Spacecraft landing and recovery inflation system

A spacecraft comprising:

• a space capsule;
• a command processor;
• a compressed gas source disposed within said space capsule;
• and
• a landing inflation system comprising:
• an isolation valve fluidly coupled to said compressed gas source and communicatively coupled with and controlled by said command processor;
• a manifold located fluidly downstream from and fluidly coupled to said isolation valve;
• a plurality of command valves located fluidly downstream from and fluidly coupled to said manifold and communicatively coupled with and controlled by said command processor;
• a bleed orifice fluidly coupled with said manifold between said isolation valve and said plurality of command valves and configured to automatically equalize pressure in said manifold between said isolation valve and said plurality of command valves prior to pressurization of said manifold with said compressed gas;
• a plurality of air bag assemblies fluidly coupled to said plurality of command valves;
• and
• a plurality of pressure sensors fluidly coupled to said plurality of airbag assemblies and communicatively coupled with said command processor;
• and wherein:
• said isolation valve is configured to initiate pressurization of said manifold in response to a first inflation initiation command signal from said command processor;
• said manifold is configured to concurrently distribute compressed gas to said plurality of command valves;
• said command processor generates a second inflation initiation command signal following pressurization of said manifold;
• each one of said plurality of command valves is configured to concurrently initiate inflation of one of said plurality of airbag assemblies, associated therewith, in response to a second inflation initiation command signal from said command processor;
• each one of said plurality of pressure sensors is configured to measure a fill pressure of one of said plurality of airbag assemblies, associated therewith, and generate a nominal fill pressure signal provided to said command processor when said fill pressure of said one of said plurality of airbag assemblies, associated therewith, is equal to a nominal fill pressure;
• said command processor generates an inflation cessation command signal in response to said nominal fill pressure signal from each one of said plurality of pressure sensors;
• and
• each one of said plurality of command valves is further configured to discretely cease inflation of said one of said plurality of airbag assemblies, associated therewith, in response to said inflation cessation command signal from said command processor.

A method for landing and recovery of a space capsule, said method comprising:

• automatically equalizing pressure in a manifold, located between and fluidly coupled with an isolation valve and a plurality of command valves, using a bleed orifice fluidly coupled with said manifold between said isolation valve and said plurality of command valves;
• generating, by a command processor, a first inflation initiation command signal;
• actuating, by said command processor, said isolation valve, fluidly coupled to a compressed gas source, in response to said first inflation initiation command signal;
• pressurizing said manifold, located fluidly downstream from and fluidly coupled to said isolation valve, with said compressed gas;
• generating, by said command processor, a second inflation initiation command signal following pressurization of said manifold;
• actuating, by said command processor, said plurality of command valves, located fluidly downstream from and fluidly coupled to said manifold, to concurrently inflate a plurality of airbag assemblies, fluidly coupled to said plurality of command valves, with said compressed gas in response to said second inflation initiation command signal;
• measuring, by a plurality of pressure sensors fluidly coupled to said plurality of airbag assemblies and communicatively coupled with said command processor, a fill pressure of each one of said plurality of airbag assemblies;
• generating, by each one of said plurality of pressure sensors, a nominal fill pressure signal when said fill pressure of each one of said plurality of airbag assemblies is equal to a nominal fill pressure;
• generating, by said command processor, an inflation cessation command signal in response to said nominal fill pressure signal associated with each one of said plurality of airbag assemblies;
• actuating, by said command processor, each one of said plurality of command valves to discretely cease inflation each one of said plurality of airbag assemblies in response to said inflation cessation command signal;
• and
• attenuating, by said airbag assemblies, a load in response to a landing impact.