Control surfaces for use with high speed vehicles, and associated systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9580191-B2
Application number	US-201414550782-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2014
Priority date	Feb 24, 2009
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

Vehicles with control surfaces and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a rocket can include a plurality of bidirectional control surfaces positioned toward an aft portion of the rocket. In this embodiment, the bidirectional control surfaces can be operable to control the orientation and/or flight path of the rocket during both ascent, in a nose-first orientation, and descent, in a tail-first orientation for, e.g., a tail-down landing. Launch vehicles with fixed and deployable deceleration surfaces and associated systems and methods are also disclosed.

First claim

We claim:

1. An aerospace system, comprising:
a space launch vehicle having an upper end, a lower end, a vehicle axis extending between the upper and lower ends, and one or more rocket nozzles positioned toward the lower end, wherein the launch vehicle is configured to implement a routine that includes:
directing thrust from at least one of the one or more rocket nozzles to lift the launch vehicle during launch, the upper end being above the lower end during launch;
subsequent to launch, descending and landing with the lower end below the upper end; and
during descent, shifting a center of pressure of the launch vehicle from a first position below a center of gravity of the vehicle to a second position above the center of gravity by moving a control surface, wherein the control surface includes a translating element, and wherein shifting the center of pressure of the vehicle includes moving the translating element between a lower position toward the lower end of the vehicle and an upper position toward the upper end of the vehicle.

2. The aerospace system of claim 1 wherein the routine further includes directing thrust from the one or more rocket nozzles to decelerate the launch vehicle during decent.

3. The aerospace system of claim 1 wherein the control surface describes a first cross-sectional area generally normal to the vehicle axis toward the upper end of the launch vehicle during descent, the launch vehicle having a second cross-sectional area generally normal to the vehicle axis toward the lower end of the launch vehicle during descent, the second cross-sectional area being less than the first cross-sectional area.

4. The aerospace system of claim 1 wherein the control surface includes an outwardly facing, exposed surface that describes a first cross-sectional area generally normal to the vehicle axis toward the upper end of the launch vehicle during descent, the launch vehicle having a second cross-sectional area generally normal to the vehicle axis toward the lower end of the launch vehicle during descent, the second cross-sectional area being less than the first cross-sectional area.

5. The aerospace system of claim 1 wherein shifting the center of pressure of the vehicle includes moving the control surface from a stowed position to a deployed position.

6. The aerospace system of claim 1 wherein the routine further comprises directing thrust from the one or more rocket nozzles during landing.

7. The aerospace system of claim 1 wherein the control surface is tapered outwardly in a direction toward the upper end.

8. The aerospace system of claim 1 wherein the control surface includes a vane.

9. The aerospace system of claim 1 wherein the launch vehicle further comprises one or more fins positioned toward the lower end and separate from the control surface.

10. The aerospace system of claim 1 wherein the launch vehicle further comprises one or more control fins positioned toward the lower end and separate from the control surface, and wherein the routine further includes controlling a direction of the launch vehicle during descent via the one or more control fins.

11. The aerospace system of claim 1 wherein the launch vehicle further comprises one or more control fins positioned toward the lower end and separate from the control surface, wherein the routine further includes controlling a direction of the launch vehicle during descent by pivoting the one or more control fins about a corresponding pivot axis extending outwardly from the vehicle axis.

12. The aerospace system of claim 1 wherein the launch vehicle further comprises one or more bidirectional control fins positioned toward the lower end and separate from the control surface, wherein the routine further includes controlling a direction of the launch vehicle during ascent via at least one of the one or more bidirectional control fins, and controlling a direction of the launch vehicle during descent via at least one of the one or more bidirectional control fins.

13. The aerospace system of claim 1 wherein the launch vehicle further comprises one or more bidirectional control fins positioned toward the lower end and separate from the control surface, wherein the routine further includes controlling a direction of the launch vehicle during ascent by pivoting at least one of the one or more of the bidirectional control fins about a corresponding pivot axis extending outwardly from the vehicle axis, and controlling a direction of the launch vehicle during descent by pivoting the at least one of the one or more bidirectional control fins about the corresponding pivot axis.

14. A system for providing access to space, the system comprising:
a space launch vehicle, wherein the space launch vehicle includes one or more rocket engines; and
a controller carried by the space launch vehicle, the controller being programmed with instructions that, when executed:
direct thrust from a lower end of the launch vehicle to lift the launch vehicle during ascent, the launch vehicle having an upper end positioned above the lower end during ascent;
shift a center of pressure of the launch vehicle from a first position below a center of gravity of the launch vehicle to a second position above the center of gravity by moving at least one of a plurality of control surfaces from a stowed position to a deployed position after launch, wherein the upper end of the vehicle is positioned above the lower end during descent, wherein the plurality of control surfaces are positioned toward the upper end, and wherein each of the control surfaces includes a plurality of air passages positioned to allow air to flow through the control surfaces during descent; and
direct thrust from the lower end of the launch vehicle to decelerate the launch vehicle during descent.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the at least one control surface is moved from the stowed position to the deployed position during descent.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the center of gravity is positioned between the plurality of control surfaces and the rocket engines.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the plurality of control surfaces are positioned above the center of gravity during descent.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the center of pressure is aft of the center of gravity during vehicle ascent, and wherein the center of pressure is aft of the center of gravity during vehicle descent.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein moving the at least one control surface from the stowed position to the deployed position includes pivoting the control surface relative to the launch vehicle.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein moving the at least one control surface from the stowed position to the deployed position includes pivoting the control surface outwardly relative to the launch vehicle.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein moving the at least one control surface from the stowed position to the deployed position includes moving a fin.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein moving the at least one control surface from the stowed position to the deployed position includes deploying a flare surface.

23. The system of claim 14 wherein moving the at least one control surface from the stowed position to the deployed position includes deploying two individual elements, and wherein the controller is further programmed with instructions that, when executed move the individual elements at different rates, by different amounts, or both at different rates and by

Assignees

• Blue Origin Llc

Inventors

• Featherstone Mark
• Boelitz Frederick W
• Ramsey Roger E
• Biggs David M

Classifications

• F42B10/64 Primary

  of fins · CPC title

• F42B15/01

  Arrangements thereon for guidance or control ({steering arrangements F42B10/60}; aircraft flight control B64C; guidance systems other than those installed aboard F41G7/00, F41G9/00; locating by use of radio or other waves G01S; flight control in general G05D1/00; computer aspects G06]) · CPC title

• B64C9/00

  Adjustable control surfaces or members, e.g. rudders (trimming stabilising surfaces B64C5/10) · CPC title

• B64G1/60

  Crew or passenger accommodations · CPC title

• B64G1/40

  Arrangements or adaptations of propulsion systems · CPC title