Aeronautics and astronautics – Spacecraft – Spacecraft formation – orbit – or interplanetary path
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-20
2002-12-17
Poon, Peter M. (Department: 3643)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Spacecraft
Spacecraft formation, orbit, or interplanetary path
Reexamination Certificate
active
06494406
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rocket fairing for use with a rocket for simultaneously launching a plurality of satellites, and a method of opening the rocket fairing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Two artificial satellites (hereinafter referred to simply as “satellites”) are mounted on the rocket body (sometimes, referred to simply as “body”) of a rocket and the two satellites are launched simultaneously to launch the satellites efficiently.
Referring to
FIG. 14
showing a conventional rocket fairing
6
for dual satellite launching in a front elevation, the rocket fairing
6
is attached to a forward section
11
of a rocket body
1
included in a rocket. The rocket fairing
6
defines two storage spaces, i.e., a first storage space
4
and a second storage space
5
. The rocket fairing
6
has a first support structure
7
and a second support structure
8
respectively for supporting a first satellite
2
and a second satellite
3
, and a first shell
9
and a second shell
10
respectively surrounding the satellites
2
and
3
. The satellites
2
and
3
are stored in the storage spaces
4
and
5
formed in the fairing
6
and are supported by the support structures
7
and
8
disposed on the side of the rocket body
1
relative to the satellites
2
and
3
, respectively.
FIG. 15
is an exploded front elevation of the fairing
6
shown in FIG.
14
. The fairing
6
can be divided into a plurality of components
12
to
15
. The first component
12
has the frustum-shaped first support structure
7
and a cylindrical side wall
16
. The first support structure
7
is fitted in the side wall
16
. The outer surface of an end portion of the first support structure
7
on the fairing-base side is continuous with the outer surface of an end portion of the side wall
16
on the fairing-base side. The first support structure
7
, i.e., a component of the component
12
, is also a component of the forward section
11
of the body
1
. The first component
12
is attached to the forward section
11
of the body
1
.
The second component
13
has the frustum-shaped second support structure
8
and a cylindrical side wall
17
. The second support structure
8
is continuous with the forward end of the side wall
17
on the fairing-forward side and is tapered away from the side wall
17
. The other end, i.e., the base end, of the side wall
17
of the second component
13
on the fairing-base side is connected detachably to the forward end of the side wall
16
of the first component
12
on the fairing-forward side. The components
12
and
13
define the first storage space
4
. The side walls
16
and
17
form the first shell
9
surrounding the first satellite
2
stored in the first storage space
4
.
The third component
14
and the fourth component
15
form the second shell
10
for covering the second satellite
3
. The components
14
and
15
have semicylindrical side wall segments
18
and
19
, and semiconic segments
20
and
21
, respectively. The components
14
and
15
can detachably be joined together. The second shell
10
having a closed nose and the shape of a tapered shell is formed when the components
14
and
15
are joined together. The second shell
10
is put on the second component
13
with the base ends of the semicylindrical side wall segments
18
and
19
on the fairing-base side detachably connected to the forward end of the side wall
17
of the second component
13
on the fairing-forward side. When the second shell
10
is connected to the second component
13
, the second support structure
8
of the second component
13
is received in a space defined by the cylindrical side wall formed by joining together the semicylindrical side wall segments
18
and
19
. The components
14
and
15
and the support structure
8
define the second storage space
5
. The semicylindrical side wall segments
18
and
19
of the components
14
and
15
form the second shell
10
surrounding the satellite
3
.
The storage spaces
4
and
5
respectively containing the satellites
2
and
3
are opened, the satellites
2
and
3
are disconnected from the support structures
7
and
8
, and the satellites
2
and
3
are released into space. More specifically, the components
14
and
15
are unfastened from each other and from the second component
13
, the second shell
10
is split by a parting plane including the longitudinal axis of the fairing
6
, i.e., a longitudinal parting plane, and the components
14
and
15
are moved away from the satellite
3
to open the storage space
5
, and then the satellite
3
is disconnected from the support structure
8
and is released into space. Subsequently, the second component
13
is disconnected and separated from the first component
12
to split the side wall
9
along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fairing
6
, the second component
13
is moved away from the satellite
2
to open the storage space
4
, and then the satellite is disconnected from the support structure
7
and is released into space.
Referring to
FIG. 16
showing the conventional fairing
6
in a sectional view, the first storage space
4
formed on the fairing-base side to store the first satellite
2
is opened by splitting the side wall
9
by a parting plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fairing
6
. When the first storage space
4
is thus opened, the side wall
16
forming a portion of the side wall
9
and surrounding a portion of the first satellite
2
on the fairing-base side is held on the forward section
11
of the rocket body
1
. When releasing the first satellite
2
, it is difficult to disconnect and release the first satellite
2
from the first support structure
7
such that the first satellite
2
moves away from the first support structure
7
along the longitudinal axis of the fairing
6
without tilting its axis. Sometimes, an error in a direction in which the first satellite
2
is released, i.e., the difference between a direction in which the first satellite
2
is released and the longitudinal axis of the fairing
6
, and the tilting of the first satellite occur.
If the portion of the first satellite
2
on the fairing-base side is formed in a cylindrical shape conforming to the shape of the side wall
16
, it is possible that the side wall
16
interferes with the portion of the first satellite
2
on the fairing-base side due to the deviation of the direction of movement of the first satellite
2
from the correct direction and the tilting of the first satellite when the first satellite
2
is released.
To avoid such interference between the side wall
16
and the portion of the first satellite
2
, an available region
27
available for receiving the first satellite
2
becomes small; that is,the size of the first satellite
2
must be reduced. Therefore, while a portion of an available region
28
available for receiving the second satellite
3
on the fairing-base side may be cylindrical, a portion of the available region
27
available for receiving the first satellite
2
on the fairing-base side must be tapered. Consequently, a cylindrical region of the same diameter as that of the available region
28
for receiving the second satellite
3
cannot be formed in the available region
27
for receiving the first satellite
2
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rocket fairing for use with a rocket body included in a rocket mounted with a plurality of payloads, capable of forming a large space for receiving the payload disposed on the fairing-base side, and a method of opening the rocket fairing.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a rocket fairing mounted on a forward section of a rocket body included in a rocket comprises: a first structure for storing a first payload disposed on the fairing-base side, and a second structure for storing a second payload disposed on the on the fairing-forward side, connected to a forward end of the f
Fukushima Yukio
Matsuda Yutaka
Matsunaga Hiroshi
Shimizu Ryuzo
Yasunaga Yoshifumi
Collins T D.
National Space Development Agency of Japan
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Poon Peter M.
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