United Technologies Corporation

Glenn F Sander

Peter O'Driscoll

Andrew S Perrucci

Eduardo D Casillas

Scott E Lowther

The present invention relates to a propulsion system for transporting a crew transfer vehicle. The propulsion system has a casing which defines a chamber, a solid propellant system positioned within the chamber for generating one of emergency escape propulsion during an emergency portion of an ascent flight and orbital injection propulsion during normal flight operations, and a sustain propulsion system communicating with the chamber for sustaining one of the emergency escape propulsion during the emergency portion of the ascent flight and orbital injection propulsion during the normal flight operations. In one embodiment of the present invention, the sustain propulsion system comprises a hybrid solid fuel grain and liquid oxidizer system. In a second embodiment of the present invention, the secondary propulsion system comprises a liquid fuel and liquid oxidizer system.

Adaptable solid-hybrid rocket for crew escape and orbital injection propulsion

A gas generator assembly has an igniter post having a substantially tubular body. The body has a plurality of holes passing from the interior to the exterior of the body for igniting. A preformed head on one end of the body has a diameter larger than that of the body. A transverse wall closes off the tubular body opposite the head end. A ductile rim having a diameter comparable to the body diameter, is extendable through an opening in the combustion chamber wall after pellet loading the rim is flared outwardly to lock the post to the assembly, and thereby form an additional head on the igniter post.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Glenn F Sander