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A method and apparatus for augmenting thrust in a rocket traveling through atmospheric gas. Rocket motor designs are provided where a throat(s) from one or more rocket motors eject high-speed primary exhaust gas in a configuration which peripherally surrounds an outlet for induced, secondary gas. Th

A method and apparatus for augmenting thrust in a rocket traveling through atmospheric gas. Rocket motor designs are provided where a throat(s) from one or more rocket motors eject high-speed primary exhaust gas in a configuration which peripherally surrounds an outlet for induced, secondary gas. The secondary gas is mixed with the jet of primary exhaust gas to add momentum, and therefore thrust. Either expansion deflection or plug type rocket discharge nozzles can be utilized. In one embodiment, a thrust augmentation of over one hundred percent is achieved. In another embodiment, a plurality of rocket motor assemblies each containing a thrust augmenting rocket motor design is affixed to a rocket body. Such rocket motors enhance rocket thrust performance, and enables more efficient payload to rocket motor selection, or, alternatively, allows higher loads to be carried with the same amount of thrust.

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What is claimed is: 1. A rocket suitable for use in the presence of air, said rocket comprising: (a) a secondary air flow containment casing having an inlet and an outlet; (b) a rocket motor adapted to burn a fuel and an oxidant to produce a hot exhaust primary gas flow, said rocket motor having (

What is claimed is: 1. A rocket suitable for use in the presence of air, said rocket comprising: (a) a secondary air flow containment casing having an inlet and an outlet; (b) a rocket motor adapted to burn a fuel and an oxidant to produce a hot exhaust primary gas flow, said rocket motor having (i) a nozzle interior throat portion, said nozzle interior throat portion located upstream of, and peripheral to, said outlet of said secondary air flow containment casing outlet, and (ii), a nozzle exterior throat portion, said nozzle exterior throat portion positioned upstream of, and peripheral to, said outlet of said secondary airflow containment casing, wherein (iii) said nozzle exterior throat portion and said nozzle interior throat portion are adapted to discharge therebetween said hot exhaust primary gas flow from said rocket motor; (c) an outlet nozzle, said outlet nozzle having a preselected contour, said outlet nozzle extending for a preselected distance downstream from said nozzle exterior throat portion; (d) so that said hot exhaust primary gas flow induces said secondary air flow through said secondary air flow containment casing, thereby causing said secondary air flow from said secondary air flow containment casing to mix with said hot exhaust primary gas flow so as increase total momentum of gases exiting said rocket. 2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said nozzle interior throat portion and said nozzle exterior throat portion form a narrow passage of preselected gap width. 3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said nozzle exterior throat portion has affixed thereto, or integrally provided therewith, an expansion-deflection nozzle. 4. A thrust augmented rocket suitable for use in atmospheric air, said rocket comprising: (a) a secondary air flow containment casing having an inlet and an outlet; (b) a plurality of rocket motors each having thrust outlets, said thrust outlets positioned upstream of, and peripheral to, said outlet of said secondary airflow containment casing; (c) each of said thrust outlets of said rocket motors adapted to discharge a primary, hot exhaust gas flow therefrom, to (i) provide primary thrust, (ii) and to induce a secondary atmospheric gas to pass through said secondary air flow containment casing, and (iii) mixing said hot exhaust gas flow and said induced flow downstream of said secondary air flow containment casing to augment said primary thrust. 5. A rocket suitable for use in the presence of air, said rocket comprising: (a) a secondary air flow containment casing having an inlet and an outlet; (b) a rocket motor adapted to burn a fuel and an oxidant to produce a hot exhaust primary gas flow, said rocket motor having (i) a nozzle interior throat portion, said nozzle interior throat portion located upstream of, and peripheral to, said outlet of said secondary air flow containment casing outlet, and (ii), a nozzle exterior throat portion, said nozzle exterior throat portion positioned upstream of, and peripheral to, said outlet of said secondary airflow containment casing, wherein (iii) said nozzle exterior throat portion and said nozzle interior throat portion are adapted to discharge therebetween said hot exhaust primary gas flow from said rocket motor; (c) an outlet nozzle, said outlet nozzle having a preselected contour, said outlet nozzle extending for a preselected distance downstream from said nozzle interior throat portion; (d) so that said hot exhaust primary gas flow induces said secondary air flow through said secondary air flow containment casing, thereby causing said secondary air flow from said secondary air flow containment casing to mix with said hot exhaust primary gas flow so as increase total momentum of gases exiting said rocket. 6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said nozzle interior throat portion and said nozzle exterior throat portion form a narrow passage of preselected gap width. 7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said nozzle interior throat portion has affixed thereto, or integrally provided therewith, a plug flow outlet nozzle. 8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, or claim 4, or claim 5, further comprising fuel and oxidant supply lines to each of said one or more rocket motors. 9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, further comprising a regulating valve on said fuel supply line, so that fuel supply control can be controlled to said one or more rocket motors. 10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, further comprising a regulating valve on said oxidant supply line, so that supply of oxidant can be controlled to said one or more rocket motors. 11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said rocket further comprises a directional control device, and wherein said directional control device is utilized to control said regulating valves on said fuel or on said oxidant supply lines, in order to control the direction of said rocket. 12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, or claim 5, wherein the amount of thrust augmentation is up to as much as one hundred thirty five percent. 13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, or claim 5, wherein the amount of thrust augmentation is up to as much as two hundred sixty four percent. 14. A method of augmenting the thrust of a rocket passing through atmospheric gas, said method comprising: (a) providing a rocket body having a secondary air flow containment casing along a central axis, said casing having an inlet and an outlet; (b) providing one or more rocket motors each having a nozzle throat portion, said nozzle throat portion of each of said one or more rocket motors positioned upstream of, and peripheral to, said outlet of said secondary airflow casing; (c) providing an outlet nozzle, said outlet nozzle having a preselected contour, said outlet nozzle extending for a preselected distance downstream from each of said one or more nozzle throat portions; (d) discharging from said one or more nozzle throat portions a primary, hot exhaust gas flow, said primary hot exhaust gas flow inducing a secondary, atmospheric gas passing through said secondary airflow containment casing to mix with said primary flow, thereby augmenting momentum and thus augmenting thrust of said rocket. 15. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein each one of said rocket motors comprises: (a) a nozzle interior throat portion, said nozzle interior throat portion located adjacent said outlet of said secondary air flow containment casing outlet; and (b) a nozzle exterior throat portion, said exterior throat portion positioned upstream of, and peripheral to, said outlet of said secondary airflow casing. 16. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said nozzle exterior throat portion has affixed thereto, or integrally provided therewith, an expansion-deflection nozzle. 17. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said nozzle exterior throat portion has affixed thereto, or integrally provided therewith, a plug nozzle. 18. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said nozzle interior throat portion and said nozzle exterior throat portion form a narrow passage of preselected gap width. 19. A rocket suitable for use in the presence of air, said rocket comprising: (a) a rocket body, (b) plurality of rocket motor assemblies affixed to said rocket body, wherein each of said rocket motor assemblies comprise (i) a secondary air flow containment casing having an inlet and an outlet, (ii) a rocket motor adapted to burn a fuel and an oxidant to produce a hot exhaust primary gas flow, said rocket motor having (A) a nozzle interior throat portion, said nozzle interior throat portion located upstream of, and peripheral to, said outlet of said secondary air flow containment casing outlet, and (B), a nozzle exterior throat portion, said nozzle exterior throat portion positioned upstream of, and peripheral to, said outlet of said secondary airflow containment casing, wherein (C) said nozzle exterior throat portion and said nozzle interior throat portion are adapted to discharge therebetween said hot exhaust primary gas flow from said rocket motor, (iii) an outlet nozzle, said outlet nozzle having a preselected contour, said outlet nozzle extending for a preselected distance downstream from said nozzle exterior throat portion, (iv) so that said hot exhaust primary gas flow induces said secondary air flow through said secondary air flow containment casing, thereby causing said secondary air flow from said secondary air flow containment casing to mix with said hot exhaust primary gas flow so as increase total momentum of gases exiting said rocket. 20. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein three or more rocket motor assemblies are affixed to said rocket body. 21. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein each of said rocket motor assemblies further comprises an expansion outlet nozzle. 22. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein each of said rocket motor assemblies further comprises a plug flow outlet nozzle. 23. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19, further comprising fuel and oxidant supply lines from said rocket body to each one of said one or more of said rocket motors assemblies. 24. The apparatus as set forth in claim 23, further comprising a regulating valve on said fuel supply line, so that fuel supply control can be controlled to said one or more rocket motors. 25. The apparatus as set forth in claim 23, further comprising a regulating valve on said oxidant supply line, so that supply of oxidant can be controlled to said one or more rocket motors. 26. The apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said rocket further comprises a directional control device, and wherein said directional control device is utilized to control said regulating valves on said fuel or on said oxidant supply lines, in order to control the direction of said rocket. 27. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein the amount of thrust augmentation is up to as much as one hundred thirty five percent. 28. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein the amount of thrust augmentation is up to as much as two hundred sixty four percent. 29. A rocket suitable for use in atmospheric air, said rocket comprising: (a) a secondary air flow containment casing having an inlet and an outlet; (b) a rocket motor adapted to burn a fuel and an oxidant to produce a hot exhaust primary gas flow, said rocket motor having (i) a nozzle interior throat portion, said nozzle interior throat portion located upstream of, and peripheral to, said outlet of said secondary air flow containment casing outlet, and (ii), a nozzle exterior throat portion, said nozzle exterior throat portion positioned upstream of, and peripheral to, said outlet of said secondary airflow containment casing, wherein (iii) said nozzle exterior throat portion and said nozzle interior throat portion are adapted to discharge therebetween said hot exhaust primary gas flow from said rocket motor; (c) an outlet nozzle, said outlet nozzle having a preselected contour, said outlet nozzle extending for a preselected distance downstream from said nozzle interior throat portion; (d) so that said hot exhaust primary gas flow induces said secondary air flow through said secondary air flow containment casing, thereby causing said secondary air flow from said secondary air flow containment casing to mix with said hot exhaust primary gas flow so as increase total momentum of gases exiting said rocket. 30. The apparatus as set forth in claim 29, wherein said secondary air flow containment casing is circular. 31. The apparatus as set forth in claim 29, wherein said secondary air flow containment casing is oval. 32. The apparatus as set forth in claim 29, wherein said outlet nozzle comprises an expansion outlet nozzle. 33. The apparatus as set forth in claim 29, wherein said outlet nozzle comprises a plug flow nozzle. 34. The apparatus as set forth in claim 29, further comprising fuel and oxidant supply lines to each of said one or more of said rocket motors. 35. The apparatus as set forth in claim 34, further comprising a regulating valve on said fuel supply line, so that fuel supply control can be controlled to said one or more rocket motors. 36. The apparatus as set forth in claim 29, further comprising a regulating valve on said oxidant supply line, so that supply of oxidant can be controlled to said one or more rocket motors. 37. The apparatus as set forth in claim 34, wherein said rocket further comprises a directional control device, and wherein said directional control device is utilized to control said regulating valves on said fuel or on said oxidant supply lines, in order to control the direction of said rocket.