System comprising a deceleration pool with a landing hook system disposed above it for receiving a landing rocket

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12448154-B2
Application number	US-202318542459-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2023
Priority date	Dec 15, 2023
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

A recovery system for receiving rockets upon landing comprising a deceleration pool filled with liquid. The system may have a volume filled with the liquid having a desired density profile. An injection manifold injects gas into the liquid to create the density profile. The liquid may have a first density at a landing region of the pool and a second density greater than the first density away from the landing region, such as increasing in density radially outward from a center of the landing region. The pool may be located under a primary landing system intended to secure the landing rocket, such as a hook catch. The pool may be a contingency system for mitigating damage to a landing rocket that unsuccessfully attempts securing with the primary landing system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for receiving a landing rocket, the system comprising:
a liquid deceleration system comprising:
at least one storage tank comprising a gas; and
a deceleration pool comprising:
a volume defined by a foundation and a sidewall extending upward from the foundation a height of 200 feet or more;
a liquid contained within the volume; and
at least one injection manifold comprising a plurality of openings, the at least one injection manifold in fluid communication with the at least one storage tank and configured to inject the gas into the liquid through the plurality of openings.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a landing hook system disposed above the deceleration pool and configured to catch the landing rocket.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising one or more valves in fluid communication with the at least one storage tank and the at least one injection manifold.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sidewall has a lateral dimension of 1000 feet or more.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid is water-based and comprises untreated water, freshwater, seawater, brine, saturated brine, or treated water comprising sodium hypochlorite, chlorine, or salt.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gas has a pressure exceeding the pressure of the liquid located at a bottom of the deceleration pool.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the pressure of the gas is at least 1 MPa.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of openings are radially disposed about a landing region of the deceleration pool.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid has a gradient density profile when gas is injected into the liquid through the plurality of openings.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein a first density of the liquid at a landing region of the deceleration pool is lower than a second density of the liquid adjacent to the sidewall.

11. A system for receiving a landing rocket, the system comprising:
a liquid deceleration system comprising:
at least one storage tank comprising a gas; and
a deceleration pool comprising:
a volume defined by a foundation and a sidewall extending upward from the foundation;
a liquid contained within the volume; and
at least one injection manifold comprising a plurality of openings, the at least one injection manifold in fluid communication with the at least one storage tank and configured to inject the gas into the liquid through the plurality of openings; and

a landing hook system disposed above the deceleration pool and configured to catch the landing rocket.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising one or more valves in fluid communication with the at least one storage tank and the at least one injection manifold.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the sidewall has a lateral dimension of 1000 feet or more.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the sidewall has a height of 200 feet or more.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the liquid is water-based and comprises untreated water, freshwater, seawater, brine, saturated brine, or treated water comprising sodium hypochlorite, chlorine, or salt.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the gas has a pressure exceeding the pressure of the liquid located at a bottom of the deceleration pool.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the pressure of the gas is at least 1 MPa.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of openings are radially disposed about a landing region of the deceleration pool.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the liquid has a gradient density profile when gas is injected into the liquid through the plurality of openings.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein a first density of the liquid at a landing region of the deceleration pool is lower than a second density of the liquid adjacent to the sidewall.

Assignees

• Blue Origin Mfg Llc

Inventors

• Tepool John Eric

Classifications

• B64G1/006

  Reusable launch rockets or boosters · CPC title

• E04H4/1209 Primary

  Treatment of water for swimming pools (filters B01D) · CPC title

• B64G1/625

  Landing devices; Undercarriages · CPC title

• B64G5/00 Primary

  Ground equipment for vehicles, e.g. starting towers, fuelling arrangements (B64G3/00 takes precedence) · CPC title