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A pump for pressurizing a fluid includes an engine portion including a first pressure vessel, a first piston movable inside the first pressure vessel, at least two pressurant entrance valves connected to the first pressure vessel, and at least two pressurant exit valves connected to the first pressu

A pump for pressurizing a fluid includes an engine portion including a first pressure vessel, a first piston movable inside the first pressure vessel, at least two pressurant entrance valves connected to the first pressure vessel, and at least two pressurant exit valves connected to the first pressure vessel. The valves are configured to be opened and closed automatically and directly as a function of a position of the first piston inside the first pressure vessel. The valves are also configured to be automatically opened and closed out of phase with each other. The pump also includes a pump portion including a second pressure vessel, a second piston connected to the first piston and movable inside the second pressure vessel, at least two fluid entrance valves connected to the second pressure vessel, and at least two fluid exit valves connected to the second pressure vessel.

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What is claimed is: 1. A pump for pressurizing a fluid, comprising: an engine portion, the engine portion comprising: a first pressure vessel; a first piston movable inside the first pressure vessel; at least two pressurant entrance valves connected to the first pressure vessel; and at least two pr

What is claimed is: 1. A pump for pressurizing a fluid, comprising: an engine portion, the engine portion comprising: a first pressure vessel; a first piston movable inside the first pressure vessel; at least two pressurant entrance valves connected to the first pressure vessel; and at least two pressurant exit valves connected to the first pressure vessel, wherein the valves are configured to be at least one of opened and closed automatically and directly as a function of a position of the first piston inside the first pressure vessel, wherein said at least two pressurant entrance valves are configured to be automatically opened and closed out of phase with each other, and wherein said at least two pressurant exit valves are configured to be automatically opened and closed out of phase with each other; and a pump portion, the pump portion comprising: at least one second pressure vessel; at least one second piston connected to said first piston and movable inside the at least one second pressure vessel; at least two fluid entrance valves connected to the at least one second pressure vessel; and at least two fluid exit valves connected to the at least one second pressure vessel, wherein said at least two fluid entrance valves are configured to be automatically opened and closed out of phase with each other, wherein said at least two fluid exit valves are configured to be automatically opened and closed out of phase with each other, and wherein at least one of a)-f) is true: a) at least one of said fluid entrance valves and fluid exit valves has a total flow cross sectional area that is at least one-fourth of a maximum cross sectional area of the second pressure vessel in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said second piston; b) at least one of said pressurant entrance valves and pressurant exit valves has a total flow cross sectional area that is at least one-tenth of a maximum cross sectional area of the first pressure vessel in a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of said first piston; c) at least one of said pressurant entrance valves and pressurant exit valves comprises a plurality of separate flow holes and a moving valving member configured to restrict flow through said plurality of separate flow holes simultaneously; d) each of said pressurant entrance valves and pressurant exit valves comprises a hole, a movable valving member, and a linkage configured to mechanically communicate a position signal from said first piston to said movable valving member; e) each of said pressurant entrance valves and pressurant exit valves comprises a hole and a movable valving member, and said first piston comprises a common valving member comprising said movable valving members; and f) the first pressure vessel comprises, for each of said pressurant entrance valves and pressurant exit valves, at least one vessel hole corresponding to said each valve, and the first piston comprises, for said each valve, at least one piston hole corresponding to said each valve, wherein a reciprocating motion of the first piston causes said each valve to open and close by aligning and misaligning corresponding vessel and piston holes of said each valve. 2. The pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pump portion comprises: two second pressure vessels; and two second pistons connected to said first piston, one second piston movable inside one second pressure vessel and the other second piston movable inside the other second pressure vessel, wherein one of said at least two fluid entrance valves and one of said at least two fluid exit valves are connected to the one second pressure vessel, and wherein the other of said at least two fluid entrance valves and the other of said at least two fluid exit valves are connected to the other second pressure vessel. 3. The pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein a) is true. 4. The pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein b) is true. 5. The pump as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one of said pressurant entrance valves and pressurant exit valves has a total flow cross sectional area that is at least one-fourth of a maximum cross sectional area of the first pressure vessel in the direction perpendicular to the movement direction of said first piston. 6. The pump as claimed in claim 1, where at least one of said fluid entrance valves and fluid exit valves comprises a plurality of separate check valves. 7. The pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein c) is true. 8. The pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein d) is true. 9. The pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein e) is true. 10. The pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein f) is true. 11. The pump as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first piston has a cross section having a center portion and at least two extensions, wherein the center portion is configured to separate the first pressure vessel into two substantially continuously changing volumes, and wherein at least two of said piston holes are located on opposing ones of said at least two extensions. 12. The pump as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first pressure vessel comprises at least one protrusion, the protrusion located at an end of the first pressure vessel and protruding past an end of at least one of said extensions and toward the center portion. 13. The pump as claimed in claim 10, wherein a dead volume of said engine portion is less than approximately one-half a working volume of said engine portion. 14. A rocket engine system, comprising: the pump as claimed in claim 10; an impulse reaction engine connected to the pump; and a gas generator configured to generate hot product gas, wherein the system is configured to utilize a gas generator cycle, whereby: fluid pumped from at least one of said at least two fluid exit valves is reacted with another chemical in the gas generator to form the hot product gas; the hot product gas is expanded in the engine portion; and the expanded hot product gas is exhausted without substantially further reacting in the impulse reaction engine. 15. The pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein a dead volume of said engine portion is at least approximately one-half a working volume of said engine portion. 16. The pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engine portion is configured so that a flow direction of pressurant through said engine portion is substantially perpendicular to a movement direction of said first piston inside said first pressure vessel. 17. An impulse reaction engine system, comprising: the pump as claimed in claim 1; and an impulse reaction engine connected to the pump, wherein at least one of a) and b) is true: a) the first piston has an area different from said at least one second piston, the pump is configured to pump air to a high pressure, air pumped from at least one of said at least two fluid exit valves is at least one of: heated by a reaction inside said impulse reaction engine; and reacted with another chemical to generate a hot product gas, and at least one of said heated air and said hot product gas is expanded in said engine portion; and b) the impulse reaction engine comprises a regenerative cooling portion and a propellant injector, and the system is configured to utilize at least one of an expander cycle and a staged combustion cycle, whereby for the expander cycle: fluid pumped from at least one of said at least two fluid exit valves is passed through and vaporizes in the regenerative cooling portion; the vaporized fluid is expanded in the engine portion; and the expanded vaporized fluid is injected into the impulse reaction engine via the propellant injector, and whereby for the staged combustion cycle: fluid pumped from at least one of said at least two fluid exit valves is passed through and vaporizes in the regenerative cooling portion; the vaporized fluid is reacted with another chemical in a chemical reactor to form a hot product gas; the hot product gas is expanded in the engine portion; and the expanded hot product gas is injected into the impulse reaction engine via the propellant injector. 18. The impulse reaction engine system as claimed in claim 17, wherein a) is true. 19. The impulse reaction engine system as claimed in claim 17, wherein b) is true. 20. A rocket engine system, comprising: a) a pump for pressurizing a fluid, the pump comprising: an engine portion, the engine portion comprising: a first pressure vessel; a first piston movable inside the first pressure vessel; at least two pressurant entrance valves connected to the first pressure vessel; and at least two pressurant exit valves connected to the first pressure vessel, wherein the valves are configured to be at least one of opened and closed automatically and directly as a function of a position of the first piston inside the first pressure vessel, wherein said at least two pressurant entrance valves are configured to be automatically opened and closed out of phase with each other, and wherein said at least two pressurant exit valves are configured to be automatically opened and closed out of phase with each other; and a pump portion, the pump portion comprising: at least one second pressure vessel; at least one second piston connected to said first piston and movable inside the at least one second pressure vessel; at least two fluid entrance valves connected to the at least one second pressure vessel; and at least two fluid exit valves connected to the at least one second pressure vessel, wherein said at least two fluid entrance valves are configured to be automatically opened and closed out of phase with each other, and wherein said at least two fluid exit valves are configured to be automatically opened and closed out of phase with each other, wherein the first pressure vessel comprises, for each of said pressurant entrance valves and pressurant exit valves, at least one vessel hole corresponding to said each valve, and wherein the first piston comprises, for said each valve, at least one piston hole corresponding to said each valve, wherein a reciprocating motion of the first piston causes said each valve to open and close by aligning and misaligning corresponding vessel and piston holes of said each valve, wherein the first piston has a cross section having a center portion and at least two extensions, wherein the center portion is configured to separate the first pressure vessel into two substantially continuously changing volumes, wherein at least two of said piston holes are located on opposing ones of said at least two extensions, and wherein the engine portion is configured so that a flow direction of pressurant through said engine portion is substantially perpendicular to a movement direction of said first piston inside said first pressure vessel; and b) an impulse reaction engine connected to the pump and comprising a regenerative cooling portion and a propellant injector, wherein the system is configured to utilize at least one of an expander cycle and a staged combustion cycle, whereby for the expander cycle: fluid pumped from at least one of said at least two fluid exit valves is passed through and vaporizes in the regenerative cooling portion; the vaporized fluid is expanded in the engine portion; and the expanded vaporized fluid is injected into the impulse reaction engine via the propellant injector, and whereby for the staged combustion cycle: fluid pumped from at least one of said at least two fluid exit valves is passed through and vaporizes in the regenerative cooling portion; the vaporized fluid is reacted with another chemical in a chemical reactor to form a hot product gas; the hot product gas is expanded in the engine portion; and the expanded hot product gas is injected into the impulse reaction engine via the propellant injector.