A maskless touch up tool having a faceplate and handle. The faceplate is placed on a surface for touching up of a coating on the surface. The surface may be on a rocket body. The faceplate may form a seal around a target region of the surface. The faceplate has an opening configured to receive a touch up coating therethrough for application of the touch up coating to the surface. The handle may extend away from the faceplate and be configured for gripping by a user. The tool may include a reservoir, or an attachment for an external container, configured to collect excess touch up coating from the surface. The tool may be used to touch up the surface coating without the need for masking of the surface.
A maskless touch up tool having a faceplate and handle. The faceplate is placed on a surface for touching up of a coating on the surface. The surface may be on a rocket body. The faceplate may form a seal around a target region of the surface. The faceplate has an opening configured to receive a touch up coating therethrough for application of the touch up coating to the surface. The handle may extend away from the faceplate and be configured for gripping by a user. The tool may include a reservoir, or an attachment for an external container, configured to collect excess touch up coating from the surface. The tool may be used to touch up the surface coating without the need for masking of the surface.
A maskless touch up tool having a faceplate and handle. The faceplate is placed on a surface for touching up of a coating on the surface. The surface may be on a rocket body. The faceplate may form a seal around a target region of the surface. The faceplate has an opening configured to receive a touch up coating therethrough for application of the touch up coating to the surface. The handle may extend away from the faceplate and be configured for gripping by a user. The tool may include a reservoir, or an attachment for an external container, configured to collect excess touch up coating from the surface. The tool may be used to touch up the surface coating without the need for masking of the surface.
A maskless touch up tool having a faceplate and handle. The faceplate is placed on a surface for touching up of a coating on the surface. The surface may be on a rocket body. The faceplate may form a seal around a target region of the surface. The faceplate has an opening configured to receive a touch up coating therethrough for application of the touch up coating to the surface. The handle may extend away from the faceplate and be configured for gripping by a user. The tool may include a reservoir, or an attachment for an external container, configured to collect excess touch up coating from the surface. The tool may be used to touch up the surface coating without the need for masking of the surface.
Stacked satellite dispensing systems are described herein. The disclosed systems have a full stack of satellites with multiple sub-stacks. Each of the multiple sub-stacks has a respective sub-stack strut that stabilizes the sub-stack of satellites. A full stack strut stabilizes the full stack of all the sub-stacks of satellites. The sub-stack struts and the full stack strut can traverse an external sidewall of the satellites, and, in some examples, extend diagonally along the external sidewalls. Each sub-stack of satellites is stacked, then its respective sub-stack strut is extended along the external sidewall of the sub-stack. After each sub-stack strut is secured, the full stack strut is secured along the external sidewall of the full stack of satellites.
A metal encapsulated ceramic tile thermal insulation system for rockets and associated methods is disclosed. A representative system includes a launch vehicle having a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end and includes a heat shield positioned at the second end. The heat shield includes a plurality of thermal protection apparatuses, where individual of the thermal protection apparatuses include ceramic tiles encapsulated by inner and outer metal layers, which are positioned on opposing top and bottom surfaces of the ceramic tiles. The plurality of thermal protection apparatuses includes a plurality of pins positioned within corresponding holes drilled through the ceramic tiles and are secured to the metal layers. The outer metal layer can protect the ceramic tile from tool strikes and debris and can also prevent water from reaching and being absorbed by the ceramic file.
B32B 15/04 - Produits stratifiés composés essentiellement de métal comprenant un métal comme seul composant ou comme composant principal d'une couche adjacente à une autre couche d'une substance spécifique
7.
HIGH TEMPERATURE THERMAL PROTECTION SYSTEM FOR ROCKETS, AND ASSOCIATED METHODS
A high temperature thermal protection systems for rockets, and associated methods, is disclosed. A representative system includes a launch vehicle having a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end. The launch vehicle is elongated along a vehicle axis extending between the first and second ends and carries a propulsion system having at least one nozzle positioned at the second end of the launch vehicle. A thermal protection apparatus positioned around the nozzle is used to provide cooling and/or insulation to the nozzle during the flight of the launch vehicle. The thermal protection apparatus can include multiple fabric layers and an insulation layer stacked and stitched together. The fabric layers can include metal alloy fibers. In representative systems, the thermal protection apparatus can further include provisions for water that saturates the insulation layer to provide further insulating and/or cooling effects.
B32B 3/26 - Produits stratifiés comprenant une couche ayant des discontinuités ou des rugosités externes ou internes, ou une couche de forme non planeProduits stratifiés comprenant une couche ayant des particularités au niveau de sa forme caractérisés par une couche continue dont le périmètre de la section droite a une allure particulièreProduits stratifiés comprenant une couche ayant des discontinuités ou des rugosités externes ou internes, ou une couche de forme non planeProduits stratifiés comprenant une couche ayant des particularités au niveau de sa forme caractérisés par une couche comportant des cavités ou des vides internes
B32B 5/08 - Produits stratifiés caractérisés par l'hétérogénéité ou la structure physique d'une des couches caractérisés par les caractéristiques de structure d'une couche comprenant des fibres ou des filaments les fibres ou filaments d'une couche étant disposés d'une certaine manière ou étant faits de substances différentes
8.
ROCKET TANK LIQUID LEVEL DETERMINATION, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Rocket tank liquid level determination, and associated systems and methods. A representative system includes a computer-readable medium having instructions that, when executed, receive an image corresponding to a view of the liquid in the rocket tank, identify an edge between the liquid and a wall of the tank, and, based on at least one of a size, shape, location, or orientation of the edge, estimate a level of the liquid in the tank. In addition to or in lieu of determining the liquid level, the system can determine a characteristic of a sloshing motion of the liquid in the tank, and, based at least on the characteristic of the sloshing motion, direct operation of a forcing element that imparts a force to the rocket to at least partially counteract a force placed on the rocket by the sloshing motion of the liquid in the tank.
B64G 1/22 - Parties de véhicules spatiaux ou équipements spécialement destinés à être fixés dans ou sur ces véhicules
B64G 1/24 - Appareils de guidage ou de commande, p. ex. de commande d'assiette
F02K 9/42 - Moteurs-fusées, c.-à-d. ensembles fonctionnels portant à la fois le combustible et son oxydantLeur commande utilisant des propergols liquides ou gazeux
G01F 23/00 - Indication ou mesure du niveau des liquides ou des matériaux solides fluents, p. ex. indication en fonction du volume ou indication au moyen d'un signal d'alarme
F02K 9/80 - Moteurs-fusées, c.-à-d. ensembles fonctionnels portant à la fois le combustible et son oxydantLeur commande caractérisés par la commande de la poussée ou du vecteur poussée
9.
VERTICAL LANDING SYSTEMS FOR SPACE VEHICLES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS
Methods and systems for vertically landing space vehicles are described herein. In one embodiment, a reusable space vehicle lands in a vertical, nose-up orientation by engaging a system of cables suspended from an elevated framework during a controlled descent.
Severe weather agility thrusters, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative system includes a launch vehicle having a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end, and is elongated along a vehicle axis extending between the first and second ends. A propulsion system is carried by the launch vehicle and has at least one main engine having a corresponding nozzle positioned toward the first end to launch the launch vehicle. At least one laterally-directed thruster is positioned toward the second end of the launch vehicle. The system further includes a controller in communication with the launch vehicle and programmed with instructions that, when executed, direct the launch vehicle in a first direction during vehicle ascent, direct the launch vehicle in a second direction, opposite the first direction, during vehicle descent, and direct activation of the at least one laterally-directed thruster to guide the launch vehicle during descent.
A contoured roller set and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein A male roller having a convex surface and a pair of female rollers each having a concave surface can receive a generally thin sheet of material and impart a doubly- curved shape to the sheet The convex and concave surfaces of the male and female rollers can have a radius of curvature chosen to match a radius of curvature of the sheet of material The rollers are positioned and shaped to urge the sheet between the female rollers to cause the sheet to curve toward the male roller.
Eyeball seals for a gimbaled rocket engines, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a rocket body, an engine carried by and movable relative to the rocket body, and a seal assembly. The seal assembly can include a sealing surface carried by one of the rocket body and the engine, and a seal element carried by the other of the rocket body and the engine. The seal element is in contact with the sealing surface. The seal assembly can further include a cylinder and a piston slideably received in the cylinder, with one of the piston and the cylinder carrying the seal element. The cylinder includes ports that are in fluid communication with a region external to the rocket body. Accordingly, pressures external to the rocket body can force the seal element and/or the sealing surface into contact with each other.
F02K 9/84 - Moteurs-fusées, c.-à-d. ensembles fonctionnels portant à la fois le combustible et son oxydantLeur commande caractérisés par la commande de la poussée ou du vecteur poussée utilisant des tuyères mobiles
Technology for predicting and correcting a trajectory is described. The technology can create a model to predict a position of the reusable launch vehicle at a time in the future; observe a wind condition during ascent of the reusable launch vehicle; store the observed wind condition in a wind map; predict during ascent a position and a terminal lateral velocity of the reusable launch vehicle at a terminal altitude; and correct a flight trajectory of the reusable launch vehicle based on the wind map.
Technology is described for enabling a reusable launch vehicle to compensate for wind prior to engaging propulsion during approach to landing. The technology can cause the reusable launch vehicle to begin un-powered descent; determine a first rotation angle of the reusable launch vehicle about a specified vertical descent path, the first rotation angle corresponding to a first attitude of the reusable launch vehicle selected to stabilize the reusable launch vehicle on the vertical descent path based on a wind speed and angle; and prior to engaging a propulsion device, command a second rotation angle for the reusable launch vehicle, the second rotation angle corresponding to a second attitude that, when the propulsion device is engaged, will cause the reusable launch vehicle to remain at least approximately at the vertical descent path.
Multiple-use rocket engines and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A method in accordance with a particular embodiment includes launching a two-stage vehicle have a first stage and a second stage carried by the first stage. The first stage can be powered with a first rocket engine having first rocket engine components, including a first combustion chamber, arranged in a first component configuration. The method can further include separating the second stage from the first stage, and powering the second stage with a second rocket engine having second engine components arranged in a second component configuration. The second rocket engine components can include a second combustion chamber that is interchangeable with the first combustion chamber. In further particular embodiments, recovered engine components from the first stage may be used to power the second stage of the same or a different two-stage vehicle.
Launch vehicles with fixed and deployable deceleration surfaces and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a launch vehicle that has a first end and a second end generally opposite the first end, and is elongated along a vehicle axis extending between the first and second ends. The vehicle carries an exposed outwardly facing surface having a first region positioned or positionable to have a first cross-sectional area generally normal to the vehicle axis toward the first end of the vehicle, and a second region positioned or positionable to have a second cross-sectional area generally normal to the vehicle axis toward the second end of the vehicle. The system can further include a propulsion system carried by the launch vehicle and having at least one nozzle positioned toward the first end of the vehicle to launch the launch vehicle.
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.
Modular friction welding heads and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A friction welding system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a carrier fixture positioned to carry a workpiece, a head support positioned proximate to the carrier fixture, and a modular friction welding head releasably carried by the head support. At least one of the carrier fixture and the head support can have a guide structure with a constrained motion path positioned to guide relative motion between the modular friction welding head and the carrier fixture. A controller can be operatively coupled to the modular friction welding head and programmed with instructions to control the operation of the friction welding head.
B23K 20/12 - Soudage non électrique par percussion ou par une autre forme de pression, avec ou sans chauffage, p. ex. revêtement ou placage la chaleur étant produite par frictionSoudage par friction
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