Abstract: A nacelle comprised of a rigid shroud and a support truss. The shroud encloses the truss and a rocket engine. The shroud is comprised of three sections, including a top section and two side sections. The top section has openings to permit the communication of lines for liquid propellant, electrical current, and hydraulic fluid between the engine and an attached flight vehicle. The two side sections are connected to each other by longitudinal field joints, and to the top section by a circumferential field joint. The rocket engine is attached to the flight vehicle by a gimbal allowing the engine to rotate relative to the flight vehicle about orthogonal pitch and yaw axes. A pair of actuators is located in the flight vehicle, one to control the rotation of the rocket engine about the pitch axis, and the other to control its rotation about the yaw axis. The truss is attached to the body of the rocket engine.

Abstract: A nose assembly and method for controlling the rotation and stabilizing the orientation of a vehicle during landing maneuvers. The vehicle includes a nose assembly that is coupled to an airframe thereof and that has a frame and flap assembly. The flap assembly includes an actuating means and a flap coupled to the frame such that the actuating means moves the flap from and between a fully retracted position and a fully extended position in response to a guidance signal received from a flight control computer. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flap assembly includes a plurality of flaps each coupled to the nose assembly frame and an actuating means that selectively positions the plurality of flaps in response to a signal.