LOW-THRUST ROCKET ENGINE THAT OPERATES ON NON-SELF-IGNITABLE GASEOUS OXIDANT AND LIQUID FUEL AND METHOD OF ITS START

FIELD: engines and pumps. ^ SUBSTANCE: invention is related to rocket-and-space equipment and may be used for design of low-thrust rocket engines (LTRE), using gas-liquid non-self-ignitable components of rocket propellants, with provision of their multiple start, which are operated in spacecrafts, orbital manned space stations and facilities of interorbital transportation, and also for engines testing in test benches. LTRE comprises combustion chamber with nozzle and mixing head, prechamber with ignition device, pipelines for supply of fuel components. Liquid fuel and then gaseous oxidant are added to engine mixing head. All flow of fuel and most part of oxidant flow are supplied to tangential channels, where they are mixed with creation of mixture start-up portion with fuel excess. Produced fuel mixture is swirled and sent both to combustion chamber and prechamber. Remaining part of oxidant flow is simultaneously supplied to prechamber along separate channel. Mixture of fuel components that arrived to prechamber is mixed with oxidant to create composition optimal for ignition and is ignited. Created torch of combustion materials burns fuel mixture in combustion chamber, and engine starts. ^ EFFECT: provision of LTRE multiple start in combination with high completion of fuel combustion or, accordingly, specific impulse of thrust and small weight of engine structure. ^ 2 cl, 1 dwg