ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Expander cycle (rocket)

Okay kiddo, let me explain the expander cycle of a rocket to you in simple terms.

When a rocket is launched, it needs a lot of fuel to make it fly far into space. For this, the rocket uses a powerful engine to burn the fuel and create thrust that propels it forward.

The expander cycle is a type of engine that uses a special method to cool down the hot gases created during the burning of the fuel. This cooling down process helps in making more thrust and making the engine more efficient.

Here's how it works. The fuel used in the rocket engine is first passed through a heat exchanger. This is like a pipe with cold liquid flowing around it. The heat from the fuel is transferred to the cold liquid, which then becomes hot and turns into gas. This hot gas is then used to power the engine, creating thrust to push the rocket forward.

The process of transferring heat from the fuel to the cold liquid is called expansion, and that's how this type of engine got its name - expander cycle.

In short, the expander cycle rocket engine works by cooling down the hot gases produced during the burning of fuel using a heat exchanger, and then using this hot gas to power the engine and create thrust.