Launch vehicle with reconfigurable interstage propellant manifolding and solid rocket boosters

摘要

A launch vehicle having one or more high thrust solid propellant boosters and two or more liquid propellant stages all configured to burn in parallel and having an interstage propellant manifolding system between the parallel liquid burning stages. Preferably, existing U.S. launch vehicle stages may be employed as the parallel burning stages. An additional liquid stage burning in series with the lower stages may also be employed. The interstage propellant manifolding between the liquid burning stages allows the central vehicle core to be stabilized against high altitude wind loads and further provides increased performance to the launch vehicle. Additionally, the interstage propellant transfer manifold is equipped with a plurality of electromechanical valves to allow reconfiguration of the propellant flow in real time in the event of a stage failure, thereby providing significantly increased vehicle reliability.