摘要 |
An apparatus for driving a pump for fueling a rocket engine of a space vehicle. The apparatus comprises an inertia wheel and a transmitting device to transmit a rotation of the inertia wheel to the pump. The apparatus further comprises a measuring device to measure the rotation speed of the inertia wheel a clutching device to decouple the wheel and the pump for a speed lower than a pre-determined speed lower, which is lower than the nominal rotation speed of the wheel. The invention is particularly applicable to a space vehicle comprising a rocket engine wherein the fuel supply system comprises at least one pump driven by the apparatus of the invention and a starting device to start the apparatus while the space vehicle is in flight. |