Cryogenic propellant depot and deployable sunshield
US8196869B2 · kind B2 · utility
2Cited by
18References
19Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 29, 2011 |
| Grant date | Jun 12, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 29, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64G1/58
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A cryogenic propellant depot and sunshield are provided for operation in earth orbit to fuel or refuel other space vehicles. The sunshield is deployed to effectively mitigate solar radiation emanating from the earth and the sun thereby providing a long term storage solution for cryogenic fluids prone to boil-off. The depot has supporting subsystems to include station keeping equipment and communication equipment so that the depot can be independently controlled. Inflatable booms are used to deploy the sunshield in a desired pattern around the depot.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.