SEVERE WEATHER AGILITY THRUSTERS, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Severe weather agility thrusters, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative system includes a launch vehicle having a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end, and is elongated along a vehicle axis extending between the first and second ends. A propulsion system is carried by the launch vehicle and has at least one main engine having a corresponding nozzle positioned toward the first end to launch the launch vehicle. At least one laterally-directed thruster is positioned toward the second end of the launch vehicle. The system further includes a controller in communication with the launch vehicle and programmed with instructions that, when executed, direct the launch vehicle in a first direction during vehicle ascent, direct the launch vehicle in a second direction, opposite the first direction, during vehicle descent, and direct activation of the at least one laterally-directed thruster to guide the launch vehicle during descent.
1 . An aerospace system, comprising:
a launch vehicle having a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end, the launch vehicle being elongated along a vehicle axis extending between the first end and the second end;
a propulsion system carried by the launch vehicle and having at least one main engine with a corresponding nozzle positioned toward the first end of the launch vehicle to launch the launch vehicle;
at least one laterally-directed thruster positioned toward the second end of the launch vehicle; and
a controller in communication with the launch vehicle and programmed with instructions that, when executed:
direct the launch vehicle in a first direction during vehicle ascent;
direct the launch vehicle in a second direction, opposite the first direction, during vehicle descent; and
direct activation of the at least one laterally-directed thruster to guide the launch vehicle during descent.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one laterally-directed thruster is one of multiple laterally-directed thrusters positioned toward the second end of the launch vehicle.
3 . The system of claim 2 wherein individual laterally-directed thrusters have corresponding individual nozzles, and wherein the corresponding individual nozzles have corresponding nozzle exits, and wherein the nozzle exits of the individual nozzles are co-planar.
4 . The system of claim 2 wherein each of four of the multiple laterally-directed thrusters has a thrust axis pointed in a different direction.
5 . The system of claim 2 wherein three of the multiple laterally-directed thrusters have thrust axes pointed in the same direction.
6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one laterally-directed thruster is positioned to direct thrust with a lateral component relative to the vehicle axis.
7 . The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one laterally-directed thruster is positioned to direct thrust with a non-lateral component relative to the vehicle axis.
8 . The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one laterally-directed thruster is has a binary set of thrust settings: off and on.
9 . The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one laterally-directed thruster has multiple, non-zero thrust settings.
10 . The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is programmed with instructions that, when executed, direct the launch vehicle to translate laterally under a force provided by the at least one laterally-directed thruster, in combination with a force provided the at least one main engine.
11 . The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one main engine includes a center main engine and an off-center main engine and wherein the controller is programmed with instructions that, when executed:
direct the launch vehicle to descend under power provided by the off-center main engine and the at least one laterally-directed thruster.
12 . The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is programmed with instructions that, when executed, direct the at least one laterally-directed thruster to control an orientation of the launch vehicle after the launch vehicle has landed.
13 . The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is programmed with instructions that, when executed, receive an input corresponding to an external force applied to the launch vehicle and direct the at least one laterally-directed thruster to control an orientation of the launch vehicle at least in part in response to the input.
14 . The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is programmed with instructions that, when executed, receive an input corresponding to a wind force applied to the launch vehicle and direct the at least one laterally-directed thruster to control an orientation of the launch vehicle at least in part in response to the input.
15 . The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is programmed with instructions that, when executed, receive an input corresponding to a tilt angle of a landing site toward which the launch vehicle is traveling, and direct the at least one laterally-directed thruster to control an orientation of the launch vehicle at least in part in response to the input.
16 . The system of claim 1 wherein the instructions, when executed, direct activation of the at least one laterally-directed thruster and the at least one main engine to propel the launch vehicle in a direction having a lateral component.
17 . The system of claim 1 wherein the instructions, when executed, direct activation of the at least one laterally-directed thruster and the at least one main engine to propel the launch vehicle in a lateral direction.
18 . The system of claim 1 wherein the launch vehicle includes a first, booster stage, and wherein the system further comprises a second stage releasably carried by the first stage.
19 . A method for operating an aerospace system, comprising:
launching a launch vehicle of the system using thrust from one or more main engines positioned toward a first end of the launch vehicle;
directing the launch vehicle to descend;
controlling descent of the launch vehicle via (a) at least one of the one or more main engines, and (b) at least one laterally-directed thruster, wherein (c) the at least one laterally-directed thruster is spaced apart from the at least one main engine along a longitudinal vehicle axis of the launch vehicle; and
directing the launch vehicle to land with a corresponding nozzle of the at least one main engine facing downward.
20 . The method of claim 19 wherein launching the launch vehicle is performed using at least a first of the one or more main engines, and wherein controlling descent of the launch vehicle is performed using a second of the one or more main engines, and not the first.
21 . The method of claim 19 wherein controlling descent of the launch vehicle includes responding to varying wind loads on the launch vehicle.
22 . The method of claim 19 wherein the at least one laterally-directed thruster includes a plurality of laterally directed thrusters.
23 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising controlling the at least one laterally-directed thruster by alternating the at least one laterally-directed thruster between only two thrust settings: off and on.
24 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising controlling the at least one laterally-directed thruster by directing the at least one laterally-directed thruster to produce any of multiple non-zero thrust levels.
25 . The method of claim 19 wherein controlling descent of the launch vehicle includes moving the launch vehicle along a vector that is not aligned with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and has a lateral component and a vertical component.
26 . The method of claim 19 wherein controlling descent of the launch vehicle includes moving the launch vehicle laterally while an attitude of the launch vehicle remains generally the same.
27 . The method of claim 19 wherein controlling descent of the launch vehicle includes moving the launch vehicle laterally and vertically while an attitude of the launch vehicle remains generally the same.
28 . An aerospace system, comprising:
a controller operatively coupleable to a launch vehicle and programmed with instructions that, when executed:
direct the launch vehicle in a first direction during vehicle ascent via thrust from one or more main engines;
direct the launch vehicle in a second direction, opposite the first direction, during vehicle descent; and
direct activation of at least one laterally-directed thruster and at least one of the one or more main engines to move the launch vehicle laterally during descent, wherein the at least one laterally-directed thruster is spaced apart from the at least one main engine along a longitudinal vehicle axis of the launch vehicle.
29 . The aerospace system of claim 28 , further comprising the launch vehicle.
30 . The aerospace system of claim 28 wherein a first one of the one or more main engines is inactive during descent, and wherein the instructions, when executed, direct activation of a second one of the one or more main engines.
31 . The aerospace system of claim 28 wherein the instructions, when executed, direct activation of the at least one laterally-directed thruster and the at least one of the one or more main engines in response to an input corresponding to varying wind loads on the launch vehicle.