Rocket Lab USA has been granted a patent for a launch vehicle with jettisonable battery units controlled by a controller. The apparatus includes rocket engines, an electric turbopump, and battery jettison mechanisms. The controller monitors battery capacity and determines when to jettison subsets of batteries not needed for the flight duration. GlobalData’s report on Rocket Lab USA gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
Smarter leaders trust GlobalData
According to GlobalData’s company profile on Rocket Lab USA, Selective laser solidification was a key innovation area identified from patents. Rocket Lab USA's grant share as of May 2024 was 23%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Electric turbopump system with jettisonable battery units for launch vehicles
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US12006894B1) discloses an innovative apparatus comprising a launch vehicle with a rocket engine system. The rocket engine system includes one or more rocket engines, a navigation system, an electric turbopump, and a set of battery units grouped into subsets. These subsets can be jettisoned independently based on monitoring remaining battery capacity, battery health, time elapsed from burn initiation, and propellant levels. The controller determines the necessity of jettisoning a subset by calculating the power needed to move the rocket engine system's state vectors to the target state vectors, ensuring optimal energy management during the flight.
Furthermore, the apparatus includes features such as temperature sensors to monitor battery health, battery jettison mechanisms like pistons, and circular arrays of battery units. The jettison mechanisms are strategically positioned to clear the thrust nozzle and other components of the rocket engine system when actuated. Additionally, the apparatus incorporates a ledge to support the battery units, ensuring controlled release during jettisoning. These innovative design elements aim to enhance the efficiency and safety of the launch vehicle by optimizing power usage and ensuring the timely disposal of unnecessary battery units, ultimately improving the overall performance of the rocket engine system.
To know more about GlobalData’s detailed insights on Rocket Lab USA, buy the report here.
Data Insights
From
The gold standard of business intelligence.
Blending expert knowledge with cutting-edge technology, GlobalData’s unrivalled proprietary data will enable you to decode what’s happening in your market. You can make better informed decisions and gain a future-proof advantage over your competitors.
GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
