Flight vehicle control system
AssigneeValley Tech Systems, Inc.
InventorsRussell Carlson, Dustin Barr, Allen Yan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An attitude control system for a guided missile includes a gas generator, an accumulator coupled to the gas generator, and a valve positioned between the gas generator and the accumulator. The gas generator contains propellant that burns to provide hot gas to pressurize the accumulator. The valve is opened to recharge the accumulator with hot gas and closed when it is full. A vent valve can be included to extinguish the propellant in the gas generator. The accumulator can be coupled to thrusters that use the stored hot gas to adjust the attitude of the guided missile.
Claims25
A flight vehicle position control system method comprising:
- positioning an initial charge of solid propellant in an accumulator of a flight vehicle;
- igniting the initial charge of solid propellant;
- pressurizing the accumulator with hot gas produced by igniting the solid propellant;
- determining a pressure in the accumulator has reached an initial threshold;
- opening a first valve and allowing hot gas to flow from the accumulator to a gas generator based upon the pressure in the accumulator reaching the initial threshold;
- igniting solid propellant in the gas generator with the hot gas from the accumulator;
- closing the first valve;
- and
- extinguishing the solid propellant in the gas generator by opening a second valve and depressurizing the gas generator.
A flight vehicle position control method comprising:
- burning solid propellant in a gas generator;
- storing hot gas produced by burning the solid propellant in an accumulator, the gas generator and the accumulator being part of a flight vehicle;
- releasing the hot gas in the accumulator through one or more thrusters to control the position of the flight vehicle;
- and
- extinguishing the solid propellant in the gas generator and reigniting the solid propellant in the gas generator with the hot gas stored in the accumulator.
A flight vehicle position control method comprising:
- burning solid propellant in a gas generator;
- storing hot gas produced by burning the solid propellant in an accumulator, the gas generator and the accumulator being part of a flight vehicle;
- closing a valve positioned between the gas generator and the accumulator and preventing the hot gas from flowing between the gas generator and the accumulator;
- extinguishing the solid propellant in the gas generator;
- and
- reigniting the solid propellant in the gas generator with the hot gas from the accumulator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.