Spacecraft with increased cargo capacities, and associated systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11565628-B2
Application number	US-201916370660-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2019
Priority date	Mar 29, 2019
Publication date	Jan 31, 2023
Grant date	Jan 31, 2023

Abstract

A representative spacecraft system includes a launch vehicle elongated along a launch vehicle axis and having at least one stage carrying a corresponding rocket engine. The representative system further includes an annular support structure carried by the at least one stage and positioned to support a cargo spacecraft having a service module and a cargo module. The cargo module of the cargo spacecraft is positioned along the launch vehicle axis in a direction distal from the support structure, and at least a portion of the service module of the cargo spacecraft positioned within an annulus of the support structure.

First claim

I claim:

1. A spacecraft system, comprising:
a launch vehicle elongated along a launch vehicle axis and having at least one stage carrying a corresponding rocket engine; and
an annular support structure coupled to the at least one stage and positioned to support a cargo spacecraft, the cargo spacecraft having:
a propulsion section, and
a cargo section consisting of cargo or configured to carry cargo, with the cargo section of the cargo spacecraft positioned along the launch vehicle axis in a direction distal from the annular support structure, and with at least a portion of the propulsion section of the cargo spacecraft positioned within an annulus of the annular support structure;

wherein the annular support structure is configured to remain carried by the at least one stage when the cargo spacecraft separates from the launch vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the annular support structure includes a cylinder.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the annular support structure includes at least one strut positioned around the annulus.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the annular support structure includes a plurality of struts positioned around the annulus.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the annular support structure includes separation structures positioned to releasably engage the cargo section of the cargo spacecraft.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the annular support structure is attached to a frustoconical support structure carried by the at least one stage.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one stage is a second stage, and wherein the launch vehicle further incudes:
a first stage carrying a corresponding rocket engine, the first stage being releasably connected to the second stage.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a releasable launch fairing carried by the at least one stage and positioned around the annular support structure.

9. The spacecraft system of claim 1 , further comprising the cargo spacecraft.

10. A spacecraft system, comprising:
a launch vehicle elongated along a launch vehicle axis and having at least one stage carrying a corresponding rocket engine;
an annular support structure coupled to the at least one stage of the launch vehicle; and
a cargo spacecraft releasably carried by the annular support structure, the cargo spacecraft having:
a propulsion section positioned at least partially within an annulus of the annular support structure, and
a cargo section consisting of cargo or configured to carry cargo, and attached to the propulsion section and positioned along the launch vehicle axis in a direction distal from the annular support structure;

wherein the annular support structure forms a load path that passes from the cargo section to the at least one stage, around the propulsion section; and
wherein the annular support structure is configured to remain carried by the at least one stage when the cargo spacecraft separates from the launch vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the propulsion section is at least partially suspended from at least one of the cargo section or the annular support structure.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the cargo section is configured to carry human cargo.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the cargo section is configured to carry non-human cargo.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the propulsion section carries at least one of: a guidance system, a navigation system, a control system, a solar power system, and/or a communications system.

15. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a supplemental supply support carried by, and extending radially outwardly from, the cargo section, the supplemental supply support being positioned along the launch vehicle axis in a direction distal from the annular support structure to transmit loads along the load path from the cargo section to the at least one stage and around the propulsion section.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a supplemental cargo section carried by the supplemental supply support.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the supplemental cargo section is operatively coupled to the propulsion section.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the supplemental cargo section includes a power supply for the propulsion section.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the supplemental cargo section is operatively independent of the propulsion section.

20. A method for operating a spacecraft system, comprising:
releasably connecting a cargo spacecraft to a launch vehicle, the launch vehicle being elongated along a launch vehicle axis, wherein:
the cargo spacecraft includes:
a propulsion section, and
a cargo section consisting of cargo or configured to carry cargo; and

the launch vehicle includes an annular support structure coupled to the launch vehicle;
wherein releasably connecting the cargo spacecraft to the launch vehicle includes:
positioning the propulsion section at least partially within an annulus of the annular support structure; and
positioning the cargo section along the launch vehicle axis, with a load path from the cargo section to the launch vehicle passing around the propulsion section; and

wherein the annular support structure is configured to remain carried by the launch vehicle when the cargo spacecraft separates from the launch vehicle.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising programming a controller to release the cargo spacecraft from the launch vehicle in space.

22. The method of claim 20 , further comprising adding a supplemental load to a supplemental supply support carried by, and extending radially outwardly from, the cargo section, with the supplemental supply support being positioned along the launch vehicle axis in a direction distal from the annular support structure to transmit loads along the load path from the cargo section to the launch vehicle and around the propulsion section.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising operatively coupling the supplemental load to the propulsion section.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein operatively coupling the supplemental load to the propulsion section includes connecting a power link from the supplemental load to the propulsion section.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein adding the supplemental load includes positioning the supplemental load in an unpressurized portion of the spacecraft system.

Assignees

• Blue Origin Llc

Inventors

• Johnson Michael David

Classifications

• B64G1/645

  Separators · CPC title

• B64G1/64

  Systems for coupling or separating cosmonautic vehicles or parts thereof, e.g. docking arrangements · CPC title

• B64G1/402

  Propellant tanks; Feeding propellants · CPC title

• B64G1/641

  Interstage or payload connectors (docking systems B64G1/646) · CPC title

• B64G1/005

  Air launch · CPC title