| 摘要 |
The disclosure is directed to a system for recovery of liquid fuel rocket engines used in space flight. The system comprises a sphere with a normally circumferential open portion for containing a rocket engine. The sphere is fixedly attached to the space vehicle. The engine is attached to the inner surface of the sphere in a manner allowing normal engine functions including but not limited to gimbaling. The normal engine hookup is provided via disconnects on the outer surface of the sphere. A pair of sphere closure sections are carried on rails within the sphere adjacent to the normally open portion of the sphere. When the use of the engine in space flight is completed generally prior to vehicle orbit, actuation devices translate the closure sections into the normally open portion of the sphere sealing the opening thereby forming an integral closed sphere, the sphere containing the engine is disconnected from the vehicle by explosive bolts or the like and then the sphere falls from the vehicle towards earth. After reaching the earth's atmosphere, a parachute is deployed to slow the falling speed of the sphere. The sphere can be recovered by air or sea recovery and the system can be reused.
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