MULTI-STAGE ROCKET CARRIER, METHOD OF ITS LAUNCHING AND NUCLEAR ROCKET ENGINE Russian patent published in 2010 - IPC B64G1/00 B64G1/40 

FIELD: aerospace engineering.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to aerospace engineering, namely, to liquid propellant rocket engines running on, at a time, nuclear and rocket fuel, i.e. oxidiser and fuel. Proposed carrier rocket comprises rocket pods of the 1^st and 2^nd stages connected in parallel and furnished with fuel and oxidiser tanks. 2^nd stage pod incorporates nuclear reactor. 1^st and 2^nd stage engines comprises combustion chamber and turbopump unit. Said combustion chamber accommodates heat exchangers communicated via circulation lines with nuclear reactor. 2^nd stage engine incorporates nozzle extension moving along rocket axis. Proposed method comprises starting 1^st and 2^nd stage engines. Note here that nuclear reactor and heat carrier circulation are initiated simultaneously with starting of engines. Combustion products heated sufficiently, oxidiser flow rate is reduced to the level required to drive turbopump unit. 1^st stage engines out, heat carrier circulation through 1^st stage heat exchangers is cut off, and 1^st stage rocket pods are separated. After said separation, nozzle extension is moved out for one or several engines of 2^nd stage to increased nozzle expansion degree. Rocket nuclear engine comprises combustion chamber with regenerative cooling system and turbopump unit. The latter comprises oxidiser and fuel pumps, primary and starting turbines and gas generator. Fuel pump outlet communicates with regenerative cooling system inlet, while regenerative cooling system outlet communicates with gas generator inlet. Oxidiser pump outlet communicates with gas generator second inlet. Aforesaid combustion chamber houses heat exchanger communicated via heat carrier circulation lines with nuclear reactor.

EFFECT: perfected performances in wide range of flight characteristics at various altitudes.

3 cl, 4 dwg