Abstract: A gas generator or rocket engine includes: a first storage tank configured to contain a high-pressure liquid propellant; a nozzle connected to the first storage tank; a heat source connected between the first storage tank and the nozzle and configured to add heat to the high-pressure liquid propellant at a heat transfer rate to substantially gasify the high-pressure liquid propellant, where the nozzle is configured to expel and expand the substantially gasified high-pressure liquid propellant, and where the gas generator is configured so that an expanded temperature of the substantially gasified high-pressure liquid propellant after being expanded by the nozzle is in the range ?50° C. to 100° C., preferably 0° C. to 50° C.; and a controller connected to the heat source and configured to adjust the heat transfer rate.

Abstract: A voltage tracking system for an ion thruster includes a discharge chamber, a screen grid, an accelerator grid, and an accelerator grid voltage controller. The discharge chamber contains plasma at a given potential. The screen grid is adjacent to the discharge chamber and is voltage biased relative to the plasma to form a plasma sheath that repels electrons and attracts ions from the discharge chamber plasma. The accelerator grid is adjacent to the screen grid and has a voltage for accelerating the ions to create thrust and prevent any electrons from backstreaming into the ion thruster from the beam plasma. The accelerator grid voltage controller supplies voltage to the accelerator grid. The accelerator grid voltage controller adjusts the magnitude of the accelerator grid voltage to minimize the amount of voltage required to prevent electron backstreaming into the ion thruster.

Abstract: A space vehicle propelled by the pressure of inflationary vacuum state is provided comprising a hollow superconductive shield, an inner shield, a power source, a support structure, upper and lower means for generating an electromagnetic field, and a flux modulation controller. A cooled hollow superconductive shield is energized by an electromagnetic field resulting in the quantized vortices of lattice ions projecting a gravitomagnetic field that forms a spacetime curvature anomaly outside the space vehicle. The spacetime curvature imbalance, the spacetime curvature being the same as gravity, provides for the space vehicle's propulsion. The space vehicle, surrounded by the spacetime anomaly, may move at a speed approaching the light-speed characteristic for the modified locale.

Abstract: The nozzle comprises a moving diverging portion (20) and a static portion (16) secured to the rear end wall of the combustion chamber (12) of the engine. A cardan mount jointed link device connects the moving diverging portion of the nozzle to the static portion, the moving diverging portion and the static portion being in mutual contact via respective spherical surfaces (24a, 16a), and an actuator device (50a, 50b) acts on the moving diverging portion of the nozzle so as to be able to vary the direction of the thrust vector of the engine by modifying the orientation of the nozzle with sliding of the spherical surfaces one on the other. Resilient return means (62, 64) are interposed between the moving diverging portion (20) of the nozzle and the static portion (16) and act on the moving diverging portion in order to urge it towards the static portion so as to keep the spherical surfaces (24a, 16a) in mutual contact for any desired orientation of the nozzle.

Abstract: A supersonic combustion apparatus and method of using the same including a side wall cavity having an enhanced mixing system with ground-based oxygen injection for hypersonic material and engine testing.

Abstract: The pointed end of a central spike, used in an engine of a space launcher, may have a deformable structure that can adopt either a folded position or a deployed position.

Abstract: A thruster for providing thrust for spacecraft positioning, which has a propellant reservoir for storing propellant, a reaction chamber for discharging a vapor for providing thrust, a pump module comprising one or more micropumps for drawing propellant from the reservoir and for systematically metering propellant to the reaction chamber in a controlled manner, and a controller for actuating the pump module.

Abstract: A multi-layered component, such as a rocket engine combustion chamber, includes NiAl or NiAl-based alloy as a structural layer on the “hot” side of the component. A second structural layer is formed of material selected from Ni-based superalloys, Co-based alloys, Fe-based alloys, Cu, and Cu-based alloys. The second material is more ductile than the NiAl and imparts increased toughness to the component. The second material is selected to enhance one or more predetermined physical properties of the component. Additional structural layers may be included with the additional material(s) being selected for their impact on physical properties of the component.

Abstract: In a supersonic nozzle incorporating injectors and a combustion chamber as part of an expander cycle rocket engine, the oxidizer is injected in two streams. One of the streams, preferably a small fraction of the total, is injected into an upstream or preburner section of the combustion chamber and the other to a downstream or main section of the chamber. The preburner combustion gas is cooled in a substantially uniform manner to a moderate temperature by cooling the bulk of the gas rather than cooling only the gas in a boundary layer adjacent to the chamber wall. The combustion gas produced in the downstream section is hotter, and heat from that gas is drawn through the chamber wall into a jacket. The limited combustion in the preburner permits the use of a cooling element with highly intimate heat exchange construction, extracting a high level of energy from the preburner gas without damage to the cooling element and an overall improvement in the regenerative cooling.

Abstract: A gas pump comprising of a porous material or capillary tube(s) that uses a chemically reactive material added to the pumped gas for the purpose of generating, upon reaction, a temperature gradient across said porous material or capillary tube(s) and thereby sustaining the thermal transpiration pumping process without an external heat or cooling source is described. Means for coincident pumping of non-reacting gas streams, multiple-stage pumping for higher gas pressures, coincident electrical power generation, and ignition of the reactive material are presented.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of the collision of matter and antimatter as a means of propulsion in a spacecraft, to the control system for said engine and to a block diagram of the connections for same, in which all of the functions are divided into modules. Said invention refers to a form of propulsion that is totally different to those know at present, which enables spacecraft to move considerably faster in outer space and to reach up to one third of the speed light owing to the controlled collision of matter and antimatter. The control system works in conjunction with the engine in order to control the collision and to maintain the optimal parameters for performing said movement.

Abstract: The present invention relates to turbine fan aircraft use. In particular, the present invention is directed toward a turbine fan driven by a piston or rotary (e.g., Wankel) engine. The present invention makes possible the most flexible and effective installation of a ducted fan with a fixed horsepower source, namely a conventional internal combustion engine. Effectiveness being defined as full utilization of the engine's available horsepower at the chosen flight points. In a further embodiment of the present invention, a novel heat exchanger may be provided which removes waste heat with minimal drag while boosting the fan system's effective thermal efficiency by increasing the enthalpy of the working fluid. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, bypass air from the turbine may be used to supercharge the piston or rotary engine.

Abstract: A novel and improved EPDM formulation for a solid propellant rocket motor is described wherein hexadiene EPDM monomer components are replaced by alkylidene norbornene components, and, with appropriate adjustment of curing and other additives, functionally required rheological and physical characteristics are achieved with the desired compatibility with any one of a plurality of solid filler materials, e.g., powder silica, carbon fibers or aramid fibers, and with appropriate adhesion and extended storage or shelf-life characteristics.

Abstract: A Hydromagnetic inertial thruster (10) comprising a centrifugal force generator (18), a plurality of electromagnets (22), a hydromagnetic fluid (36), and a stator housing (12) to support the operation of the centrifugal generator (18). The plurality of electromagnets (22) generates a magnetic field (Ho) to attract and hold a mass of a magnetically susceptible fluid (36).The centrifugal rotor (18) and the electromagnets (22) while generating the magnetic field (Ho) rotate together with the mass of fluid (36) for about one half of a cycle of revolution to generate an unbalanced centrifugal force (Fc) with the fluid (36). The vector sums of all the centrifugal force (Fc) vectors become a directional propulsion force (Fp).

Abstract: A propulsion system for a jet- or rocket-propelled vehicle in which the resulting jet exhaust nozzle profile is a 3D spiral. The propulsion system can be applied to any jet- or rocket-propelled vehicle, including aircraft and watercraft.

Abstract: The engine for a rocket is suitable for using for an educational program. The engine uses a liquid phase propellant having a predetermined boiling point and a heating substance having a temperature higher than the boiling point. The engine has an inner wall having a circumferential surface; an outer wall surrounding the inner wall, the outer wall having an interior surface spaced from the circumferential surface of the inner wall by a predetermined distance such that the space between the circumferential surface and the interior surface form a mixing chamber having an opening; and injector for injecting the liquid-phase propellant and the heating substance into the mixing chamber so that the propellant is evaporated by the heating substance thereby creating a jet stream moving from the opening of the mixing chamber to the outside of the mixing chamber.

Abstract: A rocket motor ablative material (e.g., an insulation liner, bulk material, or the like) of this invention is formed from, as a precursor of the carbon reinforcement structure, one or more polyarylamides configured as a suitable reinforcing structure, such as a yarn, flock, and/or felt. Aramid yarns can be prepared by twisting/spinning aramid filaments, and/or by carding and yarn-spinning staple aramid fibers. In particular, the insulation may be used, for example, for a rocket motor nozzle or as a rocket motor heat shield subjected to conditions comparable to those of continuous filament viscose rayon.

Abstract: A method and system for inhibiting corrosion of aluminum and other metal-containing components and structures exposed to water is disclosed. In one embodiment, the silicate solution is used as a test fluid medium for structural testing of aluminum-alloy or other metal container structures including propellant tanks, in which a structure filled with the medium is then subjected to various structural load testing. In another embodiment, the silicate solution is used as a test medium for proof pressure hydrostatic or load testing of launch vehicle booster tanks. The silicate film protects the underlying base metal surface against corrosion during these tests. The film also protects the base metal surface in normal atmospheric conditions from exposure to humidity and other atmospheric moisture after removal of the test medium from the propellant tank following completion of testing.

Abstract: A novel and improved EPDM formulation for a solid propellant rocket motor is described wherein hexadiene EPDM monomer components are replaced by alkylidene norbornene components and with appropriate adjustment of curing and other additives functionally-required rheological and physical characteristics are achieved with the desired compatibility with any one of a plurality of solid filler materials, e.g. powder silica, carbon fibers or aramid fibers, and with appropriate adhesion and extended storage or shelf life characteristics.

Abstract: Thrust is provided to a vehicle using a self-contained device for producing the thrust through a preselected shaping of an electric field. The device includes a core carried by a housing, with both the core and the housing formed from a material having a high dielectric constant. Multiple cells are carried by the housing and formed around the core, with each cell having a high dielectric sandwiched between an electrode and a lower dielectric. A channel is formed between each cell with the channel providing a spacing filled with a material having a dielectric property of the lower dielectric. Electric wires are connected between an electrical power source and each electrode of each cell for providing power thereto. A set of cells extends radially outward from a longitudinal axis of a cylindrical core to form a circular plate with each cell uniformly positioned within the circular plate.

Abstract: A microthruster (11) provides a small unit force. The microthruster is useful, for example, as a propellant for a microsatellite. The microthruster includes an aerospike (12) extending outwardly beyond the face of an outer wall of the chamber (14) of the microthruster in the vicinity of an outlet nozzle thereof formed by two diaphragms or burst disks (15, 16), closing the chamber on respective sides of the aerospike. The aerospike is preferably formed integrally with the chamber by batch microelectronic fabrication methods. Higher thrust efficiency and more controllable and uniform impulse characteristics are attainable with the microthruster and with an array (17) comprising a plurality of the microthrusters.

Abstract: A gas arrestor separates entrained gas from a liquid medium. The gas arrestor is a porous member, such as a woven mesh screen having pores of a size sufficiently small to enable liquid transport while inhibiting gas transport. Since the trapped gas has a tendency to accumulate on the porous member impeding continued liquid flow, a wick extends in an upstream direction from the porous member. When used in spacecraft to provide substantially gas-free liquid to a thruster, the gas arrestor is located between a tank of pressurized liquid propellant and a gas generator. Improved results are obtained by locating the gas arrestor between a pressure reducing liquid fluid resistor and the gas generator.

Abstract: High-power pressure wave source for generating pressure waves that can be repeated by igniting a combustible fluid mixture and by increasing its rate of combustion up to detonation. The high-performance pressure wave source has a channel, which expands toward one of its ends and forms a combustion chamber, a feed means for the components of the fluid mixture, and an igniting means in the area of the narrow end of the channel, a discharge means for the waste gas in the area of the wide end of the channel, and a membrane closing the wide end of the channel on the front side, as well as a plurality of vortex generators distributed over the length of the channel.

Abstract: This method permits manufacturing EPDM rocket motor insulation in which carbon fibers are dispersed and immobilized in the EPDM polymeric matrix, but are not excessively fractured or fragmentized, i.e., broken into smaller fragments, when encountering degrees of shear necessary to homogeneously or otherwise distribute or disperse the carbon fibers in the EPDM polymeric matrix. The method is substantially solvent free, and is performed via distributive/reduced shear mixing to distribute the fragile carbon fibers into a rubber matrix without excessive damage. According to one embodiment, at least about 50% of the elastomer composition introduced into the mixing apparatus is liquid EPDM terpolymer having sufficiently low molecular weight and high diene content to permit dispersion of the carbon fibers in the EPDM without substantial fragmentation of the fibers.

Abstract: A thermal solar rocket that includes a solar energy receiver having two sections (a thermal energy storage section and a direct gain section), a solar concentrator, and a propulsion nozzle. In one embodiment, the focus of the solar energy between the storage section and the direct gain section is controlled by mechanical means such as movable insulation. In another embodiment, the focus of the solar energy between the storage section and the direct gain section is controlled by an optical switch in the form of relative motion between the solar concentrator and the solar energy receiver.

Abstract: A modular subsystem of a fluidic system is formed by assembling a set of chemically etched sheets of material. The modular subsystem includes mechanical, electrical, and fluidic components. A plurality of sheet members is provided. Respective ones of the sheet members are etched to form portions of mechanical, electrical, and fluidic components. A set of the sheet members are attached to each other to form a modular subsystem comprising the mechanical, electrical, and fluidic components. The resulting modular subsystem is assembled from a set of chemically etched sheets of material, and comprises a set of sheet members attached to each other. Each sheet member within the set is etched so that the mechanical, electrical, and fluidic components are formed when the sheet members are attached to each other.

Abstract: Rocket/Missile flight simulation requires the thrust-versus-time profile of a rocket motor conditioned to a specific temperature. The use of program, preferably carried in an Excel spreadsheet, is disclosed to instantly generate interpolated thrust-versus-time profiles of any rocket motor, at any operating temperature. The spreadsheet is based on statistical data of total impulse and action time at the temperature extremes, and one thrust-versus-time curve. The spreadsheet works by proportionally expanding or contracting a given baseline thrust-versus-time curve until it fits a desired area under the curve and action time duration, which gives an excellent correlation between the thrust-versus-time curve from other firings (at various temperatures) to the curves generated by this spreadsheet. Thus, the program can be used to generate thrust-versus-time profiles for other rocket motors with minimum amount of time and data required.

Abstract: The apparatus and method employ remote sensing to measure the air temperature a sufficient distance ahead of the aircraft to allow time for a variable inlet/engine assembly to be reconfigured in response to the measured temperature, to avoid inlet unstart and/or engine compressor stall. In one embodiment, the apparatus of the invention has a remote sensor for measuring at least one air temperature ahead of the vehicle and an inlet control system for varying the inlet. The remote sensor determines a change in temperature value using the at least one temperature measurement and prior temperature measurements corresponding to the location of the aircraft. The control system uses the change in air temperature value to vary the inlet configuration to maintain the position of the shock wave during the arrival of the measured air in the inlet.

Abstract: An attitude control system and method operative with a thruster controls the attitude of a vehicle carrying the thruster, wherein the thruster has a valve enabling the formation of pulses of expelled gas from a source of compressed gas. Data of the attitude of the vehicle is gathered, wherein the vehicle is located within a force field tending to orient the vehicle in a first attitude different from a desired attitude. The attitude data is evaluated to determine a pattern of values of attitude of the vehicle in response to the gas pulses of the thruster and in response to the force field. The system and the method maintain the attitude within a predetermined band of values of attitude which includes the desired attitude. Computation circuitry establishes an optimal duration of each of the gas pulses based on the pattern of values of attitude, the optimal duration providing for a minimal number of opening and closure operations of the valve.