A rocket engine system comprising a rocket engine, coolant and a coolant source, propellant and a propellant source, a turbopump, and a heat source. The coolant is pressurized and then heated through a heat source to a supercritical state for augmented heat transfer. The heat source may be a heat exchanger with returning coolant, or a preburner. The rocket engine system may further comprise at least one additional rocket engine with a pump to provide pressure for multiple engine. The rocket engine system may further comprise multiple turbopump shafts for independent control of propellants.

A rocket engine system comprising a rocket engine, coolant and a coolant source, propellant and a propellant source, a turbopump, and a heat source. The coolant is pressurized and then heated through a heat source to a supercritical state for augmented heat transfer. The heat source may be a heat exchanger with returning coolant, or a preburner. The rocket engine system may further comprise at least one additional rocket engine with a pump to provide pressure for multiple engine. The rocket engine system may further comprise multiple turbopump shafts for independent control of propellants.

Systems and methods for a fully reusable upper stage for a multi-stage launch vehicle are provided. The reusable upper stage uses an aerospike engine for main propulsion and for vertical landing. A heat shield can include a plurality of scarfed nozzles embedded radially around a semi-spherical surface of the heat shield, wherein inboard surfaces of the plurality of scarfed nozzles collectively define an aerospike contour. The heat shield can be actively cooled to dissipate heat encountered during reentry of the upper stage.

A liquid rocket engine integrates tap-off openings at a combustion chamber wall to direct exhaust from the combustion chamber to a tap-off manifold that provides the exhaust to one or more auxiliary systems, such as a turbopump that pumps oxygen and/or fuel into the combustion chamber. The tap-off opening passes through a fuel channel formed in that combustion chamber exterior wall and receives fuel through a fuel opening that interfaces the fuel channel and tap-off opening. The tap-off manifold nests within a fuel manifold for thermal management. The fuel channel directs fuel into the combustion chamber through fuel port openings formed in the combustion chamber, the fuel port openings located closer to a headend of the combustion chamber than the tap-off openings.

A liquid rocket engine integrates tap-off openings at a combustion chamber wall to direct exhaust from the combustion chamber to a tap-off manifold that provides the exhaust to one or more auxiliary systems, such as a turbopump that pumps oxygen and/or fuel into the combustion chamber. The tap-off opening passes through a fuel channel formed in that combustion chamber exterior wall and receives fuel through a fuel opening that interfaces the fuel channel and tap-off opening. The tap-off manifold nests within a fuel manifold for thermal management. The fuel channel directs fuel into the combustion chamber through fuel port openings formed in the combustion chamber, the fuel port openings located closer to a headend of the combustion chamber than the tap-off openings.

The present disclosure relates to a rocket engine, and more particularly, a rocket engine with an integrated combustor head and turbopump in which a turbopump of the rocket engine is formed integrally with a combustor head.

The present disclosure relates to a rocket engine, and more particularly, a rocket engine with an integrated combustor head and turbopump in which a turbopump of the rocket engine is formed integrally with a combustor head.

Chemical propellant storage and supply systems and methods for use on spacecraft are provided. The systems and methods include a fluid pump for moving chemical propellant within the system at selected pressures. This can include operating the fluid pump to supply propellant to a thruster system at a selected pressure. A fuel tank can be refilled by connecting a propellant resupply source to the system, and operating the fluid pump to move propellant from the propellant resupply source to the fuel tank. In a system with multiple fuel tanks, the fluid pump can be operated to move propellant from a donor fuel tank to a recipient fuel tank. The chemical propellant can be stored in one or more fuel tanks at a relatively low pressure. In addition, the chemical propellant is not pressurized by a gaseous pressurant while it is stored in the fuel tank.

Chemical propellant storage and supply systems and methods for use on spacecraft are provided. The systems and methods include a fluid pump for moving chemical propellant within the system at selected pressures. This can include operating the fluid pump to supply propellant to a thruster system at a selected pressure. A fuel tank can be refilled by connecting a propellant resupply source to the system, and operating the fluid pump to move propellant from the propellant resupply source to the fuel tank. In a system with multiple fuel tanks, the fluid pump can be operated to move propellant from a donor fuel tank to a recipient fuel tank. The chemical propellant can be stored in one or more fuel tanks at a relatively low pressure. In addition, the chemical propellant is not pressurized by a gaseous pressurant while it is stored in the fuel tank.

A turbine includes a shaft configured to rotate about a rotor axis; a pair of rotating blade rows, the pair of rotating blade rows including a pair of disks that extend radially outward from the shaft and are disposed at an interval in a direction of the rotor axis, each one of the pair of rotating blade rows including a plurality of rotating blades arranged in a circumferential direction on an outer peripheral end of the disk; and a pair of stator vane rows disposed in a one-to-one manner on a first side of the pair of rotating blade rows in the direction of the rotor axis, each one of the pair of stator vane rows including a plurality of stator vanes arranged in the circumferential direction, wherein a number of the rotating blades on each one of the pair of rotating blade rows is the same, and a number of the stator vanes on each one of the pair of stator vane rows is the same.