Aeronautics and astronautics – Spacecraft – Spacecraft formation – orbit – or interplanetary path
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-16
2001-05-08
Eldred, J. Woodrow (Department: 3644)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Spacecraft
Spacecraft formation, orbit, or interplanetary path
C244S10000R, C244S1020SS, C244S1020SS
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227494
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to the field of spacecraft and, more particularly, to landing gear for spacecraft.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The assignee of the subject patent application has previously used the type of landing gear design which is illustrated in
FIGS. 5A-5B
and which is admitted to be prior art to the subject patent application.
FIGS. 5A-5B
generally depict a spacecraft
200
which includes a space travel vessel
204
and landing gear
228
therefore. The space travel vessel
204
is defined at least in part by a back panel
212
which is disposed about a central reference axis
214
. A heat shield
208
is interconnected with the back panel
212
and projects in the direction which the spacecraft
200
travels when descending upon a planetary surface (at least generally in the direction of the reference axis
214
). Part of the back panel
212
includes at least one instrument deck
216
. The instrument deck
216
is movably interconnected with the back panel
212
via a deck pivot
224
. Deployment of the instrument deck
216
thereby entails pivoting a top edge
220
of the instrument deck
216
about the deck pivot
224
, typically to where the instrument deck
216
is at least generally horizontally disposed.
Three landing leg assemblies
230
are radially spaced about the central reference axis
214
(only one shown in
FIGS. 5A-B
) and define the landing gear
228
. Each landing leg assembly
230
includes a main leg assembly
232
which is movably interconnected with the space travel vessel
204
via a main leg pivot
244
. Components of the main leg assembly
232
include an outer tube
236
and an inner tube
240
. The outer tube
236
is disposed about the inner tube
240
in the stowed position. A foot pad assembly
264
is pivotally interconnected with a distal end of the inner tube
240
. When the landing gear
228
is deployed, an appropriate biasing member (not shown) is allowed to act on the inner tube
240
in a such a way so as to move the inner tube
240
axially within and out of the outer tube
236
from the position illustrated in
FIG. 5A
to the position illustrated in
FIG. 5B
where a latch initially fixes the position of the outer tube
236
relative to the inner tube
240
. Engagement of the foot pad assemblies
264
on the planetary surface on which the spacecraft
200
lands exposes each main leg assembly
232
to a compressive force. Forming a portion of the main leg assembly
232
from a crushable material dampens this impact to a degree, although compaction of the main leg assembly
232
is limited so as to continue to dispose the space travel vessel
204
above the subject planetary surface.
Another part of each landing leg assembly
230
is an A-frame
252
which is defamed by a pair of stabilizers
256
(only one shown). Each stabilizer
256
is pivotally interconnected with the space travel vessel
204
at a stabilizer pivot
260
, and is fixedly interconnected with the corresponding foot pad assembly
264
so that the relative position between each stabilizer
256
and its corresponding foot pad assembly
264
does not change in moving from the stowed position of
FIG. 5A
to the deployed position of FIG.
5
B. Unlike the main leg assembly
252
which telescopes when moving from the stowed position to the deployed position, the plurality of stabilizers
256
are of fixed length (i.e., no extension capabilities whatsoever). Therefore, throughout the entirety of the time in which each main leg assembly
232
is extending, each main leg assembly
232
is also pivoting relative to the space travel vessel
204
about its corresponding main leg pivot
244
. Based upon the fixed length of the stabilizers
256
, together with the need to dispose the space travel vessel
204
a certain predetermined distance “h
1
” above the planetary surface on which the spacecraft
200
is disposed, each main leg pivot
244
is disposed vertically beyond (at a higher elevation) the instrument deck
216
when deployed (i.e., the instrument deck
216
is located at an intermediate location between the planetary surface on which the spacecraft
200
is disposed and the elevation where the various main leg pivots
244
are disposed). Moreover, the main leg assembly
230
is disposed at an angle &thgr;, which is measured relative to vertical and which is about 25°.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to landing gear for spacecraft. A first aspect of the present invention is directed to a spacecraft which includes a space travel vessel and landing gear which is interconnected with this space travel vessel. The landing gear includes a plurality of landing leg assemblies, and in one embodiment three of such landing leg assemblies are utilized which are radially spaced about a vertical reference axis. Preferably each of these landing leg assemblies includes a first leg assembly and at least one second leg assembly. The first leg assembly may be characterized as the main leg assembly, is movably interconnected (e.g., pivotally) with the space travel vessel, and includes first and second legs which are interconnected in a manner which allows the first leg assembly to telescope (e.g., to extend). The second leg assembly may be characterized as a stabilizer for the first leg assembly, is also movably interconnected with the space travel vessel (e.g., pivotally) although at a different location than the first leg assembly, includes third and fourth legs which are interconnected in a manner which allows the second leg assembly to telescope (e.g., to extend), and is further interconnected (e.g., pivotally) with the first leg assembly (directly or indirectly). Preferably each landing leg assembly includes two second leg assemblies which are pivotally interconnected with the space travel vessel at spaced locations, but which each interconnect with the first leg assembly at least at the same general location to define an A-frame configuration (when considering only the second leg assemblies) or a tripod configuration (when considering the first leg assembly in combination with the two second leg assemblies).
Various refinements of the above noted features of the first aspect of the present invention are contemplated, as well as the inclusion of additional features. These refinements and additional features may be employed in any combination. The lower or leading portion of the space travel vessel may include a heat shield or the like to protect the space travel vessel when entering a planet's atmosphere. One way to characterize the general configuration of the space travel vessel is as a frustum with an acute angle between its sidewall and bottom. Being characterized as the “bottom” should not be confused with directional travel since the bottom of the space travel vessel as defined is actually the leading portion of the space travel vessel at least on its descent to a planetary surface. Storage of the landing leg assemblies within this type of space travel vessel may be such that each first leg assembly is disposed in a position which may be characterized as being one or more of being at least generally parallel with the sidewall of the space travel vessel or at least generally proximate the sidewall of the space travel vessel, and further such that the second leg assembly is disposed in a position which may be characterized as being one or more of being at least generally parallel with the bottom of the space travel vessel or at least generally proximate the bottom of the space travel vessel.
Pivotal interconnection of the first leg assembly and the space travel vessel may be through a first pivotal connector. In one embodiment the first pivotal connector is a spherical bearing assembly which accommodates movements of the first leg assembly relative to the space travel vessel other than the telescoping action provided by the noted interconnection of the first and second legs of the first leg assembly (e.g., a sliding-like action between the first and second legs). Deployment of the fi
Eldred J. Woodrow
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Marsh & Fischmann & Breyfogle LLP
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