A rocket booster has an annular shape, with a casing defining an annular space therewithin, and a solid rocket fuel in the annular spacing. The rocket booster also includes one or more nozzle pieces, mechanically coupled to the casing, that define one or more nozzles at the aft side of the rocket booster. The rocket booster may be mechanically coupled to an object protruding from the back of a fuselage of a flight vehicle, such as a missile. For example, the rocket booster may be placed around an aft turbojet nozzle of the flight vehicle. This allows the rocket booster to be used in situations where primary propulsion must be running both before and after (and perhaps during) the firing of the rocket booster.

Thrust vector control for a vehicle having a fluid drive, vehicle having thrust vector control and method of controlling thrust vector. Thrust vector control includes a thrust current region for a thrust current of a propulsion stream having a flow direction; a steering mechanism for the thrust current including at least one steering device arranged at least in a peripheral region of the thrust current region, and the at least one steering device includes a rotational body with a lateral surface and a rotational axis arranged transverse to the flow direction, and the rotational body being rotatable so that a first part of the lateral surface exposed to the thrust current rotates in a first rotational direction, whereby a Magnus effect is produced to deflect the thrust current. The first rotational direction is in a direction of the thrust current.

Thrust vector control for a vehicle having a fluid drive, vehicle having thrust vector control and method of controlling thrust vector. Thrust vector control includes a thrust current region for a thrust current of a propulsion stream having a flow direction; a steering mechanism for the thrust current including at least one steering device arranged at least in a peripheral region of the thrust current region, and the at least one steering device includes a rotational body with a lateral surface and a rotational axis arranged transverse to the flow direction, and the rotational body being rotatable so that a first part of the lateral surface exposed to the thrust current rotates in a first rotational direction, whereby a Magnus effect is produced to deflect the thrust current. The first rotational direction is in a direction of the thrust current.

A vertical take-off and landing spacecraft includes a body, a plurality of engines provided in the body to produce a jet flow and generate thrust, an abnormal signal acquiring unit that acquires an abnormal signal indicative of a presence of an abnormal engine among the plurality of engines, and an engine control unit that outputs a stop signal that stops a specific engine among a plurality of operating engines based on the abnormal signal.

A vertical take-off and landing spacecraft includes a body, a plurality of engines provided in the body to produce a jet flow and generate thrust, an abnormal signal acquiring unit that acquires an abnormal signal indicative of a presence of an abnormal engine among the plurality of engines, and an engine control unit that outputs a stop signal that stops a specific engine among a plurality of operating engines based on the abnormal signal.

A rocket engine having a co-axial, bidirectional flow arrangement is described herein. The rocket engine receives fuel and an oxidizer into the rocket engine in a first direction, whereby a portion of the fuel is combusted in a pre-burner. The flow direction of the partially combusted fuel/oxidizer mixture is reversed, whereby the mixture is introduced into a combustion chamber. The fuel and oxidizer are combusted in the combustion chamber. The combustion products exit a throat and an expansion plenum in a direction similar to the first direction, whereby the combustion products exit a nozzle of the rocket engine, providing thrust.

A rocket engine having a co-axial, bidirectional flow arrangement is described herein. The rocket engine receives fuel and an oxidizer into the rocket engine in a first direction, whereby a portion of the fuel is combusted in a pre-burner. The flow direction of the partially combusted fuel/oxidizer mixture is reversed, whereby the mixture is introduced into a combustion chamber. The fuel and oxidizer are combusted in the combustion chamber. The combustion products exit a throat and an expansion plenum in a direction similar to the first direction, whereby the combustion products exit a nozzle of the rocket engine, providing thrust.

A multi-pulse rocket propulsion motor for use with vehicles, such as space vehicles like satellites, rockets, and the like. The propulsion motor is a modular system that is capable of providing a plurality of discrete, controllable propulsion pulses. The propulsion motor can be used for primary propulsion of the vehicle and/or as a maneuvering thruster of the vehicle. The propulsion motor includes a plurality of propellant housings each containing a combustible propellant grain, a discharge plenum defining a plenum volume in communication with the discharge of each propellant housing, and a nozzle downstream from and in fluid communication with the plenum volume.

A multi-pulse rocket propulsion motor for use with vehicles, such as space vehicles like satellites, rockets, and the like. The propulsion motor is a modular system that is capable of providing a plurality of discrete, controllable propulsion pulses. The propulsion motor can be used for primary propulsion of the vehicle and/or as a maneuvering thruster of the vehicle. The propulsion motor includes a plurality of propellant housings each containing a combustible propellant grain, a discharge plenum defining a plenum volume in communication with the discharge of each propellant housing, and a nozzle downstream from and in fluid communication with the plenum volume.

A rocket booster has an annular shape, with a casing defining an annular space therewithin, and a solid rocket fuel in the annular spacing. The rocket booster also includes one or more nozzle pieces, mechanically coupled to the casing, that define one or more nozzles at the aft side of the rocket booster. The rocket booster may be mechanically coupled to an object protruding from the back of a fuselage of a flight vehicle, such as a missile. For example, the rocket booster may be placed around an aft turbojet nozzle of the flight vehicle. This allows the rocket booster to be used in situations where primary propulsion must be running both before and after (and perhaps during) the firing of the rocket booster.