초록 ▼

A two-stage wingless reusable aerospace vehicle having upper and lower stages that take off from a take-off area and separate at a separation point along a first trajectory. The separation forces are generated by air retained between the upper and lower stages, which is at a pressure higher than amb

A two-stage wingless reusable aerospace vehicle having upper and lower stages that take off from a take-off area and separate at a separation point along a first trajectory. The separation forces are generated by air retained between the upper and lower stages, which is at a pressure higher than ambient pressure at the separation point. The lower stage is then propelled along a return trajectory to a landing area. After separation from the lower stage, the upper stage continues to an Earth orbit for deployment of a payload. After deploying the payload, the upper stage moves out of the Earth orbit, re-enters the Earth's atmosphere, and returns to the take-off and landing area. The upper and lower stages are powered by liquid oxygen and kerosene engines. The aerospace vehicle is transported to a take-off area by a transport vehicle having a first fixed carriage and a second translatable carriage that is adapted to move the upper stage relative to the lower stage for assembly of the aerospace vehicle while in the horizontal position. The transport vehicle then pivots the aerospace vehicle from the horizontal to the vertical position for launching.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A reusable two-stage aerospace vehicle for use in carrying a payload from a take-off and landing area on Earth to an Earth orbit and returning to and landing at the take-off and landing area, comprising:a wingless upper stage movable along a first trajectory away from the take-off

[ We claim:] [1.] A reusable two-stage aerospace vehicle for use in carrying a payload from a take-off and landing area on Earth to an Earth orbit and returning to and landing at the take-off and landing area, comprising:a wingless upper stage movable along a first trajectory away from the take-off and landing area to the Earth orbit and along a second trajectory from the Earth orbit to the take-off and landing area, the upper stage being reusable for a second Earth-to-orbit flight after the upper stage returns to the take-off and landing area, the upper stage including:an upper body structure having a first proximal portion, a first distal portion, and a first interior area extending therebetween;a payload support structure connected to the upper body structure and adapted to removably receive the payload;a first power plant connected to the upper body structure and being activatable to propel the first body structure along a selected portion of the first trajectory to the Earth orbit and being activatable to move the upper stage out of the Earth orbit to the second trajectory;a first fuel tank assembly positioned within the first interior area and coupled to the first power plant;a first landing system attached to the upper body structure and being deployable as the upper stage moves along the second trajectory toward the take-off and landing area, the first landing system having a first velocity reduction system to reduce the velocity of the upper stage relative to the take-off and landing area, and the first landing system having a first landing member that engages the take-off and landing area and supports the first body structure above the ground upon landing; anda wingless lower stage releasably connected to the wingless upper stage, the lower stage being movable along the first trajectory away from the take-off and landing area to a separation portion along the first trajectory, the lower stage being separable from the upper stage at the separation portion and being movable along a return trajectory from the separation portion to the take-off and landing area, the lower stage being reconnectable to the upper stage and reusable for the second flight after the lower stage returns to the take-off and landing area, the lower stage including:a lower body structure coaxially aligned with the upper body structure and having a second proximal portion, a second distal portion, and a second interior area extending therebetween, the second distal portion being connected to the first proximal portion of the upper body structure;a second power plant connected to the lower body structure and being activatable to propel the upper and lower stages along the first trajectory from the take-off and landing area to the separation portion, the second power plant being activatable after separation of the upper and lower stages to move the lower stage from the separation portion to the return trajectory for return to the take-off and landing area;a second fuel tank assembly positioned within the second interior area and being coupled to the second power plant;a separation system connected to the lower body structure and releasably connected to the upper stage, the separation system being activatable to separate the upper body structure from the lower body structure at the separation portion of the first trajectory; anda second landing system attached to the lower body structure and being deployable as the lower stage moves along the return trajectory at a second velocity toward the take-off and landing area, the second landing system having a second velocity reduction system to reduce the second velocity of the lower stage, and the second landing system having a second landing member that engages the take-off and landing area and supports the lower body structure above the ground upon landing.