WE CLAIM:

1. Modular configuration of launch vehicle system characterized by:
cluster of engines consisting of 7 engines (101, 102, 103, 104), placed in a
certain configuration to be able to perform all necessary manoeuvres to reach the orbit with the least amount of energy;
a 3-stage vehicle to carry higher payload (200);
strapon boosters to the launch vehicle (400, 500);
engine control hardware for removing one or more engines; and
pump motors.
2. Modular configuration of launch vehicle system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said
clustered engine configuration involves removing one or more engines to make the
vehicle efficient according to the particular mission, keeping other system level
components intact.
3. Modular configuration of launch vehicle system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said
3-stage vehicle (200) essentially consist of adding the first stage of the vehicle (400) as
side boosters.
4. Modular configuration of launch vehicle system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said
payload involves changes to its attached system level components such as engines and
stages, and to its sub system levels such as plumbing lines, computers and other
electronic hardware.
5. Modular configuration of launch vehicle system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said
strapon boosters are added to the launch vehicle and added up to six strapon boosters
along with a core booster stage (500).
6. Modular configuration of launch vehicle system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said 30
system consists of a maximum of 49 engines in the booster stage, the cluster of engines
may exhibit various combinations depending on the payload mass and be able to
perform all necessary manoeuvres to reach the desired orbit with the least amount of
energy.
7. Modular configuration of launch vehicle system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said
strapon boosters in the booster stage involves removing one or more engines from any
of the strapon boosters or the core booster itself to make the vehicle best suited to the
payload and the orbit for the particular mission.
8. Modular configuration of launch vehicle system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said
engine control hardware consists of two modules that will perform all the engine
functions such as ignition, shutdown, mixture ratio control and thrust vector control for
gimbaling.
9. Modular configuration of launch vehicle system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said
electronic hardware is specific for an engine, which results in no redundant hardware
left on the vehicle when a particular engine is removed.
10. Modular configuration of launch vehicle system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said
pump motors are controlled by a separate electronics module and reported to the engine
control module.