Axisymmetric, throttleable non-gimballed rocket engine

A rocket engine assembly for a vertically launched rocket, said assembly comprising:

• a rocket engine housing defining at least four combustion chamber disposed in an axisymmetric cluster in side-by-side relation and each including an outlet;
• means defining a sonic throat area at the outlet of each the at least four combustion chambers;
• propellant supply means for separately supplying an oxidizer and fuel to said combustion chambers;
• throttling injector means, associated with each of said combustion chambers located upstream of said sonic throat area, for receiving said oxidizer and fuel and for injecting said oxidizer and fuel into the associated combustion chamber, said injector means comprising a coaxial pintle injector disposed coaxially with the associated combustion chamber and located wholly upstream of said sonic throat area;
• expansion means located downstream of said sonic throat area for providing expansion of combustion gases produced by said at least four combustion chambers, said expansion means comprises an expansion nozzle including a central aerospike body;
• and
• control means for selectively controlling said throttling injector means of each of said combustion chambers to provide a vectorable net thrust.

A rocket engine assembly for a vertically launched rocket vehicle comprising:

• a rocket engine housing including at least four combustion chambers each including an outlet end defining a sonic throat area;
• propellant supply means for supplying a propellant to said at least four combustion chambers, said propellant supply means including injector means, associated with each of said at least four combustion chambers and located upstream of said sonic throat area, for receiving said propellant and for injecting said propellant into the associated combustion chamber, said injector means comprising a coaxial pintle injector disposed coaxially with the associated combustion chamber and located wholly upstream of said sonic throat area;
• modulation means for modulating the flow rate of said propellant to each of said at least four combustion chambers;
• control means for selectively controlling said modulator means for each of said at least four combustion chambers so that said at least four chambers provide a vectorable net thrust;
• and
• expansion means located downstream of said sonic throat area for providing expansion of combustion gases produced by said at least four combustion chambers so as to increase said net thrust, said expansion means comprising an aerospike body.