Spacecraft with increased cargo capacities, and associated systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020307461-A1
Application number	US-201916370660-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 29, 2019
Priority date	Mar 29, 2019
Publication date	Oct 1, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Spacecraft with increased cargo capacities, and associated systems and methods are disclosed, 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 carried by the at least one stage and positioned to support a cargo spacecraft having a service module and a cargo module, with the cargo module of the cargo spacecraft positioned along the launch vehicle axis in a direction distal from the support structure, and with at least a portion of the service module of the cargo spacecraft positioned within an annulus of the support structure.

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 elements positioned to releasably engage the cargo module of the cargo spacecraft.

6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the annular support structure is attached to a conical 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 includes 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 carried by 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 service module positioned at least partially within an annulus of the annular support structure, and a cargo module attached to the service module and positioned along the launch vehicle axis in a direction distal from the annular support structure; and wherein the annular support structure forms a load path that passes from the cargo module to the at least one stage, around the service module.

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

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

13 . The system of claim 10 wherein the cargo module is configured to carry nonhuman cargo.

14 . The system of claim 10 wherein the service module carries at least one of: a propulsion system, a guidance system, a navigation system, a control system, a solar power system 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 module, the supplemental supply support being positioned along the launch vehicle axis in a direction distal from the support structure to transmit loads along the load path from the cargo module to the at least one stage and around the service module.

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

17 . The system of claim 16 wherein the supplemental supply element is operatively coupled to the service module.

18 . The system of claim 17 wherein the supplemental supply element includes power for the service module.

19 . The system of claim 16 wherein the supplemental supply element is operatively independent of the service module.

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

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

22 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising adding a supplemental load to a supplemental supply support carried by, and extending radially outwardly from, the cargo module, with the supplemental supply support being positioned along the launch vehicle axis in a direction distal from the support structure to transmit loads along the load path from the cargo module to the at least one stage and around the service module.

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

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

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

• B64G1/643

  for arranging multiple satellites in a single launcher · CPC title

• B64G1/002 Primary

  Launch systems · CPC title

• B64G1/641

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