Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft sustentation – Sustaining airfoils
Patent
1988-03-11
1990-02-20
Basinger, Sherman D.
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft sustentation
Sustaining airfoils
244 63, B64C 338
Patent
active
049019490
ABSTRACT:
A rocket-powered, air-deployed, lift-assisted booster vehicle (ALBV) is disclosed for efficiently carrying small payloads to orbital, supraorbital or suborbital altitudes and velocities. The ALBV is secured beneath a conventional carrier aircraft and dropped therefrom at launch altitude and velocity, which contributes significant total energy to the ALBV's ascent trajectory. The ALBV has wings, which generate aerodynamic lift to assist in vehicle ascent, and tail fins, which perform attitude control while the vehicle is in the sensible atmosphere. After drop launch, an innovative "vertical-S" maneuver is performed using aerodynamic control, causing the ALBV to ascend on a near-theoretical optimal trajectory. In the preferred embodiment, the wings and tail fins are jettisoned as the vehicle exits the sensible atmosphere and aerodynamic lift ceases. This invention represents a dramatic improvement over prior art approaches to orbital payload launch, as it approximately doubles the useful payload that can be carried by the booster compared to identical ground-launched vehicles.
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Avila Stephen P.
Basinger Sherman D.
Orbital Sciences Corporation II
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