Stepped nozzles
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A stepped nozzle is a de Laval rocket nozzle which has altitude compensating properties.
The characteristic of this kind of nozzle is that part of the way along the inside of the nozzle there is a step inwards in the nozzle contour, followed by a step outwards.
At low altitude this causes the jet to separate at the step, and ambient pressure maintains the jet.
As the altitude rises the jet becomes progressively underexpanded and grows until it fills the nozzle, at which point the gas provides more thrust and specific impulse is increased.
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