// PROPULSION SYSTEMS AND ENGINE TECHNOLOGY TERM
Extendible Nozzle
An extendible nozzle is a part of a rocket engine that unfolds or slides out to become longer after the rocket has launched. This extension improves the engine's performance and fuel efficiency in the vacuum of space.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
An extendible nozzle is a deployable component of a rocket propulsion system, primarily for upper stages, that increases the nozzle exit cone's area ratio to optimize thrust and specific impulse (Isp) in vacuum conditions. This mechanical extension, often telescoping or unfolding, allows for a compact launch configuration while maximizing exhaust gas expansion efficiency at high altitudes.
BACKGROUND
Skyroot Aerospace Private Limited is a private Indian aerospace manufacturer and commercial launch service provider headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana. The company was founded by two former ISRO scientists, Pawan Kumar Chandana, and Naga Bharath Daka.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- deployable nozzle
- telescoping nozzle
- extendable exit cone
- EEC
- two-position nozzle
- folding nozzle
USAGE NOTE
This technology is used on upper-stage engines where a large nozzle is required for vacuum efficiency but must fit within the vehicle's fairing during ascent.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Extendible Nozzle.
A leading American rocket engine manufacturer. They produce the RL10 engine, which has been a workhorse for upper stages for decades and features a successful and widely-used extendible nozzle design to improve performance in a vacuum.
A major aerospace and defense company that produces solid rocket motors. They have developed and manufactured Extendible Exit Cones (EECs) for various upper-stage solid rocket motors, such as the Star 48BV, to enhance specific impulse.
A European joint venture between Airbus and Safran, and the prime contractor for the Ariane family of launchers. They developed the Vinci engine for the Ariane 6 upper stage, which is equipped with a large, deployable carbon-composite nozzle extension.
A private American aerospace manufacturer developing rockets and engines. Their BE-3U upper stage engine, designed for the New Glenn rocket, incorporates an extendible nozzle to maximize its efficiency in the vacuum of space.
As NASA's lead center for propulsion, MSFC has been instrumental in researching and developing advanced nozzle technologies, including lightweight, deployable, and extendible concepts for future deep space missions and launch vehicles.
Japan's national space agency. They developed the LE-5B engine, a liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen engine for the H-IIA rocket's upper stage, which utilizes an extendible nozzle to achieve high performance.
A French multinational aircraft engine, rocket engine, and aerospace component company. They are a key partner in ArianeGroup and contribute significantly to the development of European rocket engines like the Vinci, which features a prominent extendible nozzle.