Blue Origin, LLC

Roger E Ramsey

Mark Featherstone

Frederick W Boelitz

David M Biggs

John Michael Sanders

Eric David Wetzel

Christopher M Gil

Adam Michael Wuerl

James R French

Systems and methods for a fully reusable upper stage for a multi-stage launch vehicle are provided. The reusable upper stage uses an aerospike engine for main propulsion and for vertical landing. A heat shield can include a plurality of scarfed nozzles embedded radially around a semi-spherical surface of the heat shield, wherein inboard surfaces of the plurality of scarfed nozzles collectively define an aerospike contour. The heat shield can be actively cooled to dissipate heat encountered during reentry of the upper stage.

Reusable upper stage rocket with aerospike engine

Vehicles with control surfaces and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a rocket can include a plurality of bidirectional control surfaces positioned toward an aft portion of the rocket. In this embodiment, the bidirectional control surfaces can be operable to control the orientation and/or flight path of the rocket during both ascent, in a nose-first orientation, and descent, in a tail-first orientation for, e.g., a tail-down landing. Launch vehicles with fixed and deployable deceleration surfaces and associated systems and methods are also disclosed.

Control surfaces for use with high speed vehicles, and associated systems and methods

Launch vehicles with ring-shaped external elements, and associated systems and methods. An aerospace system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a launch vehicle having a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end, with the launch vehicle being elongated along a vehicle axis extending between the first and second ends, and having an external, outwardly facing surface. The system can further include an annular element carried by the launch vehicle, the annular element having an external, inwardly-facing surface radially spaced apart from, and extending at least partially circumferentially around, the vehicle axis. The annular element can have a first edge surface facing a first direction along the vehicle axis, and a second edge surface facing a second direction along the vehicle axis, the second direction being opposite the first direction. A propulsion system can be carried by the launch vehicle, and can have at least one nozzle positioned toward the first end of the vehicle to launch the vehicle. A controller can be in communication with the launch vehicle and programmed to direct the vehicle in the first direction during vehicle ascent, and in the second direction during vehicle descent.

Launch vehicles with ring-shaped external elements, and associated systems and methods

Launch vehicles with ring-shaped external elements, and associated systems and methods. A representative aerospace system includes a launch vehicle having a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end, with the launch vehicle being elongated along a vehicle axis extending between the first and second ends, and having an external, outwardly facing surface. The system can further include an annular element carried by the launch vehicle, the annular element having an external, inwardly-facing surface radially spaced apart from, and extending at least partially circumferentially around, the vehicle axis. The annular element can have a first edge surface facing a first direction along the vehicle axis, and a second edge surface facing a second direction along the vehicle axis, the second direction being opposite the first direction. A propulsion system can be carried by the launch vehicle, and can have at least one nozzle positioned toward the first end of the vehicle to launch the vehicle. A controller can be in communication with the launch vehicle and programmed to direct the vehicle in the first direction during vehicle ascent, and in the second direction during vehicle descent.

Launch vehicles with fixed and deployable deceleration surfaces and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a launch vehicle that has a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end, and is elongated along a vehicle axis extending between the first and second ends. The vehicle carries an exposed outwardly facing surface having a first region positioned or positionable to have a first cross-sectional area generally normal to the vehicle axis toward the first end of the vehicle, and a second region positioned or positionable to have a second cross-sectional area generally normal to the vehicle axis toward the second end of the vehicle. The first cross-sectional area is less than the second cross-sectional area. The system can further include a propulsion system carried by the launch vehicle and having at least one nozzle positioned toward the first end of the vehicle to launch the launch vehicle. In a further particular embodiment, the exposed surface can include a deployable flare surface that is positioned toward the forward section of the vehicle and is stowed during an ascent phase of the vehicle. During descent, the deployable flare surface can pivot outwardly to slow the vehicle down for a tail-down landing. Systems is accordance with other embodiments include launch vehicles with fuel tanks shaped to control the motion of the center of gravity of fuel in the tanks as the fuel level in the tank changes.

Growing community of inventors

Renton, WA, United States of America

Roger E Ramsey