How Rocket Rings Help Boosters Land Safely
Blue Origin's patent for a ring-shaped structure on a rocket that helps control airflow during descent and assists in separating rocket stages.
Original patent title: “Launch vehicles with ring-shaped external elements, and associated systems and methods”
Blue Origin's patent for a ring-shaped structure on a rocket that helps control airflow during descent and assists in separating rocket stages. Granted to Blue Origin LLC in 2019 with 19 claims and 1 forward citation.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes an annular (ring-shaped) element attached to the exterior of a rocket. During the rocket's ascent, this ring is typically shielded by the upper stage to reduce drag. During descent, the ring acts as an aerodynamic stabilizer or flow-control device, allowing air to pass between the ring and the rocket body to help guide the booster as it returns to Earth. The patent also details how the ring can be used to manage exhaust flow during the separation of the first and second stages, potentially allowing for separation without complex mechanical actuators.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover general rocket landing legs or grid fins used for steering.
- Does not cover rockets that lack an annular or ring-shaped external structure.
- Does not cover methods of landing that rely solely on mechanical actuators for stage separation.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The ring serves a dual purpose: it acts as a passive aerodynamic stabilizer during descent and simultaneously functions as a duct or flow-guide for exhaust gases during stage separation, simplifying the mechanical design.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Blue Origin New Glenn booster stage concepts
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Reusable rockets are essential for reducing the cost of space access. This patent represents a specific engineering approach to the challenge of returning a booster stage to Earth safely, focusing on aerodynamic stability and efficient stage separation to minimize the hardware needed for recovery.
Filed
November 3, 2016
Granted
April 23, 2019
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Blue Origin is the primary entity developing this technology. Other aerospace companies like SpaceX and Rocket Lab are also actively researching and implementing various methods for booster recovery and stage separation, though they utilize different aerodynamic control surfaces.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the intellectual property landscape surrounding reusable launch vehicles. It provides a specific design path for companies looking to optimize booster recovery, potentially influencing how future heavy-lift vehicles manage the transition from high-speed ascent to controlled vertical landing.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes an annular (ring-shaped) element attached to the exterior of a rocket. During the rocket's ascent, this ring is typically shielded by the upper stage to reduce drag. During descent, the ring acts as an aerodynamic stabilizer or flow-control device, allowing air to pass between the ring and the rocket body to help guide the booster as it returns to Earth. The patent also details how the ring can be used to manage exhaust flow during the separation of the first and second stages, potentially allowing for separation without complex mechanical actuators.
The clever bit
The ring serves a dual purpose: it acts as a passive aerodynamic stabilizer during descent and simultaneously functions as a duct or flow-guide for exhaust gases during stage separation, simplifying the mechanical design.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover general rocket landing legs or grid fins used for steering.
- Does not cover rockets that lack an annular or ring-shaped external structure.
- Does not cover methods of landing that rely solely on mechanical actuators for stage separation.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
6/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
13/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$44K – $140K
Midpoint $88K · 10.4 yr remaining · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
19 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Ramsey, R. E., Wetzel, E. D., Featherstone, M., & Sanders, J. M. (2019). How Rocket Rings Help Boosters Land Safely (U.S. Patent No. 10,266,282). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10266282/crew-dragon-launch-escape-system
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Rocket Rings Help Boosters Land Safely cover?
Blue Origin's patent for a ring-shaped structure on a rocket that helps control airflow during descent and assists in separating rocket stages.
Who owns patent US 10266282?
Blue Origin LLC owns this patent, granted in 2019.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on April 23, 2039, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 10266282 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Reusable rockets are essential for reducing the cost of space access. This patent represents a specific engineering approach to the challenge of returning a booster stage to Earth safely, focusing on aerodynamic stability and efficient stage separation to minimize the hardware needed for recovery.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover general rocket landing legs or grid fins used for steering.
Patent monitoring