Unitized hybrid rocket system
AssigneeMojave Aerospace Ventures, LLC
InventorElbert L. Rutan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The hybrid rocket system of this invention is characterized by use of an oxidizer tank having a cylindrical midsection surrounded by a skirt and bonded thereto by a layer of elastomeric adhesive. The skirt outer surface is in turn adhesively secured to a spacecraft inner surface. An elongated solid-fuel motor case is mechanically rigidly secured to a central rear surface of the tank, and the case terminates in a throat and nozzle. The elastomeric-adhesive bonding of tank to skirt, and rigid adhesion of skirt to spacecraft forms the sole support for the rocket system, and separate support for the motor case is not required.
Claims19
In a suborbital spacecraft having a fuselage with a generally central and open interior cylindrical surface, a hybrid-rocket propulsion system, comprising an oxidizer tank having an outer and central cylindrical surface covered by a skirt, and insertable within the fuselage interior surface, the skirt and tank being secured together by an elastomeric means, and an outer surface of the skirt being adhesively secured to the fuselage interior surface;
- an elongated and generally cylindrical solid-fuel motor case rigidly secured to a central rear surface of the oxidizer tank, the case having a rear end defining a throat, and a nozzle extending behind the fuselage;
- the case being cantilevered behind the tank, said oxidizer tank providing sufficient support to said motor case for entirely supporting said motor case.
In a suborbital spacecraft having a fuselage with a generally central and open interior cylindrical surface, a hybrid-rocket propulsion system, comprising an oxidizer tank having an outer surface covered by a skirt, and insertable within the fuselage interior surface, the skirt and tank being secured together by an elastomeric means, and an outer surface of the skirt being adhesively secured to the fuselage interior surface;
- a solid-fuel motor case secured to a rear surface of the oxidizer tank, the case having a rear end defining a throat, and a nozzle;
- the case being cantilevered behind the tank, wherein said oxidizer tank provides sufficient support to said motor case for entirely supporting said motor case.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.