Patent ID: 11933249
Assignee: BLUE ORIGIN, LLC
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  B | IPC B  F

Claim 0:
1. A reusable upper stage for a multi-stage launch vehicle, the upper stage comprising:
a rocket body extending from a forward end to an aft end and defining a longitudinal axis;
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 upper stage 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

an aerospike engine located at the aft end of the rocket body, the aerospike engine comprising:
at least one powerpack configured to pump propellant at high pressure to a plurality of thruster modules,
wherein at least a portion of each thruster module of the plurality of thruster modules is inset into a respective scarfed nozzle of the plurality of scarfed nozzles of the heat shield, the plurality of thruster modules configured to eject exhaust along at least the inboard portions of the scarfed nozzles defining portions of the aerospike contour.