Aerobraking orbit transfer vehicle
US6550720B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 9, 2001 |
| Grant date | Apr 22, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 9, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64G1/50
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The excess space and weight capacity that is typical of a launch of large satellites to high-energy orbits, such as a geosynchronous orbit, is used to deploy small satellites at a substantially lower-energy orbit, such as a low-earth orbit. An orbit-transfer vehicle provides the navigation, propulsion, and control systems required to transport a payload satellite from a geosynchronous-transfer orbit (GTO) to a predetermined low-earth orbit (LEO). Depending upon the particular configuration, upon achieving the low-earth orbit, the orbit transfer vehicle either releases the payload satellite, or remains attached to the payload satellite to provide support services, such as power, communications, and navigation, to the payload satellite. To reduce the fuel requirements for this deployment via the orbit-transfer vehicle, the orbit-transfer vehicle employs aerobraking to bring the satellite into a low-earth orbit. The aerobraking is preferably performed at a nominal altitude of 150 km above the earth, where the atmosphere is dense enough to allow for a reasonably sized drogue device, yet rare enough to avoid the need for special purpose heat-shielding materials. In a preferred operation…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.