Propulsion bay

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9963250-B2
Application number	US-201214346098-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2012
Priority date	Sep 20, 2011
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

This invention relates to a propulsion bay to be transported, at least temporarily, in a space launch vehicle and comprising an adapter that co-operates with at least one system located, at least temporarily, on board the bay, said system comprising an electrical power supply. The bay is characterized in that it also comprises at least one electric space propulsion engine that can be powered by the power supply of the system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A propulsion bay configured to be transported at least temporarily in a space launch vehicle, comprising:
an adapter which cooperates with at least one of a first, a second, or a third system loaded temporarily on the propulsion bay, said first, second, and third systems being removably engageable with said adapter, the adapter comprising a carrier structure having a substantially cylindrical shape and an inner space to receive the first system loaded in the carrier structure, the carrier structure comprising an end to cooperate with the second system, the adapter being adapted to cooperate with the third system forming an additional liquid or solid space propulsion system, each of the first, second, and third systems comprising an electric power supply; and
at least one electric space propulsion engine adapted to be powered by the power supply of any of the first, second and third systems.

2. The bay according to claim 1 , wherein the first system and/or the second system form artificial satellites configured to orbit in space.

3. The bay according to claim 2 , wherein the carrier structure has openings adapted for deployment of solar panels of the power supply of the first system forming an artificial satellite, via the openings.

Assignees

• Centre Nat Etd Spatiales

Inventors

• Bultel Pascal

Classifications

• B64G1/40 Primary

  Arrangements or adaptations of propulsion systems · CPC title

• B64G1/422

  Nuclear power generation · CPC title

• B64G1/44

  using radiation, e.g. deployable solar arrays · CPC title

• B64G1/503

  Radiator panels · CPC title

• B64G1/64

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