ROCKET PROPULSION, PROCESS AND SPACECRAFT

Description

[0001] The invention relates firstly to a rocket engine comprising a first tank and a second tank, wherein the first tank is filled with a fuel and the second tank is filled with an oxidizer, such as liquid hydrogen peroxide, for feeding at least one preferably repeatedly ignitable main engine of the rocket engine.

[0002] Remote sensing and reuse pose major challenges for autonomous propulsion systems for rockets and spacecraft. For long-duration missions, cryogenic spacecraft are not always the first choice, as significant efforts are required to keep the cryogenic fluids liquid (the so-called "boil-off" problem) to ensure a relatively high density and thus small propellant containers. Conventional, storable propellants are well-known from the state of the art for remote sensing or long operating times in orbit (satellites). Toxic propellants such as NTO (dinitrogen tetroxide) or MMH (monomethylhydrazine) are often used for rocket stages or satellites. These propellants have the disadvantage that, on the one hand, they are no longer environmentally compliant due to national regulations.There are also disadvantages when considering reusable or return systems for remote sensing of the Moon and near-Earth planets, such as Mars. For such reusable or return systems, the ability to produce the propellant and working gases required for the return flight on-site is crucial. However, NTO and MMH, representatives of these conventional propellant types, can only be synthesized on Mars or the Moon to a limited extent and with great effort, or not at all. Even conventional high-performance, high-pressure gases such as helium are only accessible there under difficult conditions and are already becoming increasingly scarce on Earth.

[0003] Printed prior art is known from US 3 286 954 A.

[0004] The object of the invention is, among other things, to provide an autogenous rocket engine that operates with environmentally friendly propellants and utilizes the special properties of hydrogen peroxide for additional rocket propulsion functions. A further object of the invention is to provide a method for operating such a rocket engine and a spacecraft equipped with such a rocket engine.

[0005] The object mentioned at the outset is initially achieved in that a gas generator is assigned to the rocket engine, which gas generator is designed to generate vaporous hydrogen peroxide, which, after flowing through at least one turbine, can be fed at least partially to a separator unit which is designed to decompose vaporous hydrogen peroxide into water vapor and gaseous oxygen.

[0006] This allows the rocket engine to be operated with environmentally friendly propellants that can be synthesized with relatively little effort, even under difficult environmental conditions, such as those found on the Moon or near-Earth planets like Mars. Furthermore, the non-toxic oxidizer ensures the reusability of spacecraft, rocket stages, satellites, or the like equipped with the rocket engine according to the invention. This also makes it possible to create returnable and reusable space units if necessary. The initially liquid hydrogen peroxide is catalytically converted in the gas generator into vaporous hydrogen peroxide, or a so-called "working gas mixture," which is at least partially split into water vapor or water and oxygen in the separator unit.The separator unit downstream of the gas generator can separate the working gas mixture electrothermally or fluidically-dynamically using centrifugal force. Utilizing these decomposition products of hydrogen peroxide enables optimized operation of the autogenous rocket engine and its subsystems. For example, the tanks can be pressurized with oxygen and / or steam, making a conventional inert gas system for tank pressurization entirely or at least partially unnecessary. The tank pressurization ensures reliable, repeated ignition of the main engine.

[0007] In an advantageous embodiment, at least one attitude control engine can be supplied with vaporous hydrogen peroxide by means of the gas generator. This eliminates the need for a separate supply to the attitude control engines. The turbine can have a bypass branch or "bypass," which is designed, among other things, to influence the volume flow of gaseous hydrogen peroxide flowing through the turbine, i.e., in particular, to increase or decrease it.

[0008] Preferably, an electric generator and / or at least one fuel pump and / or an oxidizer pump can be driven by the at least one turbine. As a result, an electric generator is available which can be used, for example, to supply the rocket engine and its subsystems and / or the entire spacecraft with electrical energy. The electric generator can also, for example, supply an optional electrolysis unit with the necessary electrical energy. In the case of a fluidic-dynamic mode of operation of the separator unit, the turbine can also directly drive the separator unit in a mechanically rotating manner, whereas in a thermal mode of operation the current generated by the electric generator is necessary to operate the separator unit. Furthermore, it is possible to drive a fuel and / or oxidizer pump electrically or directly in a mechanically rotating manner by means of the turbine.

[0009] The first tank can be pressurized by means of a steam line of the separator unit, and the second tank can be pressurized by means of an oxidizer line of the separator unit. This allows the tanks to be easily pressurized with decomposition products of the hydrogen peroxide, i.e., the oxidizer that is already present. In the context of this description, the term "line" defines a pipeline or multiple pipelines, the arrangement of which, in the case of multiple lines, can resemble the topology of a cable or line harness, with each line or line carrying the same chemical substances such as H2, O2, H2O2, fuel, etc., and these substances can be present in different aggregate states.

[0010] In a second further embodiment, the rocket engine comprises at least one container containing an inert gas for at least supplementary pressurization of the first and / or second tank. Consequently, pressurization of the tanks is possible independently of the decomposition products of the hydrogen peroxide.

[0011] Alternatively, the second tank can be pressurized using an oxidizer line of the separator unit, and an electrolysis unit is connected to the separator unit via a steam line. The electrolysis unit has a high-energy hydrogen and oxygen line. Due to the electrolysis unit, which preferably operates at high temperatures and high pressures, it is also possible to extract hydrogen and oxygen from the water or steam separated by the separator unit. The hydrogen and oxygen can be used, for example, to power an attitude control engine, which can thereby generate significantly higher thrust or specific impulse compared to a supply of hydrogen peroxide.

[0012] Preferably, a first high-pressure accumulator is assigned to the high-energy hydrogen line, and a second high-pressure accumulator is assigned to the high-energy oxygen line. Consequently, a buffer or storage effect is realized in the hydrogen and oxygen lines.

[0013] Preferably, the first tank can be pressurized using the high-energy hydrogen stream. This eliminates the need for a separate pressurization with an inert gas, which would otherwise be required.

[0014] In a favorable further development, it is provided that a main nozzle of the main engine can be supplied with hydrogen via the first high-pressure accumulator and with oxygen via the second high-pressure accumulator. This allows, for example, an increase in thrust of the main engine, thrust vector control of the main engine to change the flight path, etc.

[0015] Preferably, the first and second high-pressure accumulators can be used to supply at least one attitude control engine, at least one defense unit, and / or a high-energy unit. This can, among other things, increase the performance of the attitude control engines compared to supplying them with pure hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, a defense unit, such as a recoilless light gas weapon or other high-energy units, can be supplied. The defense unit can also be a net harpoon or a similar device for capturing, for example, out-of-control satellites before they risk colliding with other objects in orbit.

[0016] Preferably, an oxygen storage unit is associated with the oxidizer line of the separator unit, and a water storage unit is associated with the water vapor line of the separator unit. Consequently, a storage unit is available for supplying a life support system of the spacecraft with water and oxygen.

[0017] The object stated at the outset is further achieved by a method for operating the rocket engine according to patent claim 12, according to which the fuel is fed to the main engine via a first main feed line and the liquid hydrogen peroxide is at least partially tapped from a second main feed line of the main engine and fed to the gas generator. As a result, if necessary, only a relatively small portion of the liquid hydrogen peroxide can be fed to the gas generator, while the remaining (major) portion of the liquid hydrogen peroxide, after cooling the main nozzle and combustion chamber of the main engine, is used to generate thrust. The distribution of the liquid hydrogen peroxide fed via the second main feed line between the main engine and the gas generator for the catalytic conversion of the liquid into gas orVaporous hydrogen peroxide can be distributed, for example, using an adjustable distributor (so-called "divider") or an adjustable three-way valve with appropriate hydraulic connections or the like. If the main engine operates with fuel cooling, a first portion of the hydrogen peroxide is fed directly to the main engine, while the remaining second portion is returned to the main engine's combustion chamber after passing through the turbine. The ratio of the first and second portions depends on the needs of the rocket engine subsystems for pressurizing the tanks and energy conversion.

[0018] According to a further development of the method, the vaporous hydrogen peroxide emerging from the gas generator is at least partially fed to the turbine. This enables, among other things, turbine power control. The portion of the vaporous hydrogen peroxide not fed to the turbine can be fed to the combustion chamber of the main engine via a suitable distribution unit. In principle, depending on the application scenario of the rocket engine, only a portion of the hydrogen peroxide is fed to the turbine. In order to achieve the greatest possible specific power, as much hydrogen peroxide as possible should be fed to the main engine or, after passing through the turbine, returned to it via a suitable return line (not shown in the drawings). This ratio can vary depending on the application scenario. The pure pressurization requirement of the tanks can be lower than the required power of the sub- or secondary engines.of the auxiliary systems and thus the demand for the oxidizer or hydrogen peroxide diverted or tapped from the main engine's main feed line. In this case, the highest possible proportion of the oxidizer should always be used directly to feed the main engine or remain in the so-called main cycle to primarily achieve thrust and impulse performance.

[0019] Furthermore, the object mentioned above is achieved by a spacecraft according to patent claim 14, according to which the spacecraft is equipped with at least one rocket engine according to one of patent claims 1 to 11. As a result, the optimized, autogenous rocket engine can be used for a spacecraft.

[0020] The invention is explained in more detail in the following description with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the figures. In the figures, the same structural elements have the same reference numerals. Dashed lines symbolize optional lines or components. Figure 1 is a schematic circuit diagram of a first embodiment of a rocket engine, Figure 2 is a schematic circuit diagram of a second embodiment of a rocket engine, and Figure 3 is a schematic circuit diagram of a third embodiment of a rocket engine.

[0021] Figure 1illustrates a schematic circuit diagram of a first embodiment of a rocket propulsion system. A rocket propulsion system 100 comprises, among other things, a first tank 102 for a fuel 104 and a second tank 106 for an oxidizer 108, which is preferably hydrogen peroxide 110. The fuel 104 is any liquid and storable fuel, such as kerosene, which, like the hydrogen peroxide 110 used as oxidizer 108, also has the lowest possible toxicity.

[0022] The fuel 104 can be fed to a combustion chamber 122 of at least one main engine 120 by means of a fuel pump P1 via a main feed line 126. Accordingly, the oxidizer 108, or here preferably the hydrogen peroxide 110, can also be fed to the combustion chamber 122 by means of an oxidizer pump P2 and a second main feed line 128 after passing through the main nozzle 124. In the combustion chamber 122 of the main engine 120, after the fuel 104 and the oxidizer 108 are thoroughly mixed, they are combusted to generate thrust.

[0023] A gas generator 140 is connected to the second main feed line 128 via a branch line 130. The volume flow of liquid hydrogen peroxide supplied to the gas generator 140 via the branch line 130 can be varied by means of a controllable distributor (not shown in the figures for the sake of clarity). The gas generator 140 is designed to generate vaporous hydrogen peroxide, preferably by catalytic means, which can be fed to a turbine 150 or a turbomachine via a line L 1. After flowing through the turbine 150, the hydrogen peroxide reaches a separator unit 160 via a further line L 2.

[0024] Lines L 1 and L 2 are connected by a bypass branch 154 to create a bypass for turbine 150, whereby the volume flow of hydrogen peroxide passing through turbine 150 can be adjusted by means of valves, etc. (not shown). Connected to the optional bypass branch 154 here, merely as an example, is an equally optional line L 3, which is intended to supply a thruster 170 with vaporous hydrogen peroxide. Valves (not shown) are also provided in line L 3 to enable differentiated control of the thrust or specific impulse of the thruster 170.

[0025] The vaporous hydrogen peroxide flowing into the separator unit 160 via line L 2 or the optional bridging branch 154 from the gas generator 140 is split into oxygen O 2 and water or water vapor H 2 O, which is illustrated graphically by the two dotted marking circles and the chemical designations O 2 and H 2 O entered therein. The two dotted marking circles serve merely to illustrate the fact that within a pipe- or line-like oxidizer line 180 and a water vapor line 182, which are each connected to the separator unit 160, the above-mentioned substances (O 2 , vaporous or gaseous H 2 O) can be diverted from the separator unit 160 in the direction of the two tanks 102, 106 for pressurizing the same.

[0026] The first tank 102 containing the fuel 104 can be pressurized with the separated water vapor by means of the water vapor line 182 connected to the separator unit 160, and the second tank 106 containing the liquid hydrogen peroxide 110 can be pressurized with the separated gaseous oxygen by means of an oxidizer line 180 connected to the separator unit 160, as illustrated by the two white arrows 184, 186.

[0027] The turbine 150 can drive an optional electric generator 152 (shown in dashed lines) to generate electrical energy. The fuel pump P1 and the oxidizer pump P2 can be directly driven by the turbine 150 or, if an electric generator 152 is present, by means of electric motors (not shown).

[0028] The separator unit 160, located downstream of the gas generator 140, can separate the supplied vaporous hydrogen peroxide or the "working gas mixture" electrothermally or fluidically-dynamically using centrifugal force. In the case of the electrothermal operation of the separator unit 160, the electrical energy generated by the generator 152 is used for operation. However, if the splitting of the hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water or water vapor is based on the fluidic-dynamic principle utilizing centrifugal force, the separator unit 160 can be driven directly by the turbine 150 in a mechanically rotating manner.

[0029] Hydrogen peroxide 110, used here as the oxidizer of the rocket engine 100, is largely environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and also comparatively easy to synthesize even under difficult environmental conditions such as those found on the moon and near-Earth planets such as Mars. In conjunction with a storable, liquid fuel 104 having similar properties, a spacecraft 136 equipped with the rocket engine 100 can, under certain circumstances, also be reused or return to Earth. Furthermore, the splitting of hydrogen peroxide 110 within the rocket engine 100 by means of the separator unit 160 into oxygen O 2 and vaporous water vapor H 2 O simultaneously allows the pressurization of the first and second tanks 102, 106. Therefore, in the first embodiment of Fig. 1No additional tank containing an inert gas such as helium, etc., is required to pressurize the tanks 102, 106. The spacecraft 136 may be, for example, a rocket, a satellite, a space capsule, a space station, or the like.

[0030] Furthermore, if necessary, valves or actuators (not shown for clarity) can be provided in all lines or tubular strands of the rocket engine 100, which can be controlled by an electronic control and / or regulating device (also not shown) of the rocket engine 100 and / or the spacecraft 136. The same applies to connecting nodes between two or more lines or connecting nodes formed by (multi-way) valves. The at least one electronic control and / or regulating device is designed to control all sequences or processes within the rocket engine 100.

[0031] The Fig. 2 illustrates a schematic circuit diagram of a second embodiment of a rocket engine. The second embodiment of a rocket engine 200 again comprises the first and second tanks 102, 106, wherein the first tank 102 is filled with the fuel 104 and the second tank 106 is filled with the oxidizer 108 in the form of liquid hydrogen peroxide 110. The fuel 104 can be fed directly to the combustion chamber 122 of the main engine 120 by means of the fuel pump P1 via the first main feed line 126. Accordingly, the oxidizer 108 can be fed to the combustion chamber 122 by means of the oxidizer pump P2 via the second main feed line 128, wherein the oxidizer 108 or the hydrogen peroxide 110 cools the combustion chamber 122 and the main nozzle 124 before entering it. Within the combustion chamber 122, the fuel 104 and the gaseous oxidizer 108 are intimately mixed and burned to generate pulses.

[0032] By means of the branch line 130 connected to the second main feed line 128, an adjustable portion of the liquid hydrogen peroxide 110 can be transferred to the gas generator 140 to catalytically generate gaseous hydrogen peroxide. The gaseous hydrogen peroxide 110 can be supplied to and discharged from the turbine 150 via lines L 1, 2 and then flows into the separator unit 160. The gaseous hydrogen peroxide generated by the gas generator 140 can be partially or completely bypassed by the turbine 150 ("bypass") with the aid of the bypass branch 154 and thus at least partially also fed directly into the separator unit 160. With the aid of the bypass branch 154 and the line L 3, the attitude control engine 170 can also be supplied with gaseous hydrogen peroxide if necessary.The oxidizer line 180 and the steam line 182, which serve to pressurize the fuel 104 stored in the tanks 102, 106 and the oxidizer 108, are connected to the separator unit 160. The optional electric generator 152 can be driven by the turbine 150 to generate electrical energy.

[0033] As a significant difference to the first embodiment, the second embodiment of the rocket engine 200 has a container 202 filled with an inert gas 210, such as helium, neon, argon, etc. By means of a line L 4 , which is connected to the water vapor line 182, the first tank 102 can be pressurized or charged with the inert gas 210. Furthermore, the second tank 106 can also be charged with the inert gas 210 by means of an optional line L 5 . The second line L 5 can, as in Figure 2illustrated, branch off from the line L 4 or, independently of it, be connected directly to the container 202 (not shown).

[0034] The advantage of the second embodiment of the rocket engine 200 can be seen, among other things, in the fact that, in addition to the possibility of pressurizing the tanks 102, 106 with the fission products (O 2 , H 2 O) of hydrogen peroxide, i.e., one of the fuel components of the rocket engine 200, there is the possibility of at least supplementally pressurizing at least one of the tanks 102, 106 with the inert gas 210 from the container 202. The pressurization of the tanks 102, 106 again occurs in the direction of the arrows 184, 186.

[0035] According to a method for operating the rocket engine 200, the fuel 104 is supplied to the main engine 120 via the first main feed line 126, and the liquid hydrogen peroxide is at least partially tapped or branched off from the second main feed line 128 of the main engine 120 and supplied to the gas generator 140. As a result, the mechanical power of the turbine 150 can be varied within wide limits under the control of the control and / or regulating device. According to the method, the vaporous hydrogen peroxide emerging from the catalytic gas generator 140 can be at least partially bypassed around the turbine 150 with the aid of the bypass branch 154 and / or supplied to the attitude control engine 170, which occurs under the permanent control of the control and / or regulating device.This means that the gaseous hydrogen peroxide emerging from the gas generator 140 - except for the amounts supplied to the attitude control engine 170 - reaches the separator unit 160 entirely via the turbine 150 and / or the bypass branch 154.

[0036] The Fig. 3illustrates a schematic circuit diagram of a third embodiment of a rocket propulsion system. This embodiment of a rocket propulsion system 300 again comprises the two tanks 102, 106, which are at least partially filled with the fuel 104 and the oxidizer 108 in the form of hydrogen peroxide 110. The fuel 104 can be pumped into the combustion chamber 122 of the main engine 120 by means of the fuel pump P1 via the first main feed line 126, and the oxidizer 108 can be pumped into the combustion chamber 122 of the main engine 120 by means of the oxidizer pump P2 via the second main feed line 128, wherein the cooling of the main nozzle 124 or the nozzle extension and the combustion chamber 122 takes place by means of the oxidizer 108 or the hydrogen peroxide 110.

[0037] The gas generator 140 is again connected to the second main feed line 128 via the branch line 130. The turbine 150 can be supplied with gaseous hydrogen peroxide from the gas generator 140 via the line L 1, which, after passing through the turbine 150, can be discharged via the line L 2 into the separator unit 160. In contrast to the first two embodiments, the optional bypass branch 154 ("bypass") of the turbine 150 is missing here in accordance with the Fig. 1 , 2. The turbine 150 drives the electrical generator 152 (shown with a solid line) required here to generate electrical energy. The attitude control engine 170 can be fed, among other things, via line L 3. Any desired volume flow distribution can be provided between line L 1 and line L 3 by means of a valve (not shown). The oxidizer 108 in the second tank 106 in the form of liquid hydrogen peroxide 110 is analogous to the embodiments of Fig. 1 , 2 by means of the oxygen line 180 extending from the separator unit 160, as indicated by the white arrow 186. The dotted circles in the oxidizer and water vapor lines 180, 182 of the separator unit 160 serve analogously to the Fig. 1 , 2merely to illustrate the chemical compounds flowing in these strands (O 2 , vaporous or gaseous H 2 O). The rocket engine 300 is again integrated into the spacecraft 136.

[0038] As a significant difference to the two versions of Fig. 1 , 2The third embodiment has, among other things, an electrolysis unit 302 and associated lines, which are designed for high-pressure and / or high-temperature operation. The electrolysis unit 302 is connected to the separator unit 160 via the steam line 182. The electrolysis unit 302 can be supplied with the electrical energy required for operation, for example, by means of the electrical generator 152 driven by the turbine 150 or by another external electrical energy source (not shown). Furthermore, the electrolysis unit 302 is assigned a high-energy hydrogen line 310 and a high-energy oxygen line 312 for discharging the reaction products H2 and O2 produced by the electrolysis from the supplied water.The two dotted circles with the chemical designations H2 and O2 contained therein serve only to illustrate the substances discharged from the electrolysis cell 302 in the high-pressure and / or high-temperature strands 310, 312. The oxygen strand 312 of the electrolysis cell 302 is coupled to the oxidizer strand 180 of the separator unit 160.

[0039] As a further difference, in the third embodiment, a first high-pressure reservoir 320 is connected to the hydrogen line 310 for storing the hydrogen H 2 supplied by the electrolysis cell 302. A further line L 6 branches off from the hydrogen line 310, by means of which the fuel 104 stored in the first tank 102 can also be pressurized in the direction of the white arrow 184, so that both tanks 102, 106 are permanently pressurized and reliable repeated ignition of the main engine 120 is ensured if necessary. The oxygen line 312 of the electrolysis unit 302 is also connected by means of a line L 7 to a second high-pressure reservoir 322 for receiving the oxygen O 2 supplied by the electrolysis unit 302.

[0040] The two high-pressure accumulators 320, 322 also allow the operation of a number of exemplary sub- or auxiliary systems of the rocket engine 300, which are briefly explained below.

[0041] Thus, a further line L8 is connected to the first high-pressure accumulator 320 for hydrogen H2, which is connected to the main nozzle 124 of the main engine 120. Accordingly, a further line L9 leads from the second high-pressure accumulator 322 for oxygen O2 to the main nozzle 124 of the main engine 120. This makes it possible, if necessary, to implement, for example, a specific impulse increase of the main engine 120, a complex thrust vector control of the main engine 120 to change the trajectory of the spacecraft 136, or the like, which is possible with the first two embodiments of the rocket engine according to the Fig. 1 , 2 is not possible.

[0042] Furthermore, two lines L 10, 11 lead from the two high-pressure accumulators 320, 322 to the attitude control engine 170, so that the latter can be operated with high-energy oxygen O 2 and hydrogen H 2, which is compared to the supply with gaseous hydrogen peroxide via the line L 3 from the gas generator 140 - as in the embodiments of Fig. 1 , 2 provided - allows the generation of significantly higher specific impulses by means of the attitude control engine 170.

[0043] In addition, deviating from the embodiments in accordance with the Fig. 1 , 2a defense unit 330 and / or a high-energy unit 332 is connected to the high-pressure accumulators 320, 322 by means of additional lines L 12, 13. The defense unit 330 can, for example, be a light gas cannon (not shown) with a preferably integrated recoil compensation for accelerating a projectile to an exit velocity of up to 60 km / s. The light gas cannon can be operated using the hydrogen H 2 and / or oxygen O 2 stored in the high-pressure accumulators 320, 322. The hydrogen H 2 serves as the light gas that accelerates the projectile, while a mixture of hydrogen H 2 and oxygen O 2 (oxyhydrogen gas) acts as the actual propellant charge instead of black powder, etc. As a result, a considerable weight reduction can be achieved compared to the use of black powder cartridges, while at the same time the exit velocity is increased.A defined ejection of the accelerating gas H 2 simultaneously ensures momentum compensation by means of a suitably positioned counter nozzle, so that the position of the spacecraft 136 remains essentially unchanged.

[0044] In addition, the defense unit 330 can be formed with a laser system (not shown), which can also be supplied with the oxygen O 2 and hydrogen H 2 from the two high-pressure accumulators 320, 322 as well as with the power of the electrical generator 152.

[0045] The high-energy unit 332 may also be any other device that also requires high-pressure hydrogen H 2 and oxygen O 2 for its operation.

[0046] In the area of ​​unmarked connection or junction points (nodes) between lines L 8, 10, L 9, 11, L 10, 12, L 11, 13, and others, valves (not shown) are preferably provided for flow control and / or distribution of the respective material flows (O 2 , H 2 , H 2 O 2 , fuel, etc.), which may also be in the liquid and / or gaseous phase. Furthermore, valves may be provided on or in any sections of the lines.

[0047] As a further difference, an oxygen storage unit 340 and a water storage unit 342 can optionally be provided, so that a life support system (not shown) of the spacecraft 136 can be permanently supplied with oxygen O 2 and water H 2 O for, for example, a human crew on board the spacecraft 136. This makes longer stays in space or, if necessary, trips to the moon and / or near-Earth planets such as Mars possible. For this purpose, the oxygen storage unit 340 is connected to the oxidizer line 180 of the separator unit 160 by means of a further line L 14, and the water storage unit 342 is connected to the water line 182 of the separator unit 182 via a line L 15.

[0048] The third embodiment of the rocket engine 300 can also be operated or used advantageously in an optimal manner with the aid of a plurality of methods or sequences controlled by the control and / or regulating device.

[0049] For example, liquid hydrogen peroxide H 2 O 2 from the second tank 106 can first be converted into gaseous hydrogen peroxide H 2 O 2 by means of the gas generator 140 and then converted into electricity by means of the turbine 140 and the electric generator 150.

[0050] The gaseous hydrogen peroxide exiting the turbine 150 via line L2 is split into oxygen O2 and water H2O by means of the separator unit 160. The oxygen O2 and the liquid and / or vaporous water H2O can then be stored for further use in an oxygen storage unit 340 and a water storage unit 342 for a longer period of time. The water H2O exiting the separator unit 160 is split into hydrogen H2 and oxygen O2 by means of the electrolysis unit 302, which are stored separately and permanently in a first high-pressure storage unit 320 for H2 and in a second high-pressure storage unit 322 for O2 for any further use.

[0051] Possible uses of the hydrogen H 2 and the oxygen O 2 stored under high pressure in the high-pressure accumulators 320, 322 include, for example, injection into the main nozzle 124 of the main engine 120, feeding the attitude control engine 170, and supplying the defense unit 330 in the form of a light gas cannon or the high-energy unit 332 (sub- or auxiliary drives).

[0052] It goes without saying that a multitude of further methods or processes, each under the control of the electronic control and / or regulating device (not shown), for operating the rocket engine 300 according to the third embodiment of Fig. 3 are possible.

[0053] The invention relates to a rocket engine comprising a first tank and a second tank, the first tank being filled with a fuel and the second tank being filled with an oxidizer, such as liquid hydrogen peroxide, for feeding at least one preferably repeatedly ignitable main engine of the rocket engine. According to the invention, the rocket engine is assigned a gas generator which is designed to generate vaporous hydrogen peroxide which, after flowing through at least one turbine, can be fed at least partially to a separator unit which is designed to decompose vaporous hydrogen peroxide into water vapor and gaseous oxygen. As a result, the rocket engine, including all of its subsystems, can be operated with hydrogen peroxide H 2 O 2 as an environmentally friendly oxidizer in conjunction with a liquid, storable fuel which also has the lowest possible toxicity.Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating the rocket engine and a spacecraft. List of reference symbols

[0054] 100Rocket engine (1st variant) 102First tank 104Fuel 106Second tank 108Oxidator 110Hydrogen peroxide 120Main engine 122Combustion chamber (main engine) 124Main nozzle (main engine, nozzle extension) 126First main feed line (oxidizer) 128Second main feed line (fuel) 130Branch line 136Spacecraft 140Gas generator 150Turbine 152Electric generator 154Bypass branch (turbine) 160Separator unit 170Attitude control engine 180Oxidator train (separator unit) 182Water vapor train (separator unit) 184White arrow 186White arrow 200Rocket engine (2nd variant) 202Vessel (inert gas) 210Inert Gas 300Rocket Engine (3rd Var.) 302 Electrolysis unit (high pressure / high temperature) 310 (high-energy) hydrogen train 312 (high-energy) oxygen train 320 First high-pressure accumulator (hydrogen) 322 Second high-pressure accumulator (oxygen) 330 Defense unit 332 High-energy unit 340 Oxygen storage unit 342 Water storage unit L 1 Line (turbine) L 2 Line (turbine) L 3 Line (attitude control engine) L 4 Line (pressurization of first tank) L 5 Line (pressurization of second tank) L 6 Line (pressurization of first tank) L 7 Line (connection of first high-pressure accumulator) L 8 Line (main nozzle) L 9 Line (main nozzle) L 10 Line (attitude control engine) L 11 Line (attitude control engine) L 12 Line (defense / high-energy unit) L 13 Line (Defense / High Energy Unit) L 14 Line (Oxygen Storage Unit) L 15 Line (Water Storage Unit) P 1 Fuel Pump P 2 Oxidizer Pump.

Claims

1. A rocket engine (100, 200, 300) comprising a first tank (102) and a second tank (106), wherein the first tank (102) is filled with a fuel (104) and the second tank (106) is filled with an oxidant (108) such as liquid hydrogen peroxide (110) for feeding at least one main engine (120) of the rocket engine (100, 200, 300), which main engine preferably can be ignited repeatedly, wherein a gas generator (140) is assigned to the rocket engine (100, 200, 300) and designed for generating vaporous hydrogen peroxide that, after passing through at least one turbine (150), can be at least partially fed to a separator unit (160) designed for breaking down vaporous hydrogen peroxide into steam and gaseous oxygen, characterized in that the separator unit (160) has an oxidant line section (180) and a steam line section (182), wherein - the second tank (106) can be pressurized by means of the oxidant line section (180) and the first tank (102) can be pressurized by means of the steam line section (182) or - an electrolysis unit (302) is connected to the separator unit (160) by means of the steam line section (182) and the electrolysis unit (302) has a high-energy hydrogen line section and oxygen line section (310, 312).

2. The rocket engine (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one attitude control engine (170) can be supplied with vaporous hydrogen peroxide by means of the gas generator (140).

3. The rocket engine (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an electric generator (152) and / or at least one fuel pump (P1) and / or an oxidant pump (P2) can be driven by means of the at least one turbine (150).

4. The rocket engine (200) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second tank (106) can be pressurized by means of the oxidant line section (180) and the first tank (102) can be pressurized by means of the steam line section (182), characterized in that the rocket engine (200) has at least one container (202) with an inert gas (210) for an at least supplementary pressurization of the first and / or second tank (102, 106).

5. The rocket engine (300) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the electrolysis unit (302) is connected to the separator unit (160) by means of the steam line section (182) and the electrolysis unit (302) has the high-energy hydrogen line section and oxygen line section (310, 312), characterized in that a first high-pressure accumulator (320) is assigned to the high-energy hydrogen line section (310) and a second high-pressure accumulator (322) is assigned to the high-energy oxygen line section (312).

6. The rocket engine (300) according to claim 5, characterized in that the first tank (102) can be pressurized by means of the high-energy hydrogen line section (310).

7. The rocket engine (300) according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that a main nozzle (124) of the main engine (120) can be acted upon with hydrogen by means of the first high-pressure accumulator (320) and acted upon with oxygen by means of the second high-pressure accumulator (322).

8. The rocket engine (300) according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that at least one attitude control engine (170), at least one defense unit (330) and / or a high-energy unit (332) can be supplied by means of the first and the second high-pressure accumulator (320, 322).

9. The rocket engine (300) according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that an oxygen storage unit (340) is assigned to the oxidant line section (180) of the separator unit (160) and a water storage unit (342) is assigned to the steam line section (182) of the separator unit (160).

10. A method for operating a rocket engine (100, 200, 300) according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the fuel (104) is fed to the main engine (120) by means of a first main feed line (126) and the liquid hydrogen peroxide (110) is at least partially tapped from a second main feed line (128) of the main engine (120) and fed to the gas generator (140).

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the vaporous hydrogen peroxide exiting the gas generator (140) is at least partially fed to the turbine (150).

12. A spacecraft (136), characterized in that the spacecraft is equipped with at least one rocket engine (100, 200, 300) according to one of claims 1 to 9.