Aeronautics and astronautics – Spacecraft – Attitude control
Patent
1993-02-03
1993-11-30
Focarino, Margaret A.
Aeronautics and astronautics
Spacecraft
Attitude control
244138A, 244100A, 244110D, 244113, 244158A, 244138R, 102386, B64G 114
Patent
active
052658295
ABSTRACT:
An apparatus and method is disclosed for decelerating and absorbing impact of a re-entry vehicle suitable for payloads that are relatively light as well as payloads weighing several tons or more. The apparatus includes four inflatable legs displaced equidistantly from each other around a capsule or housing which contains a payload. The legs are inflated at a designated altitude after entering Earth's atmosphere to slow the descent of the re-entry vehicle. Connected between each of the four legs are drag inducing surfaces that deploy as the legs inflate. The drag inducing surfaces are triangularly shaped with one such surface being connected between each pair of legs for a total of six drag inducing surfaces. The legs have drag inducing outer surfaces which act to slow the descent of the re-entry vehicle.
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Philip Bono, "How to Bring a Booster Back Alive" Popular Science, Jul. 1963.
Barr Hardie R.
Ellis Christopher P.
Fein Edward K.
Focarino Margaret A.
Miller Guy M.
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