Launch vehicle system

A launch vehicle system, which includes at least one primary solid fuel motor;

• an attitude control system connected to a leading end of the primary solid fuel motor;
• and a shroud releasably secured to a leading end of the attitude control system, the shroud tapering from a base towards an apex at its leading end, with a circumferential explosive seam extending circumferentially near the base in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the launch vehicle system, and a pair of opposite longitudinal explosive seams extending longitudinally from the circumferentially extending seam towards the apex and defining two vertically extending shroud sections, the circumferential explosive seam means releases the shroud sections from the attitude control system, when activated, and the shroud including a plurality of vertically aligned thruster springs for exerting forces on the shroud along the longitudinal axis, the shroud further including at least one hinge at a base of each shroud section for pivotal outward movement of the shell sections under the action of the thruster spring, once the explosive seams have been activated.