Emergency earth orbital escape device

Abstract

Abstract A SPACE VEHICLE CONSTRUCTED FROM DISSIMILAR RIGHT ANGLE CONICAL SECTIONS MATED ALONG THEIR BASES AND HAVING THEIR APEXES TRUNCATED AND SPHERICALLY ROUNDED TO PROVIDE THE UNIQUE PROPERTY OF SINGLE POINT AERODYNAMIC AND HYDRODYNAMIC STABILITY. A 40* HALF-ANGLE CONE SECTION FORMS THE FORWARD END OF THE VEHICLE AND IS COVERED WITH A HEAT SHIELD OF ABLATIVE MATERIAL TO DISSIPATE HEAT GENERATED UPON REENTRY INTO THE EARTH''S ATMOSPHERE. A 30* HALFANGLE CONE FORMS THA AFT SECTION AND INCLUDES AN ENTRY HATCH AND WINDOW. A SEPARABLE MODULE SECURED TO THE LEADING END CARRIES CONTROL THRUSTERS AND RETROROCKET MOTORS FOR ORIENTING THE VEHICLE AND DECELERATING IT OUT OF ORBIT TOWARD THE EARTH. PASSIVE POWER AND LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS ARE EMPLOYED TO INCREASE STORAGE LIFE AND REACTION TIME OF THE VEHICLE. THE RELATIVE POSITION OF THE VEHICLE''S CENTER OF GRAVITY, CENTER OF AERODYNAMIC PRESSURE AND HYDRODYNAMIC METACENTER RESULTING FROM THE CONFIGURATION OF THE TWO CONICAL SECTIONS RENDER THE CRAFT STABLE IN THE CORRECT POSITION OF HEAT SHIELD LEADING DURING FREE FALL THROUGH THE ATMOSPHERE AND WITH THE AFT END ABOVE THE WATER WHEN FLOATING. THIS SINGLE POINT AERODYNAMIC AND HYDRODYNAMIC STABILITY IS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT RESORTING TO THE USE OF OUTRIGGERS, BALLOONS, OR OTHER FLOATTION DEVICES REQUIRED IN EXISTING REENTRY VEHICLES.

Inventors

• 👤 Raymond H Bradley
• 👤 Warren K Carter
• 👤 Louis A De Lateur
• 👤 Dean Chowing

Bibliographic Details