Hello everybody, I want to talk here about solid propellant rocket motors (propelling missiles or space vectors) using pintle nozzles to control thrust.
The concept is quite simple: they partially occlude the throat area of the nozzle, with an axial movement of the pintle, gaining thrust because of the increment in combustion chamber's pressure and the consequent increment in burning ratio. In order to decrease thrust, the pintle moves backwards and the throat area is cleared.
This technology is very useful for making tactical missiles more flexible and agile, in fact with a control on thrust it is possible to hit a nearby target very rapidly, increase range by decreasing thrust and vary the turning radius in steerings; it is also used in space vectors and in landing modules for more precise landings.
Up to now I've been able to find just two rockets with pintle nozzles: the NLOS-LS PAM (Non-Line Of Sight Launch System Precision Attack Missile) and the Orion's LAS (Launch Abort System) and I'd like to know more rocket motors provided with this technology, their manufacturers and their specifications.
Thank you for answers.
The concept is quite simple: they partially occlude the throat area of the nozzle, with an axial movement of the pintle, gaining thrust because of the increment in combustion chamber's pressure and the consequent increment in burning ratio. In order to decrease thrust, the pintle moves backwards and the throat area is cleared.
This technology is very useful for making tactical missiles more flexible and agile, in fact with a control on thrust it is possible to hit a nearby target very rapidly, increase range by decreasing thrust and vary the turning radius in steerings; it is also used in space vectors and in landing modules for more precise landings.
Up to now I've been able to find just two rockets with pintle nozzles: the NLOS-LS PAM (Non-Line Of Sight Launch System Precision Attack Missile) and the Orion's LAS (Launch Abort System) and I'd like to know more rocket motors provided with this technology, their manufacturers and their specifications.
Thank you for answers.