U.S. Patent Awarded to Rocket Crafters Co-Founder for a Novel Method to Safely Produce Feedstock and 3D Print Rocket Fuel from a Blend of Thermoplastic and High-Energy Nanoscale Aluminum Particles
TITUSVILLE, Fla., Dec. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Rocket Crafters, Inc. (RCI) announced today a U.S. patent was granted to co-founder and chief technologist Ronald Jones for a method to safely produce feedstock and print rocket fuel from a blend of thermoplastic and high-energy nanoscale aluminum particles.
This invention (US 9,822,045) builds upon the breakthrough hybrid rocket invention and patented method (US 9,453,479) announced earlier this year by RCI, and was for the design to fabricate flawless, high-performance fuel grains for hybrid rocket engines using additive manufacturing technology, also known as 3D printing. The result is a high-performance rocket engine that is both mechanically simple and immune to accidental detonation – a desirable characteristic and one that traditional rocket engines do not have.
When reduced to nanoscale particle size, pure aluminum becomes highly reactive and will ignite spontaneously on contact with the atmosphere. Until now, no one has found a method to safely use this hazardous high-energy material as a fuel additive in a rocket engine. Jones' patented invention demonstrates how to safely process and integrate the material so that it can be compounded, 3D printed, transported, stored, and used to fuel a hybrid rocket engine.
RCI is developing Intrepid-1, the world's first mass-producible orbital launch vehicle powered by rocket engines based on the company's patented technology. This most recent patent furthers RCI's portfolio of licensed technology that now includes multiple granted patents and pending applications.
"This patent protects RCI's unique ability to build safe, reliable and affordable rocket engines that also deliver competitive performance," said Sid Gutierrez, RCI's CEO and president. "It adds to our growing portfolio of licensed patents and patents pending. Enabling RCI to protect this unique capability."
"With this latest invention, we now have the technology to design and manufacture hybrid rocket engines that can effectively compete with more expensive, less reliable and less safe liquid bi-propellant and solid rockets," Jones said.
For more information about Rocket Crafters and its rocket propulsion technologies visit http://www.rocketcrafters.com
For more information:
Donna Tinoco
(321) 222-0858
[email protected]
SOURCE Rocket Crafters, Inc.
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