Centrifugal gravity habitation torus constructed of salvaged orbital debris
US6206328A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 9, 1998 |
| Grant date | Mar 27, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 9, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64G1/64
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An aerospace hardware derelict item is salvaged in space, modified, and reused to provide manned facilities in orbit. The hardware packages added onto the salvaged discarded item enhances its value, and incorporates at least the subsystems required to effectively reuse portions of previously discarded launch vehicle components, and other derelict objects in space. The hardware, and technique used reduces the cost of launching comparable hardware to orbit, because of the reuse, and provides a human habitation in orbit. The salvaged items include the external tank of the space shuttle, other derelict orbital hardware, the add-on cargo pod in two forms, and the ability to convert the derelict into a cost effective reusable item. The salvaged hardware is initially capable of contributing mass, length, interior volume, strongback, rotational stability mass, interior pressurized volumes, artificial gravity, and stability with the addition of simple subsystems for salvage, and interior development packages.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.