Booster rocket engine using gaseous hydrocarbon in catalytically enhanced gas generator cycle

摘要

A process and a system for delivering a propellant combination to a rocket engine (12) is described. The process comprises the steps of providing a flow of a hydrocarbon propellant fuel, raising the pressure of the hydrocarbon propellant fuel, cracking the hydrocarbon propellant fuel in a cracker (40), introducing the cracked hydrocarbon propellant fuel into a combustion chamber (26) of the rocket engine (12) and introducing an oxidizer into the combustion chamber (26). A system for performing the process is also described.