Device for damping the lateral forces due to jet separation acting on a rocket engine nozzle

1. A device for damping the lateral forces due to jet separation acting on a rocket engine nozzle during a stage of said engine being started or stopped, the engine having a combustion chamber in which combustion gas is generated, a nozzle connected to the combustion chamber in which a supersonic flow of combustion gas occurs, and at least two identical drive assemblies mounted on the nozzle in order to take up the lateral forces acting thereon, each drive assembly comprising:

a first member forming a strut having a first end hinged to the nozzle;

a second member forming an anchor structure with a first end hinged to the combustion chamber and a second end hinged to a second end of the strut; and

an actuator having a first end for hinging to a stationary structure of the rocket and a second end hinged to the second end of the anchor structure;

wherein each strut comprises:

a rigid element secured to both ends of the strut;

an element that is longitudinally deformable under compression or extension force, secured to both ends of the strut, and comprising a tube extending in a said longitudinal direction of the strut and presenting a plurality of circumferential slots; and

means for separating the rigid element from at least one of the two ends of the strut when the lateral forces acting on the corresponding actuator exceed a determined force threshold such that the strut acts as a rigid strut so long as the lateral forces acting on the actuator remain below the determined force threshold, and as an element for peak limiting force and for dissipating residual kinetic energy once the forces acting on the actuator exceed the determined force threshold.

2. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the rigid element of the strut comprises a connecting rod having one of its ends fastened directly to the strut and having its other end fastened to the strut by means of a shear pin suitable for breaking once the forces acting on the nozzle exceed the determined force threshold so as to separate the connecting rod from at least one of the ends of the strut.

3. A device according to claim 2 , wherein the shear pin passes through the connecting rod in a transverse direction thereof, the ends of the pin being housed in corresponding recesses of the strut.

4. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the rigid element of the strut comprises a tubular cover disposed around the deformable tube, the strut further comprising pyrotechnic charges distributed around the cover so as to be capable of cutting it in a transverse direction to separate the cover from at least one of the ends of the strut, said charges exploding once the forces acting on the nozzle exceed the determined force threshold.

5. A device according to claim 4 , wherein the pyrotechnic charges are triggered by a system serving to measure the level of force in the corresponding actuator and delivering an order to activate the charges when said force level exceeds the predetermined threshold.

6. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the rigid element of the strut comprises at least one link column having its two ends fastened to the strut, the strut further including pyrotechnic charges distributed around each column so as to enable it to be cut in a transverse direction to separate the column from at least one of the ends of the strut, said charges exploding once the forces acting on the nozzle exceed the determined force threshold.

7. A rocket engine nozzle, including a device according to claim 1 for damping the lateral forces due to jet separation.