Patent ID: 7216477

Claim:
A system for providing an oxidizer and a fuel to a combustion chamber of a rocket engine, comprising: an engine; a fuel supply system comprising a fuel pump adapted to pump a fuel to said engine; an oxidizer supply system adapted to pump an oxidizer to said engine, including: an oxidizer pump; and at least one oxidizer transport line, wherein the oxidizer is pumped through said oxidizer transport line and through a coolant system heat exchanger to gain energy before entering said engine; a coolant supply system adapted to pump a coolant to said engine, including: a coolant pump; a heat exchanger; and at least one coolant transport line, wherein the coolant is pumped through said coolant transport line to said engine to transfer heat from said engine to said heat exchanger; and a heat transfer system operable to transfer energy from the coolant to the oxidizer before the oxidizer enters said combustion chamber of said engine; a power source for providing power to each of said coolant pump, said oxidizer pump, and said fuel pump; wherein said coolant supply system transports the coolant adjacent a portion of said engine such that the coolant is in thermal contact with said portion of said engine and thus receives energy from said engine; wherein said power source is powered by a transfer of energy from the coolant to the power source.