초록 ▼

A system for launching a launch vehicles mounted beneath an aircraft. A mechanism which separates the launch vehicle from the carrier aircraft engages the launch vehicle, and prevents the launch vehicle from coming into contact with the carrier aircraft as the launch vehicle is dropped away from the

A system for launching a launch vehicles mounted beneath an aircraft. A mechanism which separates the launch vehicle from the carrier aircraft engages the launch vehicle, and prevents the launch vehicle from coming into contact with the carrier aircraft as the launch vehicle is dropped away from the launch vehicle. A lanyard extends from the carrier aircraft applies an impulse to the launch vehicle as it is separated from the aircraft causing the launch vehicle to rotate upwardly of the pitch plane. A drogue parachute applies a rearward force to the launch vehicle holding the rigid trapeze in engagement with the launch vehicle, and damping the rate of rotation in the pitch plane as the rotation of the pitch plane brings a launch vehicle to a substantially vertical launch attitude, were powered flight of launch vehicle is begun. The launch vehicle follows a trajectory that crosses behind the carrier aircraft.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An arrangement for launching a payload into space, comprising: a carrier aircraft; a launch vehicle, having a nose end and an engine end and a center of gravity therebetween, the launch vehicle having a first forward portion and a second forward portion, each positioned betwe

What is claimed is: 1. An arrangement for launching a payload into space, comprising: a carrier aircraft; a launch vehicle, having a nose end and an engine end and a center of gravity therebetween, the launch vehicle having a first forward portion and a second forward portion, each positioned between the center of gravity and the nose end of the launch vehicle, wherein the launch vehicle releasably mounted underneath the carrier aircraft; a first member, having a first end hingedly mounted to the carrier aircraft, and a second end in contact with the first forward portion of the launch vehicle, wherein the first member is of a selected length chosen to constrain the first forward portion of launch vehicle to move along an arced path away from the carrier aircraft so that the nose end of the launch vehicle is prevented from rotating upward when the launch vehicle is released from the carrier aircraft while the first member is in contact with the first forward portion of the launch vehicle; a brake mounted to the carrier aircraft; a second member having a portion in braking engagement with the brake and an end mounted in impulse applying relation to the second forward portion of the launch vehicle, the second member being extensible from the brake for a selected length, the brake engaging the second member so as to apply a braking force to the second member as it is extended from the brake; a deployable aerodynamic drag device, mounted to the launch vehicle rearward of the center of gravity. 2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the second member is a flexible lanyard which has a portion which is wrapped about a hub and wherein the brake is arranged to apply a braking force which resists rotation of the hub. 3. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the second end of the first member has portions defining a U-shaped slot which engages with a bracket mounted on the first forward portion of the launch vehicle. 4. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein the second end of the first member has portions defining two spaced apart U-shaped slots which engage with a pair of spindles mounted on the first forward portion of the launch vehicle. 5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the first forward portion of the launch vehicle and the second forward portion of the launch vehicle are substantially coincidental. 6. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the deployable aerodynamic drag device is a parachute mounted to the engine end of the launch vehicle. 7. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the launch vehicle has mounted thereto aerodynamic chines arranged so that the launch vehicle is substantially aerodynamically neutrally stable at an angle of attack approaching 900. 8. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the carrier aircraft defines a carrier aircraft center of gravity, and wherein the brake and the first member are located substantially beneath the carrier aircraft center of gravity. 9. A method of deploying a launch vehicle from beneath a carrier aircraft, the carrier aircraft having a direction of flight defining a forward direction in the direction of flight and a rearward direction opposite the direction of flight, the method comprising the steps of: carrying the launch vehicle with the carrier aircraft to a selected launch altitude; deploying an aerodynamic drag device connected to a rearward portion of the launch vehicle, and applying a rearward force to the launch vehicle with the aerodynamic drag device; releasing the launch vehicle from the carrier aircraft so that gravity causes a constantly increasing separation between the launch vehicle and the carrier aircraft; first constraining the launch vehicle, as the launch vehicle falls away from the carrier aircraft with the actuation of a first mechanism, so that the launch vehicle can not pitch up into contact with the carrier aircraft; following the actuation of the first mechanism, actuating a second mechanism to apply a selected impulse to the launch vehicle to cause the launch vehicle to pitch upwardly at a selected rate of rotation in a pitch plane defined by the carrier aircraft; following actuating the second mechanism, separating all mechanical connections to the carrier aircraft so that the launch vehicle and the drag device continue to fall away from the carrier aircraft; substantially reducing the selected rate of rotation in the pitch plane by the action of the aerodynamic drag device; and allowing the launch vehicle to rotate to a selected pitch angle and igniting an engine mounted to the launch vehicle, separating the aerodynamic drag device from the launch vehicle and beginning a controlled flight trajectory with the launch vehicle. 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the actuation of the first mechanism further comprises using a pivoting link between the carrier aircraft and the launch vehicle to constrain the motion of the launch vehicle as it falls away from the carrier aircraft so that the launch vehicle cannot come into contact with the carrier aircraft. 11. The method of claim 9 wherein the second mechanism actuation further comprises the steps of: pulling upwardly on a forward portion of the launch vehicle with a lanyard which is pulled from a brake at a selected tension until the lanyard has reached a length selected, defining a time so that the selected tension multiplied by time produces the selected impulse. 12. The method of claim 9 wherein the selected pitch angle measured from a horizontal plane is greater than about 60��. 13. The method of claim 9 wherein the selected pitch angle measured from a horizontal plane is greater than about 75��. 14. The method of claim 9 wherein the selected rate of rotation is between about 40�� per second and about 10 degrees per second. 15. The method of claim 9 wherein the drag device is separated by burning through a line connecting the drag device to the engine following igniting of the engine. 16. The method of claim 9 wherein a portion of the launch vehicle is injected into Earth orbit. 17. The method of claim 9 wherein following engine ignition controlling the launch vehicle so that when the launch vehicle and the carrier aircraft have the same altitude, the launch vehicle is rearward of the carrier aircraft. 18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of controlling the launch vehicle include controlling the launch so that when vehicle and the carrier aircraft have the same altitude the launch vehicle and the carrier aircraft are separated by more than 1000 feet. 19. An apparatus for deploying a launch vehicle from beneath a carrier aircraft, the carrier aircraft having a direction of flight, the carrier aircraft defining a forward direction in the direction of flight and a rearward direction opposite the direction of flight, comprising: the launch vehicle substantially without lifting surfaces and having a mass greater than about 9,000 slugs releasably mounted beneath the carrier aircraft for carry to a selected launch altitude; a first mechanical linkage arranged to constrain the launch vehicle over a first selected distance from the carrier aircraft so that the launch vehicle can not pitch up into contact with the carrier aircraft, and the first mechanical linkage arranged to release the launch vehicle, at the first selected distance; a second mechanical linkage creating a releasable connection between the launch vehicle and the carrier aircraft when the carrier aircraft is spaced more than the first selected distance and less than a second selected distance from the carrier aircraft, the second mechanical linkage arranged to apply a selected tension through the connection to the launch vehicle, as the launch vehicle moves to the second selected distance, wherein at a distance greater than the second selected distance the launch vehicle is not connected to the carrier aircraft as the launch vehicle falls away from the carrier aircraft. 20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a deployable and releasable aerodynamic drag device connected to a rearward portion of the launch vehicle, and arranged so that after deployment the deployable aerodynamic drag device applies a rearward force to the launch vehicle, until the aerodynamic drag device is released. 21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the deployable and releasable aerodynamic drag device connected to a rearward portion of the launch vehicle is of a selected size so that the launch vehicle pitch rate rotation approaches zero as the launch vehicle attitude approaches vertical.