DEVICE FOR DAMPING THE LATERAL FORCES DUE TO JET SEPARATION ACTING ON A ROCKET ENGINE NOZZLE

The invention relates to a device for damping the lateral forces due to jet separation that act on a rocket engine nozzle during a stage of starting or stopping the engine, the engine including at least two identical drive assemblies mounted on the nozzle to take up the lateral forces acting thereon, each drive assembly comprising a first member forming a strut, a second member forming an anchor structure, and an actuator. Each strut comprises means enabling it to act as a rigid strut so long as the lateral forces acting on the corresponding actuator remain below a determined force threshold, and as an element for peak limiting force and for dissipating residual kinetic energy once the forces acting on the actuator exceed the determined force threshold.