X-bow Launch Systems Inc.

Jason Hundley

Mark Kaufman

Michael McPherson

Jillian Marsh

Matthew Hinton

Dane Fradenburg

Chelsey Hargather

Maureen Gannon

Michael Hargather

A method for making a unitary fuel grain for use in a rocket motor or gas generator comprising forming a fuel grain coating substantially free of gas-permeable voids, forming a succession of additional coats of oxidizer depleted grain material substantially free of gas-permeable voids. The fuel grain is then deposited into a print bed along a predetermined distance in a direction primarily parallel to a rocket motor central axis, the fuel grain coating forming a rocket motor fuel grain having a pre-ignition segment and a post-ignition segment, wherein the passivated fuel grain coating of fuel grain material is continuously self-adhered during fuel grain material deposition, and wherein the fuel grain material comprises oxidizer depleted fuel grain material; and wherein the passivated fuel grain coating of fuel grain material forms a substantially circular pattern upon deposition, said substantially circular pattern having an outer shell with an undulating pattern.

Methods for rocket fuel grain coating and unitary manufacture

A rocket motor comprising a non-permeable outer shell, an intra-wall channel between the non-permeable outer shell and an annular section, and a center chamber formed at least in part by a first propellant is disclosed. The first propellant is made up of a multi-grained fuel grain, and the center chamber is further formed by an annular section. The intra-wall channel is configured to permit combustion gases to flux between the non-permeable outer shell and the annular section. The annular section configured to permit combustion gases to flux through pores embedded within the annular section.

Continuous modification in a 3D-printed rocket engine and an additive manufacturing process

A method of making a multi-grained fuel grain for a rocket is disclosed, the method comprising the steps of using at least one nozzle to extrude a first propellant in an additive manufacturing process, the first propellant comprising a multi-grained fuel grain, the multi-grained fuel grain forming the at least one void, the at least one void facilitating variation in internal ballistics, forming sensors, said sensors permitting continuous monitoring and continuous modification such that a user controls the ballistics profile of a rocket motor, forming an electrically-controlled second propellant in contact with and operatively coupled to the sensors; and wherein the additive manufacturing process uses at least at least one nozzle to extrude raw materials.

Modulating internal ballistics in a 3D-printed rocket motor and an additive manufacturing process

A fuel grain for a rocket, the fuel grain having a plurality of layers of fuel grain material, each layer comprising a plurality of concentric circular structures of different diameter fused together to form a central opening therein, wherein the fuel grain material comprises an ignitable substance. The plurality of layers are stacked and joined securely to form a cylindrical fuel grain with the central opening of each one of the plurality of layers aligned to form a combustion unit extending axially through the fuel grain and bounded by a combustion surface, and wherein the fuel grain is configured to permit mixing of heterogenous materials to enhance thrust performance.

3D-printed rocket fuel grains, rocket engines and an additive manufacturing process

A method of making a fuel grain for use in a rocket motor, the method comprising blending a first energetic nanoscale metallic compound and a second compound suitable to form a feedstock material for use in an additive manufacturing apparatus, the additive manufacturing apparatus operatively connected to a computing system, that provides additive manufacturing printing instructions to the additive manufacturing apparatus, permitting construction of an autonomously designed and optimized rocket fuel grain section; wherein the stochastic deposition simulation-assisted fuel grain geometries further comprise a plurality of agglutinated layers of solidified fuel grain compound, each layer of the plurality of layers comprising a plurality of blended and radially displaced beads of different radii, said radial displacement optionally optimized via competitive simulation programs, and wherein the system continuously mixes constituent materials in an inline/static mixer, with viscosity controlled via particle size variations, and material is deposited in a controlled atmosphere or vacuum.

Growing community of inventors

Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

Jason Hundley