Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft structure – Passenger or cargo loading or discharging
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-25
2001-07-17
Barefoot, Galen L. (Department: 3644)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft structure
Passenger or cargo loading or discharging
C244S049000, C244S063000, C089S001817, C089S001818
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260802
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of spacecraft aerospace vehicle systems, and in particular relates to a launching system from an airborne platform.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Airborne aerospace vehicle operations have a number of advantages over traditional ground-based launches. A much larger first stage booster with a concomitant increase in launch costs is necessitated by ground launches. An aircraft launch provides approximately 3,000 feet per second of equivalent velocity to orbit or about 10% of the total orbital delta-V requirement. The airborne launch point can readily be selected based on orbit and safety considerations.
Previous airborne launch concepts have used either under-wing or under-fuselage attachments. These arrangements are limited by wing structural load limitations or by the available volume under the aircraft's fuselage. Other internally carried airborne concepts have relied on parachute extraction, which requires depressurizing the cabin and flying at low speed and altitude.
Pneumatic expulsion technologies have been employed for the past four decades to launch ballistic missiles from submerged submarines. The present invention incorporates similar technologies for the launch of an aerospace vehicle from an airborne platform. The specific invention is a modular airborne pneumatic launch tube system, which would independently eject an aerospace vehicle of appropriate size and mass from a military or commercial jet transport aircraft.
The “torpedo tube” aerospace vehicle launch concept provides an safe, low cost method of inserting an aerospace vehicle into an initial position of relatively high altitude (~35,000-40,000 feet), high subsonic Mach Number (M=0.8), and proper launch azimuth. The launch tube can accommodate multiple aerospace vehicle propulsion schemes, including solid propellants, liquid storable propellants, and cryogenic liquid propellants. Aircraft launch platforms enable open ocean launch, enhance covert operations, eliminate third party liability, and eliminate range support costs. The launch tube also serves as a means to ferry a dry (no propellant on-board) aerospace vehicle to any point on the globe prior to a mission. The modular nature of the launch tube system enables a standard military wide-body cargo jet to be utilized in two operating modes, to conduct space launch missions and to conduct routine cargo transport missions. The time estimated to retrofit to either mission is only 24 hours. No aircraft primary airframe modifications are required for this system. Only the cargo ramp door and the outer “petal” doors require modification, and they are not part of the flight structure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The airborne pneumatic launch tube system can independently eject one or two space aerospace vehicles of appropriate size and mass from a commercial or military wide-body jet transport aircraft. The system consists of: a launch tube; a pneumatic expulsion system; a launch tube control system; a sabot for sealing and supporting the aerospace vehicle in the tube; and a frictionless air-jet levitation system for “floating” the booster in the tube at the time of loading and at launch. Non-structural modifications to the airplane include cutting a hole in the aft cargo doors to accommodate the after portion of the launch tube. An inflatable contoured bellows plug is used to maintain the aircraft's aerodynamic contour during flight. Deployable scissor wings attached to the aerospace vehicle maintain its essentially horizontal attitude after ejection. If the aerospace vehicle uses a cryogenic oxidizer such as Lox and a storable fuel such as kerosene, the fuel is stored in a separate tank that typically would be integral to the tube's lower support structure and transferred to the aerospace vehicle just prior to launch. Lox is loaded into the aerospace vehicle's internal booster/upper stage tanks on the ground, the tube muzzle door sealed and a vacuum pulled to insulate the vehicle's on-board cryogenic tank during flight, minimizing boil-off. Solid and liquid storable propellants are kept on-board the aerospace vehicle at all times.
The aerospace vehicle, with the necessary sabot sections, is loaded into the tube horizontally using the air levitation system. Propellants are transferred if the aerospace vehicle uses liquid propellants. The aft muzzle door is shut and the contoured bellows plug is inflated to cover the aft petal door cutout. The plane flies to the launch point and begins the ejection sequence. The tube interior pressure is equalized with the ambient pressure at altitude. The muzzle door and contoured bellows plug are deflated and retracted about 5 seconds before ejection and the air levitation system suspends the aerospace vehicle. The pneumatic expulsion system is activated supplying approximately 40 psig to eject the aerospace vehicle. It clears the tube in about 1.5 seconds, achieving a 3-g rearward acceleration. The aerospace vehicle is rolled 90 degrees, the scissor wings rotate into position, and the aerospace vehicle is ignited.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2737411 (1956-03-01), Potter
patent: 2977853 (1961-04-01), Gehrkens et al.
patent: 3053488 (1962-09-01), Cox, Jr.
patent: 3056335 (1962-10-01), Thieblot et al.
patent: 3135161 (1964-06-01), Oyhus
patent: 3209929 (1965-10-01), Petersen et al.
patent: 3480237 (1969-11-01), Appleby
patent: 4040334 (1977-08-01), Smethers, Jr.
patent: 4209147 (1980-06-01), Jones, Jr.
patent: 5078339 (1992-01-01), Lapidot
patent: 5118052 (1992-06-01), Calderon
patent: 5615847 (1997-04-01), Bourlett
patent: 6056237 (2000-05-01), Woodland
Hampsten, Kenneth R. and John M. Walker, “BladeRunner Aerospace Vehicle,” AIAA Intl. Space Station Service Vehicles Conf., Jun. 26, 1999.
Barefoot Galen L.
Callahan Kenneth E.
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
LandOfFree
Pneumatic airborne ejection system for aerospace vehicles does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Pneumatic airborne ejection system for aerospace vehicles, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Pneumatic airborne ejection system for aerospace vehicles will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2454997