Energy extraction and storage, and propulsion systems for space vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10954004-B2
Application number	US-201816038142-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2018
Priority date	Jul 17, 2018
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A space vehicle may extract and store energy, and also include a propulsion system. The space vehicle includes one or more wings connected to a body of the apparatus. Each of the one or more wings includes a propellant system configured to eject mass away from the apparatus, the ejection of the mass causes the apparatus to move from a first position to a second position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
one or more wings connected to a body of the apparatus, wherein
each of the one or more wings comprises a propellant system configured to eject mass away from the apparatus, the ejection of the mass causes the apparatus to move from a first position to a second position, and
the one or more wings are displaced and angled, wherein the angle of the one or more wings are relative to a direction of motion creating torsional force on the one or more wings, the torsional force causes the one or more wings to rotate around the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
when the mass is ejected from one wing of the one or more wings, another propellant system on a wing opposite to that of the one wing is configured to eject a mass, the ejection of the mass causes the apparatus to move from the second position back to the first position, thereby stabilizing the apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a group of wings on each side of the apparatus, wherein
a tip of each wing in the group of wings comprises a propellant system configured to eject one or more masses, the ejection of the one or more masses causes the apparatus to move in a direct opposite to that of the ejection.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the propellant system comprises a mass ejection unit configured to store and release mass from a tip of the one or more wings.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the mass ejection unit comprises a storage chamber configured to store the mass and a launching chamber configured to launch the mass.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the mass ejection unit comprises a first door configured to open and close, and upon opening of the first door, the mass from the storage chamber moves to the launching chamber via spring within the storage chamber or by way of rotational force exerted from the apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the mass ejection unit comprises a second door within the launching chamber configured to open, allowing the mass to be ejected from the apparatus by way of the rotational force from the apparatus.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more wings are positively angled resulting in a positive torque and spin direction.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more wings are negatively angled resulting in a negative force, thereby creating torque and spin in a direction opposite to a positive spin direction.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a housing connecting with the one or more wings via a rigid attachment with rotation control.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein when the housing rotates about the apparatus, the one or more wings are configured to move around the body of the apparatus, causing energy to be spent or pulled.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the rigid attachment is configured to cause the one or more wings to rotate about an axis defined by a rotor and bus of the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the housing and stator are fixed in orientation and coincide with a direction of orbit.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the housing and stator are configured to rotate about a defined axis while rotor and bus of the apparatus are fixed in terms of a coordinate system.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a motor configured to be despun, wherein energy extracted from the despinning motor is stored within a battery or is used to drive the one or more wings around the apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more wings are rotated around the apparatus when atmospheric drag, solar light pressure, or solar wind is applied to a surface area of the one or more wings and when nose of the apparatus is pointed in a direction of a wind source.

17. A space vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of wings with a spin rate of greater than 0; and
a body with a spin rate of 0, wherein
each of the plurality of wings comprise
a propellant system located at the tip of each of the plurality of wings,
the propellant system is configured to eject mass transferring momentum from the propellant system to the space vehicle, thereby moving from a first position to a second position.

18. The space vehicle of claim 17 , wherein
when the mass is ejected from the tip of one of the plurality of wings, mass from a tip on an opposite side to that of the one is ejected, the ejection of the mass causes the space vehicle to move from the second position back to the first position, thereby stabilizing the space vehicle.

19. The space vehicle of claim 17 , further comprising:
a group of wings on each side of the space vehicle, wherein
tip of each wing in the group of wings comprises a propellant system configured to eject one or more masses, the ejection of the one or more masses causes the space vehicle to move in a direct opposite to that of the ejection.

20. The space vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the propellant system comprises a mass ejection unit configured to store and release mass from a tip of each of the plurality of wings.

21. The space vehicle of claim 20 , wherein the mass ejection unit comprises a storage chamber configured to store the mass and a launching chamber configured to launch the mass.

22. The space vehicle of claim 21 , wherein the mass ejection unit comprises a first door configured to open and close, and upon opening of the first door, the mass from the storage chamber moves to the launching chamber via spring within the storage chamber or by way of rotational force exerted from the space vehicle.

23. The space vehicle of claim 22 , wherein the mass ejection unit comprises a second door within the launching chamber configured to open, causing the mass to be ejected from the space vehicle by way of the rotational force from the space vehicle.

24. The space vehicle of claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of wings are displaced and angled, wherein the angle for each of the plurality of wings are relative to a direction of motion creating torsional force on each of the plurality of wings, the torsional force causes each of the plurality of wings to rotate around the space vehicle.

25. The space vehicle of claim 24 , wherein each of the plurality of wings are positively angled resulting in a positive torque and spin direction.

26. The space vehicle of claim 24 , wherein each of the plurality of wings are negatively angled resulting in a negative force, thereby creating torque and spin in a direction opposite to a positive spin direction.

27. The space vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the body comprises a housing connecting with the plurality of wings via a rigid attachment for rotation control.

28. The space vehicle of claim 27 , wherein when the housing rotates about the space vehicle, each of the plurality of wings are configured to move around the body of the space vehicle, causing energy to be spent or pulled.

29. The space vehicle of claim 27 , wherein the rigid attachment is configured to cause each of the plurality of wings to rotate about an axis defined by a rotor and bus of the space vehicle.

30. The space vehicle of claim 27 , wherein the housing and stator are fixed in orientation and coincide with a direction of orbit.

31. The space vehicle of claim 30

Assignees

• Aerospace Corp

Inventors

• Ulrich Evan R

Classifications

• B64G1/40 Primary

  Arrangements or adaptations of propulsion systems · CPC title

• B64G1/426

  Flywheels · CPC title

• B64G1/425

  Power storage · CPC title

• B64G1/407

  Solar sailing · CPC title

• B64G1/26

  using jets · CPC title