A rocket in one example includes separate chambers for storing two thrust grains: an initial thrust grain and a boost thrust grain. The initial thrust grain is stored in a first chamber and the boost thrust grain is stored in a second chamber. The initial thrust grain is ignited separately from the boost thrust grain, such as in a two-stage process where the initial thrust grain is ignited before, or at the same time as, the boost thrust grain. The initial thrust grain has a large surface area (different burn pattern) relative to the boost thrust grain, which causes the initial thrust grain to have a shorter burn time than the boost thrust grain.

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 casing may itself at least in part define an annular gap that functions as a nozzle for the rocket booster, with protruding tabs on the casing aiding in maintaining a uniform height of the annular gap. 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.

A system for multiple burns from a solid fuel rocket motor may extinguish rocket fuel after the rocket has been ignited. The motor may be extinguished via rapid decompression of the combustion chamber. The fuel may then be reignited by a suitable igniter, and the process of extinguishing and reigniting may be repeated, enabling multi-burn maneuvers. A decompressive extinguishing plug nozzle may extinguish solid rocket fuel after the rocket has been ignited and/or keep a rocket in a disarmed (zero thrust) state until the rocket is to be armed. The nozzle may include a plug that mostly impedes the opening of the nozzle and an outer cowl that is movable to rapidly decompress the combustion chamber. This rapid decompression extinguishes the solid rocket fuel. In some aspects, the fuel can be reignited and extinguished multiple times.

A solid rocket motor comprises a pressure vessel, a solid propellant structure within the pressure vessel, and a flight termination system overlying the pressure vessel. The flight termination system comprises a shaped charge configured and positioned to effectuate ignition of an inner portion of the solid propellant structure and a reduction in an ability of the pressure vessel to withstand a change in internal pressure. Another solid rocket motor, a multi-stage rocket motor assembly, and a method of destroying a launch vehicle in flight are also described.

A nozzle (1) for a space vehicle engine (M), the nozzle comprising a stationary portion (2) and a movable portion (3), the nozzle (1) including a pneumatic deployment system (4) comprising: a deployment actuator (5) for deploying the movable portion (3) of the nozzle (1); a high unlocking actuator (6); a low unlocking actuator (7); and an ejector (41); the deployment system (4) including a feed system (8) configured so as to, sequentially: move the deployment actuator (5) from its support position towards its deployment position; move the high and low unlocking actuators (6, 7) into their high and low unlocking positions; and actuate the ejector so as to eject the deployment system (4) from the nozzle (1).

A nozzle (1) for a space vehicle engine (M), the nozzle comprising a stationary portion (2) and a movable portion (3), the nozzle (1) including a pneumatic deployment system (4) comprising: a deployment actuator (5) for deploying the movable portion (3) of the nozzle (1); a high unlocking actuator (6); a low unlocking actuator (7); and an ejector (41); the deployment system (4) including a feed system (8) configured so as to, sequentially: move the deployment actuator (5) from its support position towards its deployment position; move the high and low unlocking actuators (6, 7) into their high and low unlocking positions; and actuate the ejector so as to eject the deployment system (4) from the nozzle (1).

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 space propulsion module for fitting to spacecraft is provided. The space propulsion module includes a solid propellant chemical thruster including a main body, and at least one electric thruster. The at least one electric thruster is mounted on main body of the solid propellant chemical thruster.

A space propulsion module for fitting to spacecraft is provided. The space propulsion module includes a solid propellant chemical thruster including a main body, and at least one electric thruster. The at least one electric thruster is mounted on main body of the solid propellant chemical thruster.