Patent US3576298A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3576298A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Aerospace vehicle
Assignee: Boeing North American Inc
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Filing: 1967-11-13
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Granted: 1971-04-27
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Expires: 1987-11-13
Abstract
Abstract An aerospace vehicle is described comprising a substantially conical forward crew compartment or command module mated to a substantially cylindrical rearward service module. Aerodynamic fairings are provided along the midline on the sides of the cylindrical portion and a substantial distance aft thereof for providing lift at hypersonic velocities and approximately vertical fins are provided on the fairings for aerodynamic stability and control. Wings are mounted within the aerodynamic fairings at high velocities and pivotably extended therefrom at lower velocities and altitudes to provide low speed lift. Upon reentry into the earth''s atmosphere hypersonic lift is provided by the body and the fairings for bringing the vehicle to the area of a selected landing site and, at lower flight speeds deeper into the atmosphere, augmented lift is provided by the extended wings for landing the vehicle on a conventional runway. A rocket engine for propulsion has a large expansion ratio bell for use in the vacuum of space. The large ratio bell is jettisonable to give a low expansion ratio for use of the same engine within the atmosphere. Rear landing skids are pivotable into and out of the wake of the vehicle to reduce the requirement for heat shielding. Similarly, reaction control rocket motors are also pivotable into and out of the wake of the vehicle for minimizing heat protection requirements. Such a vehicle is readily adaptable to a broad variety of space missions such as cargo ferry or satellite recovery, and is reuseable with minimum refurbishment.
Inventors
- 👤 Burton Barnett
- 👤 Frederick Raymes
- 👤 Thomas A Sackinger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 22:31
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64G; B64G1/00; B64G1/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a body having substantial bilateral aerodynamic symmetry about the orthogonal planes extending longitudinally thereof; a pair of aerodynamic fairings symmetrically located on opposite sides of said body substantially along one of the planes of symmetry for providing lift at hypersonic velocities; a pair of fins, each of said fins being mounted on an outboard edge of one of said fairings and extending generally in the direction of lift therefrom; a landing gear at the aft end of said body and movable between a first position within the low velocity region of the aerodynamic wake and a second position extending beyond the bottom of said body for landing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
111 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a body having substantial bilateral aerodynamic symmetry about the orthogonal planes extending longitudinally thereof; a pair of aerodynamic fairings symmetrically located on opposite sides of said body substantially along one of the planes of symmetry for providing lift at hypersonic velocities; a pair of fins, each of said fins being mounted on an outboard edge of one of said fairings and extending generally in the direction of lift therefrom; a landing gear at the aft end of said body and movable between a first position within the low velocity region of the aerodynamic wake and a second position extending beyond the bottom of said body for landing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
162 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a body having substantial bilateral aerodynamic symmetry about the orthogonal planes extending longitudinally thereof; a pair of aerodynamic fairings symmetrically located on opposite sides of said body substantially along one of the planes of symmetry for providing lift at hypersonic velocities; a pair of fins, each of said fins being mounted on an outboard edge of one of said fairings and extending generally in the direction of lift therefrom; said body having a conical forward portion and a cylindrical aft portion; said cylindrical portion including a blunt aft end for providing a low velocity region in an aerodynamic wake behind the body for providing a region of low aerodynamic heating; and attitude control thrust engines mounted on the aft end of the body and movable between a first position beyond the side of said body for control use in space and a second position within the low velocity region of the aerodynamic wake for protection from aerodynamic heating.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
162 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a body having substantial bilateral aerodynamic symmetry about the orthogonal planes extending longitudinally thereof; a pair of aerodynamic fairings symmetrically located on opposite sides of said body substantially along one of the planes of symmetry for providing lift at hypersonic velocities; a pair of fins, each of said fins being mounted on an outboard edge of one of said fairings and extending generally in the direction of lift therefrom; said body having a conical forward portion and a cylindrical aft portion; said cylindrical portion including a blunt aft end for providing a low velocity region in an aerodynamic wake behind the body for providing a region of low aerodynamic heating; and attitude control thrust engines mounted on the aft end of the body and movable between a first position beyond the side of said body for control use in space and a second position within the low velocity region of the aerodynamic wake for protection from aerodynamic heating.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
172 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a body having substantial bilateral aerodynamic symmetry about the orthogonal planes extending longitudinally thereof; a pair of aerodynamic fairings symmetrically located on opposite sides of said body substantially along one of the planes of symmetry for providing lift at hypersonic velocities; a pair of fins, each of said fins being mounted on an outboard edge of one of said fairings and extending generally in the direction of lift therefrom; said body having a conical forward portion and a cylindrical aft portion; said cylindrical portion including a blunt aft end for providing a low velocity region in an aerodynamic wake behind the body for providing a region of low aerodynamic heating; and a restartable rocket engine on the aft end of said boDy for propulsion, said engine including a large area ratio expansion bell for use in lower pressures of space; and means for jettisoning at least a portion of said expansion bell for reducing the area ratio of said engine for use in higher pressures within the atmosphere.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
172 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a body having substantial bilateral aerodynamic symmetry about the orthogonal planes extending longitudinally thereof; a pair of aerodynamic fairings symmetrically located on opposite sides of said body substantially along one of the planes of symmetry for providing lift at hypersonic velocities; a pair of fins, each of said fins being mounted on an outboard edge of one of said fairings and extending generally in the direction of lift therefrom; said body having a conical forward portion and a cylindrical aft portion; said cylindrical portion including a blunt aft end for providing a low velocity region in an aerodynamic wake behind the body for providing a region of low aerodynamic heating; and a restartable rocket engine on the aft end of said boDy for propulsion, said engine including a large area ratio expansion bell for use in lower pressures of space; and means for jettisoning at least a portion of said expansion bell for reducing the area ratio of said engine for use in higher pressures within the atmosphere.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
169 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a body having substantial bilateral aerodynamic symmetry about the orthogonal planes extending longitudinally thereof; a pair of aerodynamic fairings symmetrically located on opposite sides of said body substantially along one of the planes of symmetry for providing lift at hypersonic velocities; a pair of fins, each of said fins being mounted on an outboard edge of one of said fairings and extending generally in the direction of lift therefrom; said body having a conical forward portion and a cylindrical aft portion; said cylindrical portion includes a blunt aft end for providing a low velocity region in an aerodynamic wake behind the body for providing a region of low aerodynamic heating; and each of said fins having a substantial portion located aft of the aft end of said body; and a pair of wing members, each of said wing members being movable between a first position within one of said fairings and a second position extending laterally from said fairing for providing lift at subsonic velocities.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
169 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a body having substantial bilateral aerodynamic symmetry about the orthogonal planes extending longitudinally thereof; a pair of aerodynamic fairings symmetrically located on opposite sides of said body substantially along one of the planes of symmetry for providing lift at hypersonic velocities; a pair of fins, each of said fins being mounted on an outboard edge of one of said fairings and extending generally in the direction of lift therefrom; said body having a conical forward portion and a cylindrical aft portion; said cylindrical portion includes a blunt aft end for providing a low velocity region in an aerodynamic wake behind the body for providing a region of low aerodynamic heating; and each of said fins having a substantial portion located aft of the aft end of said body; and a pair of wing members, each of said wing members being movable between a first position within one of said fairings and a second position extending laterally from said fairing for providing lift at subsonic velocities.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
95 words
An aerospace vehicle as defined in claim 4 further comprising: landing gear at the aft end of said body and movable between a first position in the low velocity region of the aerodynamic wake and a second position extending beyond the bottom of said body for landing; and attitude control thrust engines mounted on the aft end of the body and movable between a first position beyond the side of said body for control use in space and a second position in the low velocity region of the aerodynamic wake for protection from aerodynamic heating.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
An aerospace vehicle as defined in claim 5 wherein said landing gear are pivotable so as to describe a conical path between a first position facing aft of said body in the low velocity region of the aerodynamic wake and a second position facing forwardly of said body for landing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
82 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a lifting vehicle body including a blunt portion on the aft end thereof for providing a low velocity flow region in an aerodynamic wake behind the body; and a pair of landing gears movable from within the wake to a position extending generally downwardly beyond a side of the body for landing, said landing gears being located at the aft end and on opposite sides thereof and extending in the same direction transverse to said body for landing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
82 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a lifting vehicle body including a blunt portion on the aft end thereof for providing a low velocity flow region in an aerodynamic wake behind the body; and a pair of landing gears movable from within the wake to a position extending generally downwardly beyond a side of the body for landing, said landing gears being located at the aft end and on opposite sides thereof and extending in the same direction transverse to said body for landing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
An aerospace vehicle as defined in claim 7 wherein said landing gear is pivotable about an axis extending transversely of said body to describe a conical path between the first and second positions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
An aerospace vehicle as defined in claim 7 further comprising a movable element including an assembly of reaction thrust engines for control of said vehicle in space.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
89 words
A reentry vehicle for use in the hard vacuum of space and also within the atmosphere comprising: an aerodynamic lifting body; a reaction thrust engine having a nozzle on the aft end of said body for reaction propulsion in hard vacuum of space; and means for removing a portion of said nozzle while said engine is operating to cause the propulsion gases to expand to a higher ambient pressure that is less than chamber pressure but higher than vacuum to prevent over expansion when operating in the eath''s atmosphere.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
89 words
A reentry vehicle for use in the hard vacuum of space and also within the atmosphere comprising: an aerodynamic lifting body; a reaction thrust engine having a nozzle on the aft end of said body for reaction propulsion in hard vacuum of space; and means for removing a portion of said nozzle while said engine is operating to cause the propulsion gases to expand to a higher ambient pressure that is less than chamber pressure but higher than vacuum to prevent over expansion when operating in the eath''s atmosphere.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
A reentry vehicle as defined in claim 10 wherein said engine comprises a rocket with a large area ratio expansion bell; and said means for reducing area ratio comprises release means for jettisoning at least a portion of said expansion bell.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
98 words
In combination: a substantially symmetrical rocket booster; an aerospace vehicle having a body with substantial bilaterial aerodynamic symmeTry about two orthogonal planes extending longitudinally thereof, mounted on said rocket booster for minimized side loading during launching; a pair of aerodynamic structures symmetrically located on opposite sides of said body substantially along one of the planes of symmetry for providing lift at hypersonic velocities without disturbing launch symmetry; and a pair of fins, each of said fins being mounted on the outboard edge of one of said structures and extending generally in the direction that lift would be produced.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
98 words
In combination: a substantially symmetrical rocket booster; an aerospace vehicle having a body with substantial bilaterial aerodynamic symmeTry about two orthogonal planes extending longitudinally thereof, mounted on said rocket booster for minimized side loading during launching; a pair of aerodynamic structures symmetrically located on opposite sides of said body substantially along one of the planes of symmetry for providing lift at hypersonic velocities without disturbing launch symmetry; and a pair of fins, each of said fins being mounted on the outboard edge of one of said structures and extending generally in the direction that lift would be produced.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
168 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a body having substantial bilateral aerodynamic symmetry about two orthogonal planes extending longitudinally thereof; a pair of aerodynamic fairings symmetrically located on opposite sides of said body substantially along one of the planes of symmetry for providing lift at hypersonic velocities; said body having a conical portion at the forward end and a cylindrical portion disposed aft thereof; said cylindrical portion including a blunt aft end for providing a low velocity region in an aerodynamic wake behind the body for providing a region of low aerodynamic heating; a pair of fins, each of said fins being mounted on outboard edge of one of said fairings and extending generally vertically therefrom; each of said fins having a substantial portion located aft of the aft end of said body; and a pair of wing members, each of said wing members being movable between a first position within one of said fairings and a second position extending laterally from said fairing for providing lift at subsonic velocities.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
168 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a body having substantial bilateral aerodynamic symmetry about two orthogonal planes extending longitudinally thereof; a pair of aerodynamic fairings symmetrically located on opposite sides of said body substantially along one of the planes of symmetry for providing lift at hypersonic velocities; said body having a conical portion at the forward end and a cylindrical portion disposed aft thereof; said cylindrical portion including a blunt aft end for providing a low velocity region in an aerodynamic wake behind the body for providing a region of low aerodynamic heating; a pair of fins, each of said fins being mounted on outboard edge of one of said fairings and extending generally vertically therefrom; each of said fins having a substantial portion located aft of the aft end of said body; and a pair of wing members, each of said wing members being movable between a first position within one of said fairings and a second position extending laterally from said fairing for providing lift at subsonic velocities.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
95 words
An aerospace vehicle as defined in claim 13 further comprising: landing gear at the aft end of said body and movable between a first position in the low velocity region of the aerodynamic wake and a second position extending beyond the bottom of said body for landing; and attitude control thrust engines mounted on the aft end of the body and movable between a first position beyond the side of said body for control use in space and a second position in the low velocity region of the aerodynamic wake for protection from aerodynamic heating.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
50 words
An aerospace vehicle as defined in claim 14 wherein; said landing gears are pivotable so as to describe a conical path between a first position facing aft of said body in the low velocity region of the aerodynamic wake and a second position facing forwardly of said body for landing.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
139 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a body having substantial bilateral aerodynamic symmetry about two orthogonal planes extending longitudinally thereof; and a pair of aerodynamic fairings symmetrically located on opposite sides of said body substantially along one of the planes of symmetry for providing lift at hypersonic velocities; said body having a conical portion at the forward end and a cylindrical portion disposed aft thereof; the cylindrical portion including a blunt aft end for providing a low velocity region in an aerodynamic wake behind the body for providing a region of low aerodynamic heating; attitude control thrust engines mounted on the aft end of the body and movable between a first position beyond the side of said body for control use in space and a second position in the low velocity region of the aerodynamic wake for protection for aerodynamic heating.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
139 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a body having substantial bilateral aerodynamic symmetry about two orthogonal planes extending longitudinally thereof; and a pair of aerodynamic fairings symmetrically located on opposite sides of said body substantially along one of the planes of symmetry for providing lift at hypersonic velocities; said body having a conical portion at the forward end and a cylindrical portion disposed aft thereof; the cylindrical portion including a blunt aft end for providing a low velocity region in an aerodynamic wake behind the body for providing a region of low aerodynamic heating; attitude control thrust engines mounted on the aft end of the body and movable between a first position beyond the side of said body for control use in space and a second position in the low velocity region of the aerodynamic wake for protection for aerodynamic heating.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
126 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a lifting vehicle body including a blunt portion on the aft end thereof for providing a low velocity flow region in an aerodynamic wake behind the body; a movable element at the aft end of said body and movable between a first position within the low velocity region of the wake for protection from aerodynamic heating and a second position extending beyond a side of said body for operation of the element; said movable element comprising a landing gear movable from within the wake to a position extending generally downwardly beyond a side of the body for landing; said landing geaR being pivotable about an axis extending transversely of said body to describe a conical path between the first and second position.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
126 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a lifting vehicle body including a blunt portion on the aft end thereof for providing a low velocity flow region in an aerodynamic wake behind the body; a movable element at the aft end of said body and movable between a first position within the low velocity region of the wake for protection from aerodynamic heating and a second position extending beyond a side of said body for operation of the element; said movable element comprising a landing gear movable from within the wake to a position extending generally downwardly beyond a side of the body for landing; said landing geaR being pivotable about an axis extending transversely of said body to describe a conical path between the first and second position.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
93 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a lifting vehicle body including a blunt portion on the aft end thereof for providing a low velocity flow region in an aerodynamic wake behind the body; a movable element at the aft end of said body and movable between a first position within the low velocity region of the wake for protection from aerodynamic heating and a second position extending beyond a site of said body for operation of the element; said movable element comprising an assembly of reaction thrust engines for control of said vehicle in space.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
93 words
An aerospace vehicle comprising: a lifting vehicle body including a blunt portion on the aft end thereof for providing a low velocity flow region in an aerodynamic wake behind the body; a movable element at the aft end of said body and movable between a first position within the low velocity region of the wake for protection from aerodynamic heating and a second position extending beyond a site of said body for operation of the element; said movable element comprising an assembly of reaction thrust engines for control of said vehicle in space.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-04-26 | 1974-10-26 | 1975-04-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-04-26 | 1978-10-26 | 1979-04-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-04-26 | 1982-10-26 | 1983-04-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |