IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,435,684
Granted Patent B2
US 12,435,684 · App. 18/930,844 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Atmospheric re-entry vehicle with skewed base heat shield

Inventors: Thomas Ryan McCullough (Seattle, WA); Thomas Feldman (Kent, WA)
F02K9/97B64G1/006B64G1/401B64G1/58B64G1/62F02K9/88F05D2220/80F05D2240/15F05D2250/73
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,435,684
App. No.
18/930,844
Granted
Oct 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An atmospheric re-entry vehicle includes a main body defining a forward end of the vehicle, a base defining an aft end of the vehicle, and a heat shield at the base. The heat shield includes a heat shield outer surface. The main body and the heat shield are configured such that a centerline of the heat shield is offset relative to a centerline of the main body. At least a portion of the heat shield outer surface is at least substantially axisymmetric relative to the centerline of the heat shield.

Claims (58)

1. An atmospheric re-entry vehicle, comprising:

a main body defining a forward end of the vehicle;

a base defining an aft end of the vehicle; and

a heat shield at the base, the heat shield including a heat shield outer surface;

wherein the main body and the heat shield are configured such that a centerline of the heat shield is offset relative to a centerline of the main body; and

wherein at least a portion of the heat shield outer surface is at least substantially axisymmetric relative to the centerline of the heat shield.

2. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the main body includes a main body outer surface that is at least substantially axisymmetric relative to the centerline of the main body.

3. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the centerline of the main body extends in a direction between the forward end of the vehicle and an aft end of the main body; and

wherein the centerline of the heat shield extends in a direction between a forward end of the heat shield and an aft end of the heat shield.

4. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the centerline of the main body is perpendicular to a tangent of a forwardmost point of the main body; and

wherein the centerline of the heat shield is perpendicular to a tangent of an aftmost point of the heat shield.

5. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the centerline of the heat shield is offset relative to the centerline of the main body by an offset angle within a range of 1° to 10°.

6. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the heat shield outer surface is configured such that net aerodynamic forces acting on the heat shield outer surface during atmospheric re-entry are at an angle relative to the centerline of the main body.

7. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the heat shield outer surface is configured such that net aerodynamic forces acting on the heat shield outer surface generate lift during atmospheric re-entry at a zero angle of attack.

8. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the heat shield is actively cooled.

9. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a rocket.

10. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a re-usable upper stage rocket of a multi-stage rocket system.

11. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a nozzle including a throat and a centerbody extending aft of the throat;

wherein the centerbody defines the at least a portion of the heat shield outer surface that is at least substantially axisymmetric relative to the centerline of the heat shield.

12. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the nozzle is an aerospike nozzle.

13. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:

a high pressure chamber; and

a nozzle that exhausts gas from the high pressure chamber, the nozzle including a throat and a centerbody extending aft of the throat;

wherein the centerbody defines the at least a portion of the heat shield outer surface that is at least substantially axisymmetric relative to the centerline of the heat shield.

14. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the centerbody is a truncated toroidal aerospike.

15. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:

a high pressure chamber; and

a nozzle that exhausts gas from the high pressure chamber, the nozzle including a throat and a centerbody extending aft of the throat;

wherein the centerbody includes a centerbody sidewall defining an expansion surface and a centerbody base extending aft of the centerbody sidewall.

16. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the centerbody is a truncated toroidal aerospike.

17. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the centerbody base defines the at least a portion of the heat shield outer surface that is at least substantially axisymmetric relative to the centerline of the heat shield.

18. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the centerbody sidewall is non-axisymmetric relative to the centerline of the heat shield.

19. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the centerbody sidewall and the centerbody base collectively form a blunt body.

20. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the centerbody sidewall includes a rigid wall with a cone shape.

21. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the centerbody sidewall has a truncated and oblique cone shape.

22. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the centerbody base has a semi-spherical shape.

23. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the centerbody base has a frustoconical shape.

24. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the centerbody base has a multi-conic shape.

25. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the centerbody base has an ellipsoidal shape.

26. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the centerbody sidewall and the centerbody base is actively cooled.

27. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the heat shield includes a first heat shield outer surface and a second heat shield outer surface;

wherein the first heat shield outer surface is at least substantially axisymmetric relative to the centerline of the heat shield; and

wherein the second heat shield outer surface is non-axisymmetric relative to the centerline of the heat shield.

28. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of thrust cans spaced relative to one another;

wherein each thrust can is disposed relative to one of a plurality of openings extending through the heat shield.

29. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 28 , wherein each thrust can includes a high pressure chamber and an initial nozzle portion.

30. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 28 , wherein the plurality of openings extending through the heat shield are circumferentially spaced relative to one another.

31. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the centerline of the main body is perpendicular to a tangent of a forwardmost point of the main body;

wherein the centerline of the heat shield is perpendicular to a tangent of an aftmost point of the heat shield;

wherein the main body includes a main body outer surface that is at least substantially axisymmetric relative to the centerline of the main body.

32. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 31 , wherein the centerline of the heat shield is offset relative to the centerline of the main body by an offset angle within a range of 1° to 10°.

33. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 31 , wherein the heat shield outer surface is configured such that net aerodynamic forces acting on the heat shield outer surface during atmospheric re-entry are at an angle relative to the centerline of the main body.

34. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 31 , wherein the heat shield outer surface is configured such that net aerodynamic forces acting on the heat shield outer surface generate lift during atmospheric re-entry at a zero angle of attack.

35. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 31 , wherein the heat shield includes a first heat shield outer surface and a second heat shield outer surface;

wherein the first heat shield outer surface is at least substantially axisymmetric relative to the centerline of the heat shield; and

wherein the second heat shield outer surface is non-axisymmetric relative to the centerline of the heat shield.

36. The atmospheric re-entry vehicle of claim 31 , further comprising a plurality of thrust cans spaced relative to one another;

wherein each thrust can is disposed relative to one of a plurality of openings extending through the heat shield.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 20, 2025
From: MCCULLOUGH, THOMAS RYAN; FELDMAN, THOMAS
To: STOKE SPACE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 072075/0703 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2025
From: STOKE SPACE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; STOKE SPACE FEDERAL, INC.
To: FIRST-CITIZENS BANK & TRUST COMPANY, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 071425/0813 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 18554587
Provisional Application 63236002 · Aug 23, 2021
Provisional Application 63174323 · Apr 13, 2021
Related Publication 20250052212A1 · Feb 13, 2025
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