Hybrid injection thrust vector control
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsHerbert Stephen Jones, Joseph Paul Arves, Darren Andrew Kearney, Ryan Earl Roberts, Rory Nell McLeod
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Abstract
A rocket engine (10) generates a flow of hot propulsion fluid through a nozzle (14N). Hybrid exhaust gas generators (36,38) have their exhausts (44,54) through the side of the nozzle. Each gas generator includes a fuel grain (46,56) and a source of oxidizer (16,40,50). The fuel grain is kept hot by either or both (a) direct radiation or conduction from the hot propulsion fluid, or (b) by a trickle of oxidizer. When the thrust vector is to be modified, the appropriate one of the hybrid gas generators receives a flow of oxidizer, and the resulting exhaust gas is injected through the side of the nozzle.
Claims1
A method for directing a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
- propelling said vehicle by reaction forces attributable to the flow of high-temperature propulsion fluid through a nozzle;
- heating the fuel grain of a secondary exhaust fluid generator by one of (a) heat from said high-temperature propulsion fluid and (b) a trickle of oxidizer applied to said fuel grain, to thereby maintain said fuel grain of said secondary exhaust fluid generator ready for combustion with a flow, greater than said trickle, of said oxidizer, for thereby generating significant amounts of said secondary exhaust fluid when a flow of said oxidizer, greater than said trickle, is applied to said grain;
- and
- injecting said secondary exhaust fluid into said nozzle in an asymmetric fashion, for altering the thrust vector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.