Lockheed Martin Corporation

Kenneth H Barnes

Paul E Hagseth

William M Butler

According to one embodiment of the invention, a rocket booster for launching a payload into space includes a fuselage adapted to support one or more fuel tanks inside the fuselage and a booster engine coupled to an aft portion of the fuselage. The booster engine is operable to provide thrust during an ascent phase of operation of the rocket booster. The rocket booster further includes a nacelle coupled to a forward portion of the fuselage and a flyback engine disposed within and coupled to the nacelle. The flyback engine is operable to provide thrust during a flyback phase of operation of the rocket booster. The rocket booster also includes one or more control surfaces coupled to the fuselage that are operable to control a flight pattern of the rocket booster during the flyback phase of operation. The flyback engine of the rocket booster is located forward of an aerodynamic center of the rocket booster.

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Fort Worth, TX, United States of America

Kenneth H Barnes