Integral solid booster and hybrid thrust sustaining system and projectile incorporating the same

Abstract

A rocket according to the invention includes a motor having a fuel chamber and an oxidizer tank, a nose portion provided forward of the motor, and a nozzle surrounded by fins provided aft of the motor. The fuel chamber is provided with a relatively central solid propellant, and a hybrid fuel surrounds the solid propellant. The oxidizer tank is filled with a reactant and coupled to the forward end of the fuel chamber. A pathway is provided between the tank and the fuel chamber for the passage of reactant therethrough. At least one of a valve and a barrier is coupled in the pathway to prevent passage of the reactant into the fuel chamber until after the solid propellant is at least partially consumed. After the solid propellant is at least partially consumed, the valve is opened and/or the barrier is removed to permit the passage of reactant into the fuel chamber. The reactant exothermically reacts with the heated hybrid fuel to create a combustive reaction which creates additional and sustained thrust for the rocket. As a result, the rocket has high initial thrust and sustained thrust, enabling the rocket to maintain maximum velocity and reach a relatively higher altitude than possible with either a solid propellant system or a hybrid propellant system alone.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.