving combustibly interactive propellants and providing a thrust generating gaseous output flow;
• first, second and third propellant delivery means for respectively supplying a high-density propellant, a low-density propellant, and a third propellant that is combustibly interactive with both said high-density and said low-density propellants to said thrust chamber;
• each of said propellant delivery means including pump means, motor means for driving said pump means, and preburner means for providing a gaseous output driving said motor means;
• additional pump means forming a portion of said third propellant delivery means for pumping said high-density propellant to said third propellant delivery preburner means;
• and
• motor means for driving said high density pump means disposed to receive the gaseous outputs from both said first and second propellant delivery preburner means and be driven by either one of said outputs;
• and
• control means for varying the relative quantities of said propellants supplied to said thrust chamber to thereby provide the thrust chamber with different propellant combinations having different densities during different portions of a rocket flight.

A rocket engine for effectively utilizing different propellant combinations having different densities during different portions of a rocket flight, said engine comprising:

• a thrust chamber for receiving combustibly interactive propellants and providing a thrust generating gaseous output flow;
• an injector having a propellant-receiving manifold, and means defining a plurality of orifices for injecting propellants into said thrust chamber, each of said orifices communicating with said manifold;
• first propellant delivery means for receiving a high-density liquid propellant and conveying said high-density propellant to said injector manifold;
• second propellant delivery means for receiving a low-density liquid propellant and conveying said low-density propellant to said injector manifold so that high and low-density propellants both enter said thrust chamber through the same injector orifices;
• third propellant delivery means for receiving a liquid propellant combustibly interacting with both high and said low-denstiy propellants and supplying said interactive propellant to said thrust chamber;
• control means for varying the relative quantities of said propellants supplied to said thrust chamber to thereby provide different combinations having different densities during different portions of a rocket flight;
• and
• means for converting each of said propellants to a gas before entering said thrust chamber to minimize differences between the manner in which different propellants interact combustibly with each other so that different propellants having different densities can be injected into said thrust chamber through the same orifices during different portions of a rocket flight and provide stable, high-thrust generating combustive interaction.

a rocket engine for utilizing different propellants having different heat capacities during different portions of a rocket flight comprising:

• a thrust chamber for receiving combustibly interactive propellants and providing a thrust generating gaseous output flow;
• first propellant delivery means for delivering a first propellant to said thrust chamber along a first path;
• second propellant delivery means for supplying a second propellant to said thrust chamber along a second path;
• third propellant delivery means for supplying a third propellant that is combustibly interactive with both said first and said second propellants to said thrust chamber along a third path that brings said third propellant sufficiently close to said combustion chamber for a sufficiently long interval to cause said third propellant to absorb heat and cool said thrust chamber, said third propellant delivery means including first pump means for pumping said combustibly interactive propellant to a first predetermined pressure before entering said heat absorbing portion of said third path, and second pump means for receiving said combustibly interactive propellant from said heat absorbing portion of said third path and pumping said combustibly interactive propellant to a second predetermined pressure;
• and
• control means for varying the relative quantities of said propellants supplied to said thrust chambers during different portions of a rocket flight.