Patent · US Active

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

US8876059B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
31References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 15, 2013
Grant dateNov 4, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 13, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB64G1/401
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Vehicles with bidirectional 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.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.