Bi-propellant rocket motor having controlled thermal management

A miniature rocket propulsion system comprising:

• a plurality of primary propellant storage chambers for receiving a non-flowable, aft end-burning primary propellant, wherein the primary propellant storage chambers are separated by a motor body structure;
• a plurality of secondary propellant storage chambers for receiving a flowable, self-pressurizing secondary propellant, wherein the secondary propellant is complementary to the primary propellant, the secondary propellant being self-pressurizing, having a vapor pressure at ambient conditions of greater than the combustion pressure of the primary propellant in the primary propellant storage chambers;
• and
• at least one secondary propellant delivery channel associated with each secondary propellant storage chamber, the channel connecting the secondary propellant storage chamber to the primary propellant storage chamber, the channel passing through the motor body structure and along at least a portion of the length of the primary propellant storage chamber, the channel configured to introduce the secondary propellant to an afterburner region of the primary propellant storage chamber, wherein the secondary propellant is delivered directly to the afterburner region of the primary propellant storage chamber following depletion of the primary propellant past an interface of the secondary propellant delivery channel and the primary propellant storage chamber,
• wherein the rocket propulsion system has a mass of about 1.5 kg or less.

A method of operating a rocket propulsion comprising:

• providing a rocket propulsion system comprising
• a plurality of primary propellant storage chambers separated by a motor body structure, at least a portion of which contains a non-flowable, aft end-burning, primary propellant;
• a plurality of secondary propellant storage chambers, at least a portion of which contains a flowable secondary propellant, wherein the secondary propellant is complementary to the primary propellant, the secondary propellant being self-pressurizing, having a vapor pressure at ambient conditions of greater than the combustion pressure of the primary propellant in the primary propellant storage chambers;
• and
• at least one secondary propellant delivery channel associated with each secondary propellant storage chamber, the channel connecting the secondary propellant storage chamber to the primary propellant storage chamber, the channel passing through the motor body structure and along at least a portion of the length of the primary propellant storage chamber, the channel configured to introduce the secondary propellant to an afterburner region of the primary propellant storage chamber or a nozzle proximate thereto, wherein the secondary propellant is delivered directly to the afterburner region of the primary propellant storage chamber following depletion of the primary propellant past an interface of the secondary propellant delivery channel and the primary propellant storage chamber, wherein the rocket propulsion system has a mass of about 1.5 kg or less;
• and
• propelling the rocket propulsion system in such a manner that the thermal energy used to gasify the secondary propellant is provided by the combustion reaction and thereby allows for additional energy to be transferred to the secondary propellant while reducing the heat available for transfer into the rocket structure.