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  • Patent number: 11408374
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various technologies pertinent to jettisonable battery systems for use in rocket engine-based launch vehicles. Such systems may feature battery units that are configured to be used to power one or more electric turbopumps that may be used to supply fuel to a rocket engine or engines. One or more of the battery units may be jettisoned during flight in order to reduce weight and as they are depleted. In some implementations, the battery units may be connected in parallel with the turbopump(s), with a depleted battery unit being electrically disconnected from the parallel circuit and jettisoned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Rocket Labs USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Joseph Beck, Naomi Altman, Jarrod William Burton, Shaun Keith O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 11408373
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various technologies pertinent to jettisonable battery systems for use in rocket engine-based launch vehicles. Such systems may feature batteries that are configured to be used to power one or more electric turbopumps that may be used to supply fuel to a rocket engine or engines. One or more of the batteries may be jettisoned during flight in order to reduce weight and as they are depleted. In some implementations, a depleted battery may remain electrically connected with the turbopump(s) while a new battery is electrically connected with the turbopump(s). The depleted battery may then be electrically disconnected from the turbopump and jettisoned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Rocket Labs USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Joseph Beck, Naomi Altman, Jarrod William Burton, Shaun Keith O'Donnell