Abstract

A rocket launch vehicle comprising a rocket body having a forward section and an aft section, a first rocket engine fixedly mounted to the aft section of the rocket body and axially aligned with the rocket body, a second rocket engine detachably mounted to the aft section of the rocket body and aligned axially parallel with the first rocket engine, a third rocket engine detachably mounted to the aft section of the rocket body and aligned axially parallel with the first rocket engine and being on the side of the first rocket engine opposite the second rocket engine, a first recovery structure fastened to the second rocket engine, a second recovery structure attached to the third rocket engine, and a plurality of propellant supply tanks connected to the first, second, and third rocket engines. Each of the rocket engines is a Space Shuttle main engine. The propellant tanks are detachably mounted to the exterior of the rocket body. Fuel tanks are affixed to the interior of the aft section of the rocket body and communicate with the first rocket engine. The recovery structure includes a parachute deployment arrangement for selective deployment of a parachute within a reentry vehicle fixedly attached to each of the second and third rocket engines. The forward section of the rocket body is a modified Titan 4 payload fairing.

Other References

• M S. Malkin, Astronautics & Aeronautics, "Space Shuttle/The New Baseline", Jan. 1974
• R. Salkeld, Astronautics & Aeronautics, "Single-Stage Shuttles", Mar. 1974
• T. W. Smith, Aircraft Engineering, "An Approach to Economic Space Transportation", Jun. 1966