A networked electronic ordnance system is provided. The system includes a first plurality of pyrotechnic devices connected to a first network bus. The system further includes a first bus controller connected to the first network bus. The system further includes a second plurality of pyrotechnic devices connected to a second network bus. The system further includes a second bus controller connected to the second network bus. The system further includes a bus interface circuit connected to the first bus controller by a first electrical connection and connected to the second bus controller by a second electrical connection.

A heat exchanger which may be used in an engine, such as a vehicle engine for an aircraft or orbital launch vehicle. is provided. The heat exchanger may be configured as generally drum-shaped with a multitude of spiral sections, each containing numerous small diameter tubes. The spiral sections may spiral inside one another. The heat exchanger may include a support structure with a plurality of mutually axially spaced hoop supports, and may incorporate an intermediate header. The heat exchanger may incorporate recycling of methanol or other antifreeze used to prevent blocking of the heat exchanger due to frost or ice formation.

A low-cost rocket includes an atmospheric flight part and an exo-atmospheric flight part, and uses the atmospheric air part to ascend into the atmosphere through the use of propellers for the atmospheric portion of the flight. The atmospheric flight part separates from the exo-atmospheric flight part in the vicinity of the exo-atmosphere and the exo-atmospheric rocket is launched thereupon. The atmospheric flight part descends through the atmosphere using autorotation of the propellers and, if necessary, a soft landing can be affected by controlling the pitch of the propellers just prior to landing.

Disclosed is a mechanism to exhaust refrigerant vapor resulting from operation of a thermal management system that is used to cool a thermal load by a vehicle, such as an airborne vehicle. The thermal management system includes an open circuit refrigeration system featuring a receiver configured to store a liquid refrigerant fluid, an evaporator configured to extract heat from the thermal load that contacts the evaporator, and an exhaust line, where the receiver, the evaporator, and the exhaust line are connected to provide an open refrigerant fluid flow path. Other implementations of open circuit refrigeration systems include the use of a gas receiver, a pump and an ejector are also described, as are other mechanisms to exhaust refrigerant vapor resulting from operation of the thermal management system.

Disclosed is a mechanism to exhaust refrigerant vapor resulting from operation of a thermal management system that is used to cool a thermal load by a vehicle, such as an airborne vehicle. The thermal management system includes an open circuit refrigeration system featuring a receiver configured to store a liquid refrigerant fluid, an evaporator configured to extract heat from the thermal load that contacts the evaporator, and an exhaust line, where the receiver, the evaporator, and the exhaust line are connected to provide an open refrigerant fluid flow path. Other implementations of open circuit refrigeration systems include the use of a gas receiver, a pump and an ejector are also described, as are other mechanisms to exhaust refrigerant vapor resulting from operation of the thermal management system.

A heat exchanger which may be used in an engine, such as a vehicle engine for an aircraft or orbital launch vehicle is provided. The heat exchanger may be configured as generally drum-shaped with a multitude of spiral sections, each containing numerous small diameter tubes. The spiral sections may spiral inside one another. The heat exchanger may include a support structure with a plurality of mutually axially spaced hoop supports, and may incorporate an intermediate header. The heat exchanger may incorporate recycling of methanol or other antifreeze used to prevent blocking of the heat exchanger due to frost or ice formation.

Passive reactivity control technologies that enable reactivity control of a nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) system with little to no active mechanical movement of circumferential control drums. By minimizing or eliminating the need for mechanical movement of the circumferential control drums during an NTP burn, the reactivity control technologies simplify controlling an NTP reactor and increase the overall performance of the NTP system. The reactivity control technologies mitigate and counteract the effects of xenon, the dominant fission product contributing to reactivity transients. Examples of reactivity control technologies include, employing burnable neutron poisons, tuning hydrogen pressure, adjusting wait time between burn cycles or merging burn cycles, and enhancement of temperature feedback mechanisms. The reactivity control technologies are applicable to low-enriched uranium NTP systems, including graphite composite fueled and tungsten ceramic and metal matrix (CERMET), or any moderated NTP system, such as highly-enriched uranium graphite composite NTP systems.

A motor has an oxidizer injector, the oxidizer injector is mainly suitable for using in a combustion chamber, the oxidizer injector has a body having a first runner assembly and a second runner assembly arranged along an axis, the first runner assembly injects oxidizer into the combustion chamber to form a forward swirl, and the second runner assembly injects oxidizer into the combustion chamber to form a reverse swirl, the axial torsion generated by the forward swirl and the axial torsion generated by the reverse swirl counteract each other, so as to solve the problem of axial torsion imbalance in the combustion chamber.

A motor has an oxidizer injector, the oxidizer injector is mainly suitable for using in a combustion chamber, the oxidizer injector has a body having a first runner assembly and a second runner assembly arranged along an axis, the first runner assembly injects oxidizer into the combustion chamber to form a forward swirl, and the second runner assembly injects oxidizer into the combustion chamber to form a reverse swirl, the axial torsion generated by the forward swirl and the axial torsion generated by the reverse swirl counteract each other, so as to solve the problem of axial torsion imbalance in the combustion chamber.

An emergency landing apparatus for an aircraft and a method of operating the emergency landing apparatus is provided. The emergency landing apparatus comprises: one or more rocket motors arranged to eject efflux in order to provide upwards thrust to control descent of the aircraft during emergency landing of the aircraft; and control circuitry configured to: cause the one or more rocket motors to eject efflux and provide upwards thrust to control descent of the aircraft during emergency landing of the aircraft; and cause redirection of the efflux ejected by the one or more rocket motors, during the emergency landing of the aircraft, in order to reduce the upwards thrust provided by the one or more rocket motors.