Rocket engine thrust chamber assembly

A method for making in substantially one piece a thrust chamber assembly for a rocket engine, said assembly having a combustion chamber, a throat and a nozzle connected in series, comprising:

• a. providing a two-piece mandrel having a configuration of said combustion chamber, throat and nozzle portions portion, said mandrel having an axis;
• b. wrapping said combustion chamber and said throat portions of the mandrel with a first fabric tape saturated with a curable, thermosetting resin, said wrapping having an end at said throat portion of said mandrel;
• said tape being wrapped at an angle such that the width of the tape is positioned at an angle of 30 to 50° with respect to said axis;
• c. curing the thermosetting resin;
• d. machining the end of the wrapping to form a frustoconical surface having an angle of 5 to 30° with respect to said axis;
• e. wrapping the nozzle portion with a second fabric tape saturated with a curable, thermosetting resin, said wrapping beginning at said frustoconical surface and having the same angle as said frustoconical surface;
• f. curing the second fabric tape;
• g. machining said end of said second tape to form a third frustoconical surface having angle of 5 to 15° with respect to said axis;
• h. wrapping a third fabric tape saturated with a thermosetting resin, said third wrapping beginning at the machined end of said second wrap and having the same angle as the third frustoconical surface;
• i. curing the third fabric tape;
• j. wrapping the assembly with a tow of graphite fibers wetted with an epoxy resin to form a structural layer;
• and
• k. curing the epoxy resin.