Aeronautics and astronautics – Spacecraft – Spacecraft formation – orbit – or interplanetary path
Patent
1990-08-14
1992-04-28
Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
Aeronautics and astronautics
Spacecraft
Spacecraft formation, orbit, or interplanetary path
244139, 244140, 244131, 102377, 102378, B64G 100
Patent
active
051080494
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for ensuring cargo safety within aircraft. Such a device is known from U.S. Pat. No. 2,702,680; this document, however, only describes ejector systems for aircraft.
The present invention relates, to a device for overcoming the problem of crew or satellite safety and escape with particular application to launches of spacecraft, and manned or unmanned satellites and to aircraft that are constructed with a detachable compartment including a crew capsule or satellite which is detachably clamped in butt jointed fashion to the main body of the launch vehicle or aircraft. A crew using the detachable compartment to get free of their launch vehicle will be safely dropped, when a dangerous situation arises.
It is known that at present time there is no evidence that on manned spacecraft and satellites or aircraft there exist satisfactory developed techniques for coming to the rescue of the on-board multi-person crew or other occupants in an emergency. All that is known is that existing manned spacecraft are provided with an emergency exit door.
It would be very hazardous for the multi-person crew to attempt to escape that way since a spacecraft has a very high speed during vertical lift off, whilst the spacecraft is in this critical condition there is too short a time for the multi-person crew to prepare to abandon the spacecraft through such an emergency exit.
An object of the present invention is to provide spacecraft with device which may be operated when the spacecraft crew wish to abort the launch when a dangerous situation arises. By operating, e.g. a push button, the crew capsule which is only a small part of the spacecraft may automatically detach and separate itself from the remainder of the spacecraft and make a safe, soft landing.
Moreover to overcome the known faulty design of the joints connecting the segments of the solid rocket booster, the O-ring seals on the Shuttle, the invention provides, in preferred embodiment, a construction of the joints connecting the segments of the solid rocket booster, with multiple thread clamps and sectors and metallic packing which is disposed between the segments to prevent burning fuel escaping in the most adverse weather conditions.
Similarly the device of the invention can be used to salvage a satellite, when it is discovered during a satellite launch that the satellite will deviate from its path. This can be put into effect from the ground control, in consequence of which satellite detaches and separates itself from launch vehicle and makes a safe, soft landing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A device for overcoming the problem of crew or satellite safety and escape with particular application to launches of spacecraft, and manned or unmanned satellites and to aircraft; the device comprising a detachable compartment including a crew capsule or satellite which is detachably clamped in butt jointed fashion to the main body of the launch vehicle or aircraft; a mechanism to eject and a controlled explosive charge activated by an impact mechanism which forces the compartment to separate from the main body either during flight or on launch pad or runway is provided. Separation during a vertical lift off by means of the controlled explosion enabling the compartment to maintain a vertical trajectory and thus avoiding collision with the main body is also made possible. There is a release of the clamping of the compartment and operation of the impact mechanism is entirely independent of the main body power supply and is operated from within the compartment wherein the compartment is clamped to the main body by a plurality of screw threaded clamps each one of which engages the threads of one of a plurality of screw threaded sectors spaced apart circumferentially and fixed on the main body. Further, there is a draw hook on each clamp engaging a thrust ring extending around the outer surface of the compartment body to clamp the compartment on the main body, the clamps are rotatable about the compartment by a clamp relea
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Ellis Christopher P.
Peters Jr. Joseph F.
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