US 12,421,921 B2
Reusable upper stage rocket with aerospike engine
James R. French, Laguna Woods, CA (US); Roger Eugene Ramsey, Seattle, WA (US); and Adam Wuerl, Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to Blue Origin Manufacturing, LLC, Huntsville, AL (US)
Filed by Blue Origin Manufacturing, LLC, Huntsville, AL (US)
Filed on Feb. 5, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/433,160.
Application 18/433,160 is a continuation of application No. 17/811,408, filed on Jul. 8, 2022, granted, now 11,933,249.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/266,274, filed on Dec. 30, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2025/0020090 A1, Jan. 16, 2025
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F02K 9/64 (2006.01); B64G 1/00 (2006.01); B64G 1/62 (2006.01); B64G 1/64 (2006.01); F02K 9/42 (2006.01); F02K 9/46 (2006.01); F02K 9/52 (2006.01); F02K 9/88 (2006.01); F02K 9/94 (2006.01); F02K 9/97 (2006.01); B64G 1/40 (2006.01)
CPC F02K 9/64 (2013.01) [B64G 1/006 (2023.08); B64G 1/62 (2013.01); B64G 1/641 (2013.01); F02K 9/42 (2013.01); F02K 9/46 (2013.01); F02K 9/52 (2013.01); F02K 9/88 (2013.01); F02K 9/94 (2013.01); F02K 9/97 (2013.01); B64G 1/401 (2013.01); B64G 1/402 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle comprising:
a rocket body extending from a forward end to an aft end and defining a longitudinal axis; and
a heat shield at the aft end of the rocket body, the heat shield configured to spherically cap the aft end of the rocket body and dissipate heat encountered upon reentry of the rocket body into the atmosphere, the heat shield comprising a plurality of scarfed nozzles arranged radially around the longitudinal axis of the rocket body,
wherein at least an inboard portion of each scarfed nozzle defines at least a portion of an aerospike contour, and
wherein at least a portion of a thruster module of a plurality of thruster modules is inset into a respective scarfed nozzle of the plurality of scarfed nozzles, the plurality of scarfed nozzles configured to direct exhaust ejected from the plurality of thruster modules along at least the inboard portions of the scarfed nozzles defining portions of the aerospike contour.